See also Prepositional Phrase.
A preposition is a word used in English to express the relationship of a noun or pronoun to other elements of the sentence. It can indicate directions, time, location, spatial relationships, and other abstract types of relationships. Prepositions are essential for constructing meaningful and grammatically correct sentences, as they help provide context and clarity.
Key Functions of Prepositions
- Time: Indicate when something happens (e.g., before, during, after).
- Place: Show where something is or where something happens (e.g., at, on, in).
- Direction: Explain the direction in which something moves (e.g., to, into, towards).
- Means or Instrument: Describe how something is done (e.g., by, with).
- Purpose: Indicate the purpose or reason for something (e.g., for, about).
- Possession: Show possession or belonging (e.g., of).
Common Prepositions in English
Below is a list of commonly used prepositions in English. Note that this list is not exhaustive, as there are many prepositions in the language, each with various uses and meanings:
- about
- above
- across
- after
- against
- along
- amid
- among
- around
- as
- at
- before
- behind
- below
- beneath
- beside
- between
- beyond
- by
- concerning
- considering
- despite
- down
- during
- except
- for
- from
- in
- inside
- into
- like
- near
- of
- off
- on
- onto
- out
- outside
- over
- past
- regarding
- round
- since
- through
- throughout
- to
- towards
- under
- underneath
- until
- up
- upon
- with
- within
- without
Examples of Prepositions in Sentences
- Time: “We will meet at 5 pm.”
- Place: “The book is on the table.”
- Direction: “She walked towards the park.”
- Means: “He travels by train.”
- Purpose: “This tool is for cutting.”
- Possession: “The pages of the book were torn.”
Prepositions can be challenging due to their varied uses and the fact that their use can change the meaning of a sentence significantly. Additionally, prepositional usage often doesn’t translate directly from one language to another, which can be a source of confusion for learners of English as a second language.
Multi-word prepositions:
according to – along with – apart from – as for – because of – by means of – by reason of – by virtue of – despite – due to – except for – for the sake of – in addition to – in case of – in front of – in place of – in spite of – instead of – on account of – on behalf of – out of – owing to – regardless of – since when – so as to – such as – taken together with – with regard to – with reference to – with respect to