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Prepositions
(Guided notes)
Prepositions are words which create __________________ between other words in a sentence, usually by
explaining relationships between ___________________ and __________________ .
Here is a list of common prepositions:
above
across
after
against
among
around at
according to
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
by
because of
by way of
down
during
except
for
from
in
inside
Into
in addition to
in front of
in place of
in spite of
instead of
like
near
of
off
on
out
outside
over
out of
since
through
throughout
to
toward
under
until
up
upon
with
without
Prepositions are _____________________ followed by a noun called the ______________________ _____
_______ ______________________________ .
In the following examples, the object of the preposition is bold and the preposition is underlined.
1.
From the beginning of the storm, Dorothy was sure she would make it home.
BEGINNING is the object of the preposition FROM and STORM is the object of the preposition OF.
2.
For many in the class, math proved to be the most challenging subject.
You can find the object of the preposition by asking the question what about the preposition. e.g.
For what? MANY. In what? CLASS.
Prepositions vs. Adverbs
Many words can be either a preposition or an adverb depending on how they are used. Just remember, a
preposition requires _____ ____________________. An adverb does not.
To determine whether a word is an adverb or a preposition, look at what follows the word. Is there a noun acting
as an object of the word? In other words, is there a word that answers the question WHAT? about the word.
1.
2.
3.
It will be some time before his schedule settles down.
1. DOWN tells the reader WHERE the schedule settles. There is no object following it.
Please sit down and listen.
1. DOWN tells the listener WHERE to SIT. There is no object telling him or her WHAT to SIT DOWN.
One need only look down the roster to see the impact of so much travel.
1. ROSTER answers the question WHAT? about the word DOWN. One need only look down what?
THE ROSTER. ROSTER is the object of the preposition DOWN.
Prepositions
(Guided notes)
Unnecessary prepositions:
People often throw extraneous prepositions into the middle of sentences, and they shouldn't Instead of saying
“Max jumped off of the dock,” it's better to say “Max jumped off the dock.” You don't need to say “off of the
dock”; “off the dock” says the same thing without the preposition.
Another example is “outside of” when “outside” by itself would do just fine. You should say, “He's outside the
door,” not, “He's outside of the door.”
Another example is “where are you at”. “Where are you?” would communicate the same sentiment the same.
Ending with prepositions:
It’s generally held that sentences should not end in prepositions (remember, prepositions must be followed by an
object), so avoid this when possible, but realize that sometimes you might have to end on a preposition.
The sentence “What are you talking about” for example would need to become “About what are you talking?”
which would sound very awkward.
Phrasal Verbs and Propositions
English has a type of verb called phrasal verbs. These are verbs made up of multiple words, and one is always a
preposition. “Cheer up,” “run over,” “log on,” and “leave off” are all examples of phrasal verbs, and often
sentences that use phrasal verbs end with a preposition:


I wish he would cheer up.
You should leave it off.
Those are perfectly acceptable sentences.