A crash course in prepositions
There are over 150 English prepositional phrases in English. This may seem like a lot,
but its not many when you compare them to the number of verbs, adjectives and
nouns in English.
However, the rules regulating prepositions are tough for English learners and its
important to go over them here.
So whats a preposition?
Prepositions are words that represent location and time.
The dog is on the bike
The dog is in the car
The dog is beside the man
On, in, and beside are all prepositions. They are showing where the puppy
is. Prepositions can also show location in time. Read the next three
examples:
At dawn, they rode out into the desert.
In the summer, I always tell myself to take more free time
and enjoy life more.
During the lecture, Paul's eyes started closing, and his head
crept ever closer to the desk.
At dawn, in the summer, and during the lecture all show location in time.
Below is a list of prepositions:
about
concerning
onto
above
despite
on top of
according to
down
out
across
during
out of
after
except
outside
against
except for
over
along
excepting
past
along with
for
regarding
among
from
round
apart from
in
since
around
in addition to
through
as
in back of
throughout
as for
in case of
till
at
in front of
to
because of
in place of
toward
before
inside
under
behind
in spite of
underneath
below
instead of
unlike
beneath
into
until
beside
like
up
between
near
upon
beyond
next
up to
but*
of
with
by
off
within
by means of
on
without
But...
The use of but as a preposition is often debated. Its rarely used as a
preposition however when it is, it has the same meaning as except.
except—Everyone went to the park but Martin.
Making a prepositional phrase
Prepositions generally introduce prepositional phrases.
Prepositional phrases look like this:
P R E P O S I T I O N +O P T I O N A L
MODIFIERS
+N O U N ,
PRONOUN, OR
GERUND
Here are some examples:
At the park
At= preposition; Park= noun.
According to the policeman
According to= preposition; the policeman= pronoun.
By talking
By= preposition; talking= gerund.
Under the chair
Under= preposition; the= modifier; chair= noun.
In the dusty, smokey room
In= preposition;the, dusty, smokey= modifiers; room=
noun.
But these prepositions work a bit differently
Some prepositions also function as subordinate conjunctions
(See our conjunctions section). These prepositions are after, as,
before, since, and until. A subordinate conjunction will have both a
subject and a verb following it, forming a subordinate clause.
Look at these examples:
After they kissed goodbye
After = subordinate conjunction;They subjects; kissed =
verb.
As Peter cracked under pressure.
As = subordinate conjunction; Peter= subject; cracked=
verb.
Before I make this toast
Before = subordinate conjunction; I = subject; make= verb.
Since we love Grammar so much
Since = subordinate conjunction; we = subject; love =
verb.
Until your Mother comes here
Until = subordinate conjunction; your mother = subject;
comes= verb.
If you find a noun [with or without modifiers] following one of these
five prepositions, then all you have is a prepositional phrase. Look at
these examples:
After the awful English test
After = preposition; the, awful, English= modifiers; test =
noun.
As a good parent
As= preposition; a, good = modifiers; parent = noun.
Before supper
Before = preposition; supper= noun.
Since the breakup of their relationship
Since = preposition;the = modifier; breakup = noun.