Prepositions | Definition, Kinds, and Examples of Prepositions

Here’s a comprehensive lesson explaining what prepositions are, their definitions, and the various kinds of prepositions in English, with example sentences:

Prepositions are essential in the language of English grammar because they convey the connections between various words in a phrase. Prepositions help to make meaningful relationships between different elements by providing information about location, time, and direction. This improves the overall coherence and clarity of the language. Let’s take a closer look at prepositions and examine their meaning, uses, and types using concrete examples.

8 Parts of Speech in English

Definition of a Preposition

A preposition is a word that usually comes before a noun or pronoun to indicate how those words relate to other words in the phrase. Establishing links about time, place, direction, manner, or goal facilitates a thorough comprehension of the whole context.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be classified into several categories based on their usage and functions within a sentence. Here are the primary types of prepositions:

1. Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions are the most common prepositions used to indicate relationships in time, place, or direction. These are followed by a noun or a pronoun.

Examples:

The book is on the table.
She will meet you at the restaurant.

What is Noun in English

2. Compound Prepositions

Compound prepositions are formed by combining two or more words to express more complex relationships. These often include words like “according to,” “in front of,” “instead of,” and “because of.” Compound prepositions function similarly to simple prepositions and are followed by a noun or a pronoun.

Examples:

According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
The car is parked in front of the house.

3. Double Prepositions

Double prepositions are composed of two simple prepositions used together to denote a more specific relationship between the words in a sentence. They are often used to indicate movement or location.

Examples:

The cat jumped out of the box.
He walked in between the trees.

Pronoun Definition and Their Kinds in English

4. Participle Prepositions

Participle prepositions are formed by using a present participle (-ing form) or a past participle (-ed form) of a verb as a preposition. Participle prepositions function as adjectives or adverbs and are often used to show a relationship between a noun and the rest of the sentence.

Examples:

Concerning the recent developments, we need to be cautious.
Everyone, including Sarah, is invited to the party.

5. Disguised Prepositions

Disguised prepositions are words that do not appear to be prepositions but function as prepositions in certain contexts. These words maintain their original form but take on the role of prepositions to establish relationships between elements in a sentence.

Usage of disguised prepositions

Disguised prepositions are utilized to convey various relationships, including time, place, and direction. They help to clarify the connection between different elements in a sentence.

Examples:

She looks like her mother.
We have been waiting here since morning.

Phrasal Prepositions

Phrasal prepositions are groups of words that function as single prepositions, expressing relationships between different elements in a sentence. These phrases often consist of a preposition followed by an adverb or a preposition followed by an adverb and an object.

Usage of Phrasal Prepositions:

Phrasal prepositions are employed to indicate various relationships, such as time, location, and direction. They help in creating a clear and concise connection between different elements in a sentence.

Examples:

She sat in front of the fireplace.
The cat jumped on top of the table.

Kinds of Prepositions with Examples

Here we will discuss the most common prepositional words that we use in the English language:

1. Simple Prepositions Words List

These are the most common prepositions used to indicate relationships in time, place, or direction. Take a short look at the below list:

About
Above
Across
After
Against
Along
Among
Around
At
Before
Behind
Below
Beneath
Beside
Between
Beyond
But
By
Down
During
For
From
In
Inside
Into
Like
Near
Of
Off
On
Onto
Out
Outside
Over
Past
Since
Through
Throughout
To
Toward
Under
Underneath
Until
Up
Upon
With
Within
Without

2. Compound Prepositions Words List

These prepositions are formed by combining two or more words to express more complex relationships. Take a short look at the below list:

According to
Alongside of
Apart from
As for
Because of
In addition to
In front of
In place of
In spite of
Instead of
Next to
On account of
On behalf of
On top of
Out of
Prior to
Regardless of
In accordance with
In comparison with
In connection with
In contrast to
In the event of
In lieu of
In order to
In reference to
In relation to
With regard to

3. Double Prepositions Words List

These are composed of two simple prepositions used together to denote a more specific relationship between the words in a sentence. Examples included:

According to
Along with
Apart from
As for
Because of
In between
In front of
In spite of
Instead of
Next to
On top of
Out of
Out from
Up to
With regard to

4. Participle Prepositions Words List

These are formed by using a present participle (-ing form) or a past participle (-ed form) of a verb as a preposition. Examples included:

Concerning
Considering
During
Excluding
Including
Pending
Regarding
Touching

5. Disguised Prepositions Words List

These words maintain their original form but take on the role of prepositions to establish relationships between elements in a sentence. Take a short look at the below list:

About
Like
Without
Before
Since
Until
Across
Beside
Beyond
Throughout

6. Phrasal Prepositions Words List

Phrasal prepositions are groups of words that function as single prepositions, expressing relationships between different elements in a sentence. Examples included:

In front of
On top of
Up to
Across from
Inside of
In place of
By means of
In addition to
By virtue of
On account of

Example Sentences of Prepositions

Here are ten example sentences for each type of preposition:

Simple Prepositions:

The cat is on the table.
The school is near the park.
She lives in the city.
The ball rolled under the bed.
We will meet at the café.
The keys are beside the door.
He ran toward the finish line.
The bird flew over the house.
They sat between the two trees.
The book is inside the bag.

Compound Prepositions:

According to the survey, most people prefer coffee to tea.
He stood in front of the audience and gave his speech.
In addition to his regular job, he also volunteers at the shelter.
Instead of going to the party, she decided to stay home and read.
Because of the rain, the soccer match was postponed.
The children played happily alongside of the river.
On account of his hard work, he was promoted.
In place of the old furniture, they bought new chairs.
In spite of the difficulties, they managed to finish the project on time.
He stood next to his brother during the ceremony.

Double Prepositions:

She found her lost ring inside of the couch.
The cat jumped out of the box and onto the floor.
He squeezed in between the two cars in the parking lot.
The kids played up to the sunset in the park.
The hiker climbed up onto the mountain peak.
She placed the vase on top of the table.
He picked the flower out from the garden.
The squirrel ran out of the tree and into the bushes.
The child hid behind of the curtain during hide-and-seek.
The book fell down from the shelf.

Participle Prepositions:

Regarding your question, I will get back to you soon.
Considering the circumstances, they made the right decision.
During the party, everyone had a great time.
Excluding the green one, all the apples are ripe.
Including the students, there were a hundred people at the event.
Pending the approval of the board, the project cannot proceed.
Regarding the matter, we need to gather more information.
Touching the painting, it felt smooth and glossy.
During the winter, the temperatures can drop significantly.
Considering his experience, he should be able to handle the job well.

Disguised Prepositions:

The kids are without their parents for the weekend.
We learned about the history of the country.
She looks like her mother.
We have been waiting here since morning.
He arrived early, just before the meeting.

Phrasal Prepositions:

She sat in front of the fireplace.
The cat jumped on top of the table.
We walked up to the entrance.
The restaurant is across from the park.
He found his keys inside of his backpack.

Prepositions | Grammatical Charts

Prepositions | Definition, Kinds, and Examples of Prepositions — Definition, Kinds, and Examples of Prepositions

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