Prepositions

Definition: a preposition is a word used to show the relationship of a noun or a pronoun to some other word in the sentence.

Notice how a change in the preposition changes the relationship between package and tree in each of the following sentence.

The package under the tree is mine.

The package in the tree is mine.

The package near the tree is mine.

Preposition Chart

Aboard / Behind / From / Throughout
About / Below / In / To
Above / Beneath / Into / Toward
Across / Beside / Like / Under
After / Between / Near / Underneath
Against / Beyond / Of / Until
Along / But (except) / Off / Unto
Amid / By / On / Up
Among / Down / Over / Upon
Around / During / Past / With
At / Except / Since / Within
Before / For / Through / Without

Occasionally you will find compound prepositions of more than one word. A compound preposition may be considered as one word.

Compound Prepositions

Because of / According to
On account of / Instead of
In spite of / Out of

A preposition is always followed by a noun or a pronoun that the preposition relates to another word in the sentence.

The noun or the pronoun following the preposition is called the object of the preposition.

Words that modify the object may come between the preposition and the object.

Prepositional Phrases

Taken together, the preposition, its object, and the modifiers of the object are called a prepositional phrase.

Example

The cow was across the dusty prairie.

[The entire prepositional phrase includes the preposition across, its object prairie, and two adjectives modifying the object dusty.]

Sometimes the same word may be used as either a preposition or an adverb.

It is easy to tell the adverb from the preposition if you remember that a preposition must always be followed by a noun or a pronoun object.

ADVERB: The plane circled above. [Where did the plane circle? Above]

PREPOSITION: The plane circled above the field. [Note there is an object involved—field]

ADVERB: We remained within. [Where did we remain? Within]

PREPOSITION: We remained within the shelter. [Note there is an object involved—shelter]

Grammar/ Chapter 3/ Handout #3.1