The Preposition

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence. The relationships include direction, place, time, cause, manner and amount.

A preposition always goes with a noun or pronoun which is called the object of the preposition. The preposition is almost always before the noun or pronoun. The preposition and the object of the preposition together are called a prepositional phrase.

Examples:

I walked to the car. (preposition – to, object of the proposition – car, prepositional phrase – to the car)

I walked around the car. (preposition – around, object of the proposition – car, prepositional phrase – around the car)

The pen is on the table. (preposition – on, object of the proposition – table, prepositional phrase – on the table)

I read the book during class. (preposition – during, object of the proposition – class, prepositional phrase – during class)

Some of the commonly used propositions are:

For a full list of 150 prepositions, including one-word and complex prepositions, with 370 example sentences, try the English Club ebook English Prepositions Listed.

Prepositions of Time: In, At, On

The preposition in is used for

The proposition at is used for

The preposition on is used for

Exceptions:

Examples:

in the past
at present
in the future

There is NO preposition of time if the day/year has each, every, last, next before it.

Examples:

each year
every Monday
last week
next day

Prepositions of Space: At, On, In

Prepositions and Adverbs

A preposition is followed by a noun, pronoun or noun phrase, which forms the object of the preposition.

Some words can be a proposition or an adverb, but an adverb does not have an object.

Examples:

I walked up the stairs. (up is the proposition and stairs is the object)

I walked up. (up is the adverb and there is no object)

Videos

Many students have problems with prepositions in English. The following video explains how three prepositions -- 'at', 'on', and 'in' – are used in relation to time.

There is no preposition of time if the day/year has each, every, last, next before it.

The following video gives examples of the 3 prepositions – at, on and in – in relation to space.

Prepositions of location and direction Part 1: At, In, On

Part 2: Near or By, Next to or Beside, Across from or Opposite. Below, Under, Above, Over, Between, Among, In front of, Behind, On the left/right of, at the top/bottom of, in, inside, outside

Part 3: Prepositions of Direction. Difference between Prepositions and Adverbs

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