Prepositions

What is a Preposition?

Prepositions are common; they are not flashy. They are sometimes very little words, like on, in, and unlike; sometimes they are two words, like according to. A preposition combined with a noun (or pronoun), in that order, makes a prepositional phrase:

in Duffy’s Tavern
on the dashboard of my car
unlike most biologists
according to most moviegoers

Prepositional phrases usually tell where or when. Or, as most instructors are fond of saying, they show relationship, for example, of location (in Duffy’s Tavern) or of time (in February).

The formula, with variations

To describe a prepositional phrase we can borrow some math shorthand (although our description does not really function like an equation—the preposition must always come first!):

preposition + noun or pronoun = prepositional phrase

without Suzanna
without her

Stuff can be added between, usually in the form of various adjectives, but a prepositional phrase always begins with the preposition and ends with the noun (or pronoun):

preposition + adjectives + noun or pronoun = prepositional phrase

in a yellow submarine
of the best and brightest students
above it

The second example above adds multiple adjectives (as well as a conjunction) but it begins with the preposition and ends with the noun, and that is what matters.

The noun (or pronoun) that ends a prepositional phrase is called the object of the preposition.

Prepositions Show Position in Space (Where)

Here are some common prepositions that show positions in space:

Imagine a plane flying across a sky.  We can change the plane’s position in space by changing the prepositions: above the clouds, below the clouds, within the clouds, between the clouds, past the clouds, behind the clouds.

Prepositions Show Position in Time (When)

Here is a list of common prepositions that show position in time:

Imagine that plane is about to land. We can change its position in time by changing prepositions: at 3 p.m., after 3 p.m., before 3 p.m., around 3 p.m.

Of, As, and Like

The words “of,” “as,” and “like” are also prepositions, but they don’t fit neatly into the space or time category. However, they are very common. For example:

book of essays, type of bicycle, give as an example, testify as an expert, think like a computer, disappear like magic

Just remember: “of,” “as” and “like” are also prepositions.

Preposition Tips

As you work to make good decisions about your preposition choices, you should consider the following preposition tips:

1. It’s actually acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. Contemporary scholars and writing style guides acknowledge the acceptability of ending a sentence with a preposition (Casagrande, 2006). It’s natural and conversational to write short sentences that end with prepositions.

Did you find what you were looking for?

However, you should be aware that some professors prefer that you don’t end a sentence with a preposition. See how correctness is relative?

2. You should avoid unnecessary prepositions because using prepositions unnecessarily can make your writing wordy and even confusing.

I am not [for] sure I have the answer.

Frank apparently fell off [of] his horse while doing a stunt for a YouTube video.

3. The difference between beside and besides can be confusing. Beside means next to. Besides means in addition to.
4. The difference between between and among can also be confusing. You should use between when referring to two people or things, and you should use among when referring to more than two people or things.

• “Prepositions Show Position in Space,” “Prepositions Show Position in Time,” and “Of, As, and Like” can be found in “Prepositions,” a chapter in 1, 2, 3 Write! by Gay Monteverde. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
• “Preposition Tips” can be found at Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL). This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-4.0 International License.