Download what is a preposition

WHAT IS A PREPOSITION?
Prepositions are words that relate its object to another word in the sentence. Often the words
below are used as prepositions, however, there are more than what is listed here.
about
before
down
of
to
above
behind
during
off
toward
across
below
for
on
under
after
beneath
from
onto
underneath
against
beside
in
out
until
along
between
inside
outside
up
among
beyond
into
over
upon
around
but (except)
like
past
with
at
by
near
through
without
about
before
down
of
to
about
before
down
of
to
about
before
down
of
to
about
before
down
of
to
All prepositions are used as the first word of a prepositional phrase.
You can see all of these words relate their object to other words in a sentence.
*Keep in mind, these are not the only Prepositions*
WHAT IS A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with its
object. Words that modify the object are part of the phrase.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The phrase "up the clock" is the prepositional phrase - "up is the preposition and the noun "clock" is
the object of the preposition. The prepositional phrase is telling where the mouse ran. It is not
really needed in the sentence, but it is giving more detail, or making the sentence more interesting
for the reader. A sentence can have more than one prepositional phrase.
LATTC Writing Center
Rev. September 1, 2007
Title V Funded
WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION?
The object of a preposition is the noun or the pronoun that is closely associated with the
preposition. A prepositional phrase starts with the preposition and ends with the object.
I looked into the chimney.
The prepositional phrase is "into the chimney".
The object of the preposition (noun) is underlined.
In this sentence, chimney is the object of the sentence.
The word, into, is the preposition. The word chimney, is the object of the preposition. The object
of a preposition usually comes after the words "the" or "a".
The object of a preposition can also be a pronoun, like in this sentence: I looked at you. When there
is a pronoun as the object, there isn't "the" or "a" in the prepositional phrase.
PREPOSITION OR ADVERB?
Many words that are used as prepositions, can be used as adverbs. Some examples are up, down,
around, in, and out. Prepositions, like adverbs tell where or when. This can be confusing, very
confusing. See if this helps! The difference between a preposition and an adverb, is that an adverb
describes in one word, whereas a preposition is always used in a prepositional phrase (more than one
word).
Example:
The dog went in.
The dog went in the house.
Which sentence is in used as a preposition?
Which sentence is used as an adverb?
"The dog went in the house", is the sentence where IN is used as a preposition. "In" is a preposition
in this sentence, because it is used in a prepositional phrase, also, where the dog went is described
in more than one word.
"The dog went in", is the sentence where IN is used as an adverb.
This is because IN is expressing where the dog went in one word, it is also not in a prepositional
phrase.
http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/grammar/Prepositions/Information.htm
LATTC Writing Center
Rev. September 1, 2007
Title V Funded