Prepositions

Prepositions are words belonging to the part of speech that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word. Notice how English prepositions (italicized) show the space relationship between a bug and the straw:

  • Bug #1 is on the straw. Bug #2 is under the straw. Bug #3 is inside the straw. Bug #4 is jumping over the straw. Bug #5 is walking around the straw.

English prepositions also show time relationships:

  • Noah giggled before lunch, at lunch, during lunch, throughout lunch, after lunch, and until midnight. He's been giggling since yesterday!

Besides showing space and time relationships, English prepositions also show abstract (thought or idea) relationships. The English prepositions listed below show abstract relationships.

concerning
considering
despite

except
excepting
for

like
of
opposite

regarding
save
unto

Simple Prepositions

Some English prepositions are single words while others are groups of words such as across from, along with, apart from, by means of, etc. In order to recognize and memorize single-word prepositions, simple prepositions, we list them alphabetically here.

aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
alongside
amid
among
around
at
before
behind
below
beneath

beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
excepting
for
from
in

inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
opposite
out
outside
over
past
regarding
round
save

since
through
throughout
till
to
toward
under
underneath
until
unto
up
upon
via
with
within
without

Examples 1

Underline each preposition in sentences 1-3.

  1. Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620.
  2. Settlers in Massachusetts and throughout New England understood the importance of education.
  3. Barrett came from Martha's Vineyard with vivid descriptions of its beauty.

Solutions

  1. Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620.
  2. Settlers in Massachusetts and throughout New England understood the importance of education.
  3. Barrett came from Martha's Vineyard with vivid descriptions of its beauty.

Complex Prepositions

Listed below are some complex prepositions, which contain more than one word.

according to
across from
alongside of
along with
apart from
aside from
away from
because of
by means of
down from

except for
from among
from between
from under
in addition to
in behalf of
in front of
in place of
in regard to
in spite of

inside of
next to
on account of
on behalf of
on top of
outside of
over to
owing to
prior to
round about

Examples 2

Underline each complex preposition in sentences a and b.

  1. According to Mrs. Haroon, the neighbor who lived next to her mansion moved away from Smudgeville because of the smog.
  2. On behalf of the PTA, Mrs. Haroon stood next to the podium in front of the crowd in place of the president and presented me my plaque along with a trophy on account of all my hard work.

Solutions

  1. According to Mrs. Haroon, the neighbor who lived next to her mansion moved away from Smudgeville because of the smog.
  2. On behalf of the PTA, Mrs. Haroon stood next to the podium in front of the crowd in place of the president and presented me my plaque along with a trophy on account of all my hard work.

Object of the Preposition

A person, place, or thing always follows a preposition. We call this word the object of the preposition. Every preposition must have an object. Otherwise, it is not a preposition. We italicize prepositions and star their objects in the phrases below.

at the *corner
on the *table
around the *lake

down the *stairs
through the *tunnel
like a *rocket

Simple prepositions are underlined in the sentences below. Notice how they show the relationship between "went" and "fence."

The soccer ball went under the fence.
The soccer ball went over the fence.

In the first sentence, we see that fence is the object of the preposition under. In the second sentence, fence is the object of the preposition over.

Prepositions may have compound objects:

  • Ivy hikes through *rain and *sleet.
  • Gus thinks about *villains and *heroes.