Explore Questions and Answers to deepen your understanding of prepositions.
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in a sentence. It is used to indicate location, time, direction, manner, or other relationships.
Some common prepositions include:
- in
- on
- at
- by
- for
- with
- to
- from
- of
- about
- above
- below
- under
- between
- among
The function of a preposition in a sentence is to show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence.
Prepositions show relationships between words by indicating the spatial, temporal, or logical connection between them. They establish the position, direction, time, manner, or purpose of one word in relation to another.
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, which is called the object of the preposition. The phrase functions as an adjective or adverb in a sentence, providing additional information about location, time, manner, or other relationships.
The cat is sitting on the mat.
Some examples of prepositions of place are:
- in
- on
- at
- under
- above
- below
- beside
- between
- among
- inside
- outside
- near
- far from
Some examples of prepositions of time are:
- at
- in
- on
- during
- for
- since
- until
- by
- from
- to
Some examples of prepositions of movement are:
- into
- out of
- through
- across
- over
- under
- towards
- away from
- along
- around
Some examples of prepositions of manner are:
- by
- in
- with
- like
- as
Some examples of prepositions of cause are: because of, due to, as a result of, on account of, owing to.
Some examples of prepositions of purpose are: for, to, in order to, with the intention of, with the aim of, for the purpose of.
Some examples of prepositions of possession are "of," "for," "with," "by," and "from."
Some examples of prepositions of agency are: by, with, through, from, and on.
Some examples of prepositions of instrument are:
- with (e.g. He cut the paper with scissors.)
- by (e.g. The painting was done by a professional artist.)
- using (e.g. She solved the math problem using a calculator.)
- through (e.g. The message was conveyed through a letter.)
- via (e.g. The information was transmitted via email.)
- by means of (e.g. The package was delivered by means of a courier.)
- with the help of (e.g. He fixed the car with the help of a mechanic.)
- by way of (e.g. The message was sent by way of a carrier pigeon.)
- employing (e.g. The company is employing new technology to improve efficiency.)
- through the use of (e.g. The experiment was conducted through the use of specialized equipment.)
Some examples of prepositions of source are: from, out of, off, away from, out from, and originating from.
Some examples of prepositions of destination are:
- to
- towards
- into
- onto
- through
- across
- over
- towards
Some examples of prepositions of comparison are "than," "as," "like," "unlike," "similar to," "different from," "compared to," and "in comparison to."
Some examples of prepositions of condition are:
- If
- Unless
- Provided
- In case
- As long as
- On condition that
- Supposing
- Assuming
Some examples of prepositions of concession are: despite, in spite of, notwithstanding, although, even though, despite the fact that, regardless of.