Preposition
word or phrase able to connect a following noun or noun phrase (and often other parts of the speech) as a complement to some other part of the sentence, expressing a relation between them
Prepositions often describe the position of something, the time when something happens or the way in which something is done.[1] The prepositions "of", "to" and "for" have other functions.[2]
Prepositions may sometimes be used to end sentences. For example, "What did you put that there for?" (better English is the alternative: "Why did you put that there?")[3] Example 2: "A pen is a device to write with" (better English is "A pen is a writing device"). In general, because they are links, prepositions belong in the middle of sentences, rather than at the end.
The table below shows some examples of how prepositions are used in sentences.
| Function | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Position | The cat is under the table. He is sitting on the chair. The pencil is in the box. |
| Time | The class starts at 8 am. I am going to Spain on Wednesday. |
| How something is done | We travelled by car. |
| Possession | The book belongs to Colin. The door of the house is red. |
List of common prepositions
change- About
- Above
- Across
- After
- Along
- Amid
- Among
- Around
- As
- At
- Before
- Behind
- Below
- Beneath
- Between
- Because of
- Down
- During
- Except
- For
- From
- In
- Into
- Inside
- Instead of
- Near
- Next to
- Of
- Off
- On
- onto Archived 2023-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
- Outside
- Out of: unusual in needing two words, e.g. "The bat flew out of the cave".
- Past
- Round
- Since
- Than
- Through
- Till
- To
- Towards
- Under
- Underneath
- Until
- Unto
- Upon
- Without
- With
References
change- ↑ "Prepositions". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ↑ "Prepositions "Of," "To," and "For"". Talk English. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ↑ "Ending sentences with prepositions". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.