Prepositions

A preposition is a word or group of words that shows the relationship--in time, space, or some other senses--between its object and another word in the sentence.

Prepositions

There are three kinds of prepositions Simple Compound Phrasal

Prepositions

Simple: after, except, off, with Compound: alongside, into, throughout, underneath, without, within Phrasal: across from, near to, in place of

Definition

Prepositional phrases consist of two parts:

The preposition and the object.

The object will be either a noun or a pronoun.

Prepositions
In English there are hundreds of prepositions, and the sad fact is you have to memorize them to know them. Examples: around, about, at, before, beside, beyond, by, down, over, past under, underneath, until, with, within, without, etc.

Preposition rules

In formal English, a preposition must be followed by an object. Adjectives may come between the preposition and the object.

Preposition rules
A sentence can not end with a preposition, because it must take an object. Wrong: Who are you talking to? Correct: To whom are you talking? >>>Formal English only, when we speak we do not follow this rule.

Prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases are either adjectives or adverbs. When they are adjectives, they modify nouns and pronouns When they are adverbs, they modify verbs, adverbs, and adjectives

Prepositional phrases: adjectives

Prepositional phrases that are adjectives answer the questions

Whose? Which one? Number? What kind?

Prepositional phrases adjectives

The salesman with red hair is the one who sold me the TV. (which one) The blue car is the one that belongs to Alice. (whose) I want a hamburger without lettuce. (what kind) Ill be back in three minutes.(number)

Prepositional phrases adverbs

Prepositional phrases that are adverbs answer the questions How? When? Where? Why?

Prepositional phrases adverbs

Archie took a trip to the moon. (where) We went hiking on Mt. Baldy on Sunday. (where and when) We are going ice skating for Joans birthday. (why) We went by ferry to the Islands. (how and where)

Prepositional phrases

When two or more prepositional phrases follow each other, they may modify the same word, or one phrase may modify the object in the preceding phrase: We took a trip to the top of the mountain. of the mountain is an adverb that modifies the object of the prepositional phrase to the top

Prepositional phrases

They arrived at the airport on time. (Both phrases modify arrived; "at the airport" tells where and "on time" tells when.)

Chicago is on the northeast tip of Illinois. ("on the northeast tip" modifies "is"; "of Illinois" modifies "tip.")

Be careful:

The object of the preposition must not be confused with the subject. The object of the preposition can NEVER be the subject of a sentence. This is important when forming subjectverb agreement.

Be careful:

Another thing to remember about prepositional phrases, is that they can have two or even three objects. She flew to London and Paris. The dog ran around the tree and the house.

Be careful

Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive Phrase? "To" followed by a verb is an infinitive To" followed by a noun or pronoun is a prepositional phrase.

Be careful

Preposition or Adverb? You can distinguish prepositions by their objects Preposition: The bird flew out the window. ("window" is the object of "out.") Adverb: We went out last night. ("out" has no object.)