A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. Prepositions tell us about time, place, direction, cause, manner, and possession.
Common Prepositions
| Category | Examples | | -------- | --------------------------------------------- | | Time | at, on, in, before, after, during, since, for | | Place | at, on, in, under, over, between, behind | | Movement | to, toward, into, through, across, along | | Other | by, with, without, for, about, of |
Prepositional Phrases
A preposition + its object (a noun or pronoun) = a prepositional phrase.
- The book is on the table.
- She walked to the store.
- He is in the room.
Position in a Sentence
Prepositional phrases can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
- In the morning, I drink coffee.
- The cat under the table is sleeping.
- She arrived after dinner.
Identifying Prepositions
A helpful test: a preposition is often any word a squirrel can do with a tree.
- The squirrel ran up the tree.
- The squirrel ran down the tree.
- The squirrel ran around the tree.
- The squirrel ran through the tree.
- The squirrel ran into the tree.
Why Prepositions Matter
Using the wrong preposition changes the meaning completely:
- I will meet you at 5pm. (specific time)
- I will meet you on Monday. (specific day)
- I will meet you in January. (longer period)
Mastering prepositions is essential for sounding natural in English.