Preposition
Preposition
Preposition
What is a preposition?
A preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words
within a sentence. They act to connect the people, objects, time and locations of a
sentence. Prepositions are usually short words, and they are normally placed
directly in front of nouns. In some cases, you’ll find prepositions in front
of gerund verbs.
A nice way to think about prepositions is as the words that help glue a sentence
together. They do this by expressing position and movement, possession, time and how
an action is completed.
Indeed, several of the most frequently used words in all of English, such as of, to, for,
with, on and at, are prepositions. Explaining prepositions can seem complicated, but
they are a common part of language and most of us use them naturally without even
thinking about it.
In fact, it’s interesting to note that prepositions are regarded as a ‘closed class’ of words
in the English language. This means, unlike verbs and nouns, no new words are added
to this group over time. In a way, it reflects their role as the functional workhorse of the
sentence. They are unassuming and subtle, yet vitally important to the meaning of
language.
There are two very important rules to remember when using prepositions. Because they
are somewhat vague, learning about prepositions and using them correctly in
sentences takes practice. Because 1:1 translation is often impossible when dealing with
propositions, even the most advanced English students have some difficulty at first.
The first rule is that to make sentences clear, specific prepositions are
needed. For example, the preposition in means one thing and the
preposition on cannot substitute for it in all cases. Some prepositions are
interchangeable but not always. The correct preposition means one particular
thing and using a different proposition will give the sentence a very different
meaning. I want to see you in the house now, Bill! means something very
different from I want to see you on the house now, Bill! In the house means Bill
should go through the door, walk inside, and stand in the hall or living
room. On the house means Bill would need to get a ladder and climb to the roof
where he would be on top of the house.
The second rule for using prepositions is that prepositions are generally
followed by nouns or pronouns. There was a time in the past when teachers
held strictly to this rule, but it made for some clunky sentences. I am seeking
someone I can depend on ends with the preposition on, so people who insisted
that sentences shouldn’t end with a preposition would be forced to use
convoluted and unnatural phrasing. To avoid ending that sentence above with a
preposition, you’d have to say, someone I can depend on is whom I am seeking.
There are more than 100 prepositions in the English language. In addition, there
are endless possibilities for creating prepositional phrases, phrases that begin
with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. In the following sections, you
will find examples of prepositions, types of prepositions, a comprehensive list of
prepositions, and some helpful preposition exercises. As you read the examples
and study the list, remember that prepositions usually convey concepts such as
comparison, direction, place, purpose, source possession, and time.
Examples of Prepositions
In the following sentences, examples of prepositions have been italicized. As you read,
consider how using different prepositions or even different types of prepositions in place
of the examples might change the relationship between the rest of the words in the
sentence.
Types of Prepositions
There are three types of prepositions, including time prepositions, place prepositions,
and direction prepositions.
Time prepositions are those such as before, after, during, and until; place prepositions are those
indicating position, such as around, between, and against; and direction prepositions
are those indicative of direction, such as across, up, and down. Each type of
preposition is important.
Type of Prepositions
Prepositions of Time
Basic examples of time prepositions include: at, on, in, before and after. They are used
to help indicate when something happened, happens or will happen. It can get a little
confusing though, as many different prepositions can be used.
Prepositions of time examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
For example:
The above makes it seem quite difficult, with five different prepositions used to indicate
when something happened. However, there is a set of guidelines that can help decide
which preposition to use:
For years, months, seasons, centuries and times of day, use the preposition in:
For days, dates and specific holiday days, use the preposition on.
For times, indicators of exception and festivals, use the preposition at:
Before and after should be much easier to understand than the other examples of
prepositions of time. Both are used to explain when something happened, happens or
will happen, but specifically in relation to another thing.
Other prepositions of time could include: During, about, around, until and throughout.
Prepositions of Place
To confuse matters a bit, the most common prepositions to indicate time – on, at, in –
are also the most common prepositions to indicate position. However, the rules are a
little clearer as place prepositions are a more rigid concept than time prepositions.
Prepositions of place examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
In is used when referring to something that is inside or within confined boundaries. This
could be anything, even a country:
Prepositions of Movement
Prepositions of movement are quite easy to understand as they are less abstract than
prepositions of place and time. Essentially, they describe how something or someone
moves from one place to another. The most commonly used preposition of movement
is to, which usually serves to highlight that there is movement towards a specific
destination.
Prepositions of movement examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
Through refers to moving directly inside something and out the other end.
Verb + for:
Verb + with:
I don’t agree with your claim.
The lawyer said he will meet with your representatives.
They began with a quick warm-up.
Verb + of:
Verb + in:
Verb + at
Verb + on:
Verb + from:
There can sometimes be a pattern in deciding which prepositions go with adjectives, for
example, when adjectives have the same or very similar meaning to each other, they
might take the same preposition:
Indeed, when adjectives have opposite meaning they might also take the same
preposition:
There are always many exceptions to the above, but it can help that there seems to be
some
consistency when adjectives have the same meaning or opposite meaning.
Nevertheless, perhaps a more general rule is that English speakers simply need to
learn which prepositions go with which adjectives, as meaning can change significantly
by using a different preposition.
Prepositions Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how
prepositions work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
1. The bone was _______ the dog.
a. About
b. For
c. After
d. Considering
Answer: b. The bone was for the dog.
2. We are going on vacation _______ August.
a. On
b. At
c. In
d. Since
Answer: c. We are going on vacation in August.
3. Please put the vase ________ the table.
a. In
b. On
c. For
d. Over
Answer: b. Please put the vase on the table.
4. I received a present ________ Janet.
a. From
b. Of
c. By
d. About
Answer: a. I received a present from Janet.
5. School begins ________ Monday.
a. In
b. On
c. From
d. Since
Answer: b. School begins on Monday.
List of Prepositions
While there are only about 150 prepositions in the English language, these words are
among the most important. Without them, the sentences we speak, read, and write
would be difficult to understand. The following list of prepositions is not a complete one,
however it is among the most comprehensive lists of prepositions available anywhere.
Aboard Circa Over
About Concerning Past
Above Considering Per
Absent Despite Plus
Across Down Regarding
After During Round
Against Except Save
Along Excepting Since
Alongside Excluding Than
Amid Failing Through
Among Following To
Amongst For Toward
Anti From Towards
Around Given Under
As In Underneath
At Inside Unlike
Before Into Until
Behind Like Up
Below Minus Upon
Beneath Near Versus
Beside Of Via
Besides Off With
Between On Within
Beyond Onto Without
But Opposite Worth
By Outside