What Is a Preposition?

6.1 What Is a Preposition?
This chapter deals with another group of little words you need
to understand: prepositions. Previous chapters showed how
adverbs and adjectives add details to verbs and nouns.
Prepositions are words that are placed before nouns or
pronouns; they show a relationship in a sentence.
A preposition is a word or group of words
that is placed before a noun or a pronoun to show
a relationship in a sentence.
In the illustration above, the phrases inside the food cart,
on top of the road, and at 9:00 a.m. can be added to a basic
sentence containing a subject and a verb, thus extending the
sentence.
Example: Fred is inside the food cart.
The word inside is a preposition. It shows the relationship
between Fred and the cart.
Example: The food cart sits on top of the road.
The words on top of function as a preposition and show the
relationship between the food cart and the road.
Example: Fred’s Foods opens today at 9:00 a.m.
The word at is a preposition and shows the relationship between
Fred’s Foods and 9:00 a.m.
As we explore the next section, you will see that each preposition
shows a slightly different type of relationship.
Open
Today
inside
on
top of
at 9:00 a.m.
the
road
the
food cart
109
6.2 What Prepositions Express
Here is an introduction to some of the prepositions in this
chapter.
A closer look at these prepositions indicates that some
prepositions express direction or movement. Other prepositions
express location or time.
In this section, examples will help you learn how to distinguish
between these three categories: direction or movement, location,
and time. Note that the same preposition can be used in more
than one category.
Direction or Movement
The prepositions into and out of often express direction
or movement of someone or something, usually from one place
to another.
to, into
the locker room
around
the pool the locker
in
the United States
on top of
at
10:20 a.m.
on
Monday
Example: Andy walks
into the locker room.
Example: Andy walks
out of the locker room.
110
down
for
from
in
inside
into
near
of
off
on
out
out of
over
to
with
across
after
at
before
behind
The question words where and to where can help you identify
prepositions that express direction or movement.
Location
The preposition in often describes a location. Use in when
the meaning is within. Place can refer to specific locations,
such as at your house, or it can refer to a surface, such as on top
of the road. The question word where can help you identify
prepositions that express a location or a place.
Time
The preposition at can be used to express both an event in
time and time shown on a clock. The most common prepositions
referring to time are in, at, and on. Other examples are
Graduation is in May and The party takes place on Saturday.
Use the question word when to identify prepositions that
express time.
6.3 Frequently Used Prepositions
There are a great many prepositions. Only a few of the most
common prepositions are shown in the list below.
Frequently Used Prepositions
Joey sits under the umbrella. The pep rally is in the school.
My birthday is on Easter. The pool opens at 9:00 a.m.
Pool Hours
9:00 a.m. –
10:00 p.m.
111
Example:
Susan swims with Jake.
Preposition Object (Noun)
Preposition Object (Noun)
with Jake = prepositional phrase
6.4 Single-Word and Compound Prepositions
Prepositions can take the form of a single word. At, in, out,
and for are some examples of single-word prepositions.
Multiple-word prepositions are called compound prepositions.
Out of, in front of, and across from are examples of
prepositions that are composed of more than a single word.
6.5 Prepositional Phrases with Nouns and Pronouns
A prepositional phrase consists of two distinct parts. The first
part is the preposition itself. The second part, which follows
the preposition, is a noun or pronoun that is called the object
of the preposition. Together, these two parts form what is called
a prepositional phrase.
Prepositional Phrases with Nouns
In this example, with Jake is a prepositional phrase. The
preposition with is a single-word preposition. It is followed
by the noun Jake. Jake is called the object of the preposition.
A noun does not change in form when it becomes an object
of a preposition.
A preposition and the object of the preposition
form a prepositional phrase.
The preposition on top of is a compound preposition composed
of three words. The noun locker represents the object of the
preposition. By combining the preposition on top of with the
object noun the locker, you form a prepositional phrase.
Example:
The balls are on top of the locker.
on top of the locker = prepositional phrase
112
Prepositional Phrases with Pronouns
In this example, the preposition with is followed by the object
pronoun him. A pronoun used as the object of a preposition
must be an object pronoun; it cannot be a subject pronoun.
In the chart below, subject pronouns are listed on the left,
and object pronouns are listed on the right. When you want
to use a pronoun as the object of a preposition, you must choose
it from the object pronouns in the chart on the right.
Using Object Pronouns
In order to form a correct prepositional phrase with a pronoun,
you must be able to recognize and use object pronouns. To help
you identify an object pronoun, try placing the preposition with
before a pronoun to see if it makes sense. Using with before he
does not make sense. You must select an object pronoun, in this
case, the pronoun him. Any object pronoun listed on the chart
above can be combined with a preposition.
Example:
Susan swims with him.
with him = prepositional phrase
Preposition Object (Pronoun)
I we
he,
she,
it
you you
they
Singular Plural
Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns
me us
him,
her,
it
you you
them
Singular Plural
3 3
2 2
1 1
3 3
2 2
1 1
113
Direct objects and objects of a preposition are both used to
expand the basic unit of a subject and a verb. Note, however,
the differences in structure for the two examples that follow.
In the first example, the direct object is the noun note.
It receives the action of the verb write. As an object, it is
a building block and cannot stand alone. By adding a note
to Susan writes, you expand the basic unit of subject and
verb to include a direct object.
The sentence Susan writes a note is an extended unit.
The second example shows how a preposition combines with
a noun to form a prepositional phrase. The preposition under
and the noun umbrella form a prepositional phrase. This, too,
is a building block that cannot stand alone.
The prepositional phrase under the umbrella establishes
a relationship between Joey (the subject) and the umbrella
(the object of the preposition under).
Although Joey sits could stand alone as the smallest type
of sentence, when you add under the umbrella, you extend
6.6 Extended Units with Direct Objects
and Objects of a Preposition
Susan + writes + a note.
Back
at 5!
Subject and Verb form a Unit,
extended to include a Direct Object.
Joey + sits +
Subject and Verb form a Unit,
extended to include a Prepositional Phrase.
under + the umbrella.
Adverb
Example: Susan walks around.
the basic unit of subject and verb to include a prepositional
phrase. You have now formed an extended unit.
A prepositional phrase must have
both a preposition and an object.
Look for more examples of direct objects and prepositional
phrases in this chapter as well as in Chapters 1, 2, and 3,
so that you will be more familiar with these common ways
to form extended units.
6.7 Some Words Are Both Prepositions and Adverbs
A preposition always has an object.
When you include the pool as the object of the preposition
around, you have formed a proper prepositional phrase with
both a preposition and an object.
However, some words can be used as prepositions when they
have an object, but they can also be used as adverbs when they
do not have an object.
This example illustrates when the word around cannot be
called a preposition, because there is no object of a preposition.
In this case, the word around is used as an adverb instead of
as a preposition. You have already covered adverbs in Chapter 5.
An adverb never has an object.
Preposition Object
around the pool = prepositional phrase
Example:
Susan walks around the pool.
114
115
Some words can be used as more than one part of speech.
ADVERB PREPOSITION
VERB
+ +
ADVERB
PREPOSITION
OBJECT
OF
PREPOSITION
walks
around
around
the pool
Look again at the phrases walks around and around the
pool in the examples on the previous page. The following chart
highlights the use of the word around as an adverb on the left
and as a preposition on the right.
6.8 Review Exercises
A Underline the prepositions in the following sentences.
1. The book is on the shelf.
2. She gardens in the morning.
3. He does not walk to school.
4. Anna swims in the pool.
5. School starts at 8:00 a.m.
6. The ball goes in the net.
7. They sleep late on Saturdays.
8. She sits in the chair.
9. The plane flies over the ocean.
B Fill in the blank with the appropriate preposition. Refer
to the list of frequently used prepositions in this chapter.
1. He runs _____________ the street.
2. She sleeps _____________ the bed.
3. He plays _____________ his friends.
4. Dinner is _____________ the table.
5. They eat lunch _____________ 12:00 p.m.
C Determine whether the preposition in each sentence
is a single-word or a compound preposition. Write S for
a single-word preposition or C for a compound preposition.
1. The cat is on top of the chair. _____
2. Music plays on the radio. _____
3. Ben walks out of the room. _____
4. The sun sets at 7:00 p.m. _____
5. The car is in front of the house. _____
6. He drives on the road. _____
7. Susan buys gifts for her family. _____
8. Ryan sits across from Anna. _____
9. Her birthday is on Friday. _____
10. The dog eats off the floor. _____
116