This document provides examples and definitions of prepositions in English. It discusses single-word and compound prepositions, the role of prepositions in constructing sentences, ending sentences with prepositions, and prepositions used for time, place and introducing objects. It also covers the object of a preposition, verbs that take unnecessary prepositions, and the use of who and whom as the subjective and objective forms.

1. PREPOSITION – is a word used to relate nouns or pronouns to other words in a sentencePREPOSITION – followed by a noun or pronoun called the object of a preposition

2. SINGLE WORD PREPOSITION EXAMPLESAboard amid betweenAbout among betwixAbove astride beyondAbsent atop butAcross barring byAfore before concerningAfter behind despiteAgainst below duringAlong beneath exceptAlongside beside excluding

3. SINGLE WORD PREPOSITION EXAMPLESfollowing next regardingfor of roundfrom off sincegiven on thanin onto throughincluding opposite thru inside out throughoutInto outside towardsmidst over undernear past underneath

4. SINGLE WORD PREPOSITION EXAMPLESunlike until up upon versus vice inside Into midst near

5. COMPOUND WORD PREPOSITION EXAMPLES instead of  left of  near to  next to  on to (contracted as onto)  out from  out of  outside of  owing to  prior to  pursuant to  regardless of  right of  subsequent to  thanks to  that of  where as Two words according to  ahead of  apart from  as for  as of  as per  as regards  aside from  because of  close to  due to  except for  far from  in to (contracted as into)  inside of (note that inside out

6. COMPOUND WORD PREPOSITION EXAMPLESThree words preposition as far as  as well as  by means of  in accordance with  in addition to  in case of  in front of  in lieu of  in place of  in point of  in spite of  on account of  on behalf of  on top of  with regard to  with respect to

7. Role of a PrepositionPrepositions are important when constructing sentences. A preposition sits before a noun and pronoun to show the nounand pronoun’srelationship to another word in the sentence. Examples:It is a container for butter.(The preposition "for" shows the relationship between "butter" and "container".)The eagle soared above the clouds.(The preposition "above" shows the relationship between "clouds" and "soared".)

8. Ending a Sentence with a PrepositionAs a rule, a sentence should not end in a preposition. (However, there are several factors to consider.) Examples:a. That is a situation I have not thought of. (The word "of" is a preposition. Writers should avoid ending sentences in prepositions. This is because, a preposition should sit before a noun.) b. She is a person I cannot cope with. (The word "with" is a preposition.)c. It is behavior I will not put up with. (This example ends in two prepositions: "up" and "with".)

9. Not a Serious ErrorWhere possible, you should avoid ending a sentence in a preposition. However, after shuffling the words so that the preposition is not at the end, the re-structured version often sounds contrived and unnatural. Examples:a. That is a situation of which I have not thought. (This version is grammatically more pure than the one above. In this example, the word "of" sits before "which").b. She is a person with whom I cannot cope. c. It is behavior up with which I will not put. (This example sounds extremely contrived.)

10. Reword to AvoidOften, the best solution is to re-word the sentence: Examples:a. That is a situation I have not considered. (There are no prepositions in this sentence, and it has the same meaning.)b. It is behavior I will not tolerate.

11. Leave the Preposition at the EndIf the sentence sounds too contrived after it has been reworded, another option is to leave the preposition at the end of the sentence. Ex.: There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. (This is an example of a sentence that should be left with the preposition at the end.)

12. Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing ObjectsOne point in timeOn is used with days:I will see you on Monday.

13. The week begins on Sunday.At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day:My plane leaves at noon.

14. The movie starts at 6 p.m.In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with seasons:He likes to read in the afternoon.

15. The days are long in August.

16. The book was published in 1999.

17. The flowers will bloom in spring.Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing ObjectsExtended timeTo express extended time, English uses the following prepositions: since, for, by, from—to, from-until, during,(with)inShe has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)

18. I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.)

19. The movie showed from August to October. (Beginning in August and ending in October.)

20. The decorations were up from spring until fall. (Beginning in spring and ending in fall.

21. I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.)

22. We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing ObjectsPlaceTo express notions of place, English uses the following prepositions: to talk about the point itself: in, to express something contained: inside, to talk about the surface: on, to talk about a general vicinity, atThere is a wasp in the room.

23. Put the present inside the box.

24. I left your keys on the table.