English Grammar/Basic Parts of Speech/Prepositions

A preposition connects the relationship between a noun, pronoun and phrase to other parts of the sentence. Whatever object or phrase the preposition is introducing is called the object of the preposition.

Each bold word in the following sentences are examples of prepositions:

The box is on the desk. The box is under the desk. The box is leaning against the desk. The box is beside the desk. He held the box over the desk. He looked at the box during lunch.

In each sentence a preposition is used to locate the box in time or space. People use prepositions every day without even realizing it. Think of a preposition as a way to relate the object to the rest of the sentence.

List of Prepositions

Some Commonly Used Prepositions

about	before	down	of	throughout
above	behind	during	off	to
across	below	except	on	toward
after	beneath	for	onto	under
against	beside	from	out	underneath
along	between	in	outside	until
among	beyond	inside	over	up
around	but	into	past	upon
as	by	like	since	with
at	despite	near	through	without

Compound Prepositions

according to	except for	in response to
as well as	in accordance with	in spite of
because of	in addition to	inside of
by means of	in place of	instead of
by way of	in relation to	on account of

Object of the Preposition

The object of the preposition is always a noun, a pronoun or a noun equivalent.

Examples

1. With poise, Gwyneth Paltrow walked to the stage and accepted her Academy Award. (The noun poise is the object of the preposition with.)
2. The Palace welcomed the Prince of Monaco and scheduled a sightseeing tour for him. (The pronoun him is the object of the preposition for.)
3. The director asked about proposing the summer programs for the University. (Proposing the summer programs for the University is a group of words functioning as noun or is a noun equivalent. It is the object of the preposition about.)

Prepositions Indicating Time

1. Use on before days of the week, before months followed by the day or before the time indicating the day, month and year.
2. Use in to indicate year, before months not followed by the day or before the month and year without the day.
3. Use for to refer to a period of time stating the number of hours, days or weeks.
4. Use during to refer to a period of time.
5. Use since to refer to a period of time from the past to the present.

Prepositions Indicating Place or Position

1. Use between when you speak of two persons, places or things.
2. Use among when you speak of three or more persons, places or things.
3. Use on in an address with only the name of the street.
4. Use at when referring to places which indicate the general location.
5. Use in when the given location is more specific.
6. Use in when something is already inside.
7. Use into when there is movement involved in the placement of something.