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Prepositions

A preposition is a word that is positioned before a noun or pronoun and shows the relationship between that word and another word in the sentence. The relationship expressed by a preposition is frequently one of time, place, or location.

The following words are often used as prepositions:

The Object of the Preposition

The noun or pronoun that follows the preposition is its object. Notice how the underlined prepositions below relate or connect their objects to the noun book when they are used to complete this sentence:

Give me the book . . .

Prepositions can have more than one object. When there are two or more objects of a preposition, they are called a compound object. These are examples of prepositions with compound objects:

Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase consists of the preposition, the noun or pronoun that is its object, and any modifiers of the object. In the prepositional phrase with the red cover, with is the preposition; cover is the object of the preposition; and the and red are the modifiers of cover.

A prepositional phrase can act as either an adjective or an adverb. As an adjective, it modifies (describes or restricts the meaning of) a noun or pronoun and follows that word. When a prepositional phrase modifies a noun or pronoun, it answers the question "Which one?"   For example:

When a prepositional phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb, it acts as an adverb. As an adverb, a prepositional phrase answers the question How?, When?, or Where?. It may follow the word it modifies, or it may be positioned in another part of the sentence.

A prepositional phrase usually follows the word it is modifying, but it can also precede the word. When it introduces an independent clause (one that can be a sentence by itself), a prepositional phrase is followed by a comma. For example:

On Sunday afternoons, Mrs. Potter always works in her flower garden.

Between 1991 and 1997, the company grew rapidly.

In two years and three months, we will be graduating from college.

Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

In formal writing, avoid ending a sentence with a preposition when you can do so without the resulting sentence structure being a tortured one.

Be particularly careful to avoid ending a sentence with a word that serves no purpose. For example:

Where are you going to?

When is it at?

Where is it at?

Where means to or at what place. When means at what time. Therefore, adding "to" or "at" is repetitious; avoid these types of expressions.

Avoid using "What . . . for?" when you mean "Why . . . ?"

Incorrect: What do they need this for?

Correct: Why do they need this?

Incorrect: What are you buying this for?

Correct: Why are you buying this?

Avoid using phrasal verbs; these are verbs that combine with prepositions to complete their meaning. They are generally acceptable in casual conversation, but it is usually better to choose a more formal term in other situations. Some examples are:

to call back to come up with

to get along with to look out for

to hand in to figure out

Change: She did not call him back.

To: She did not return his call.

Change: They never figured out what plan she came up with.

To: They never discovered what plan she proposed.

Change: They were told what they needed to hand in.

To: They were told what they needed to submit.