What Is A Preposition? Types of Prepositions with Useful Examples

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Today we are going to be learning about what exactly are prepositions, the different types of prepositions, how to use prepositions, and some examples of prepositions.

Preposition

What is a Preposition

Prepositions are words that show a relationship between nouns, pronouns, or phrases in a sentence. These words are used to connect people, objects, time, and locations. They are also used to express the position, movement, possession, time, and how an action is completed. Prepositions are short words and are generally found in front of nouns. They are also found in front of gerund verbs on rare occasions.

Types of Prepositions

Simple prepositions are short words that show a relationship between nouns, pronouns, or joining parts of a clause or sentence. A preposition of place is used to describe where something is located. Prepositions of directions tell where something is going.

A double preposition is created by combining two simple prepositions. A compound preposition is made by using a simple preposition with a non-prepositional word. Participle prepositions are prepositions that end in -ed or-ing. A prepositional phrase is a group of words that don’t contain a verb or a subject; because it’s a unified part of speech.

How to Use Prepositions

The first important rule about prepositions is they are always followed by a noun, and never followed by a verb. If a preposition is used following a verb, which is actually a gerund has to end in the form of ing.

The next important rule about prepositions is they usually go before their noun or pronoun. People think that a preposition cant come at the end of a sentence but it can. Also, one should never use additional prepositions if the meaning of the sentence is clear without them.

Another rule is the preposition like should be followed by the object of the preposition, not a subject and verb. A writer should use as, as if, as though, or the way instead of the preposition like when following a comparison with a subject and verb. Writers should never use the preposition of in place of the helping verb have because the sentence may come out wrong if they do this.

Another rule to follow is that the preposition from should be used after the word different to avoid polarization in the sentence. The final rule to use with prepositions is to use into not in to express motion toward something. Then the preposition should be used to tell the location of something.

Examples of Prepositions

• An example of a simple preposition is “I am here for you.”
• “I am at the library” is an example of a preposition of place.
• A preposition of direction would be “I am walking along the banks of the Delaware River.”
• “I moved past the aisle” is an example of a double preposition.
• “In spite of recent attacks we should go on with the event sir” is an example of a compound preposition.
• An example of a participle preposition is given the circumstances of her condition “she won’t be playing in next week’s game.”
• “I went to the library” is a prepositional phrase.

Preposition | Infographic