68 PLC, 346-3226

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PARTS OF SPEECH: PREPOSITIONS

WHAT IS A PREPOSITION?
A preposition is a word (or words) that creates a relationship between a noun or
pronoun and another part of the sentence. Many prepositions express relationships in
time and space. Knowing how to recognize them can help us avoid errors involving subjectverb agreement and pronoun case.
There are many prepositions in English, but the following list includes some of the most
common ones:
about, above, according to, after, against, along with, among, around, at, before, behind,
below, beside, between, beyond, by, concerning, despite, due to, during, except, for, from,
in, in between, in spite of, into, near, of, off, on, on account of, onto, outside of, over, past,
since, through, to, toward, under, until, up, with, without
HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY PREPOSITIONS?
Familiarize yourself with the above list. Some people remember space-related prepositions
by thinking about what a squirrel can do to a tree. Here are just a few examples:
A squirrel can go

around a tree
behind a tree.
in a tree.
toward a tree.
up a tree.

In the squirrel examples, the preposition shows the relationship between the squirrel and the
tree. Tree (or whatever noun or pronoun follows the preposition) is called the object of the
preposition. The object may consist of only one word, or it may be quite long:
Will you come with me?
Will you come with me, my twenty-seven loud, ill-mannered, short-tempered five-year-old cousins,
and the worlds largest traveling parakeet collection?

Prepositional phrase is the term for a preposition and its object. Prepositional phrases may
appear back to back, so the number of prepositions in a sentence is limited only by the
patience of the reader and writer.
I will stay with the best friend of my sister at the cabin near the river in the valley between the two
most beautiful mountains in Wyoming until February despite the weather.

 In some situations, it is difficult to tell whether a word is functioning as a preposition or as

part of a verb. Try these tests for the word in question:
1. Can you replace both it and the verb with another verb? If not, the word is a preposition.
I think I might pass out.
I think I might faint. (out preposition)
I passed by my old locker.
I walked by my old locker. (by = preposition)

2. Can you put an adverb between the verb and the word in question? If so, the word is a
preposition.
Turn quickly in your homework. (in preposition)
Turn quickly in a circle. (in = preposition)

3. Can you put a noun immediately in front of the word (in addition to after it)? If not, the
word is a preposition.
Im looking up the figures.
Im looking the figures up. (up preposition)
Im looking at the giraffe.
Im looking the giraffe at. (at = preposition)

4. If the word is to, is it followed by a verb (instead of a noun or pronoun)? If not, the word
is a preposition.
Josie drove to relax. (to preposition)
Josie drove to the mall. (to = preposition)

TRY IT!
Apply your knowledge of prepositions by identifying them in the following sentences.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Would you set that bag of apples on the counter before they get bruised?
You are welcome to visit any time before two oclock.
Alison insisted on performing in the concert despite having the flu.
Over the river and through the woods to Grandmothers house we go.
We werent laughing at Harold; we were laughing with him.
I cant believe you decided not to go to Tahiti in the spring.
Jonah toyed with the idea of tying a firecracker to the stray cats tail, but fortunately his
mischievous nature did not get the better of him.
8. I couldnt sleep between noon and three this morning because the coyotes in the field
behind our house were barking at the moon.
9. Can we go over this material again before taking the test on chapter four?
10. Izzy has been feeling a little out of sorts since she was banned from the talent show due
to the expensive damage brought on by her glass-shattering voice at tryouts.