Object of a Preposition | Examples & Definition
An object of a preposition (or prepositional object) is the noun or pronoun that follows a preposition (e.g., “on the table”). Every prepositional phrase must include an object in order to be complete.
Are you coming with me?
After school, I went swimming.
What is an object of a preposition?
A preposition (e.g., “under,” “through,” “in”) is a word that expresses a relationship between two elements of a sentence. Prepositions are often used to indicate time, direction, or location. The noun or pronoun that is acted on, referenced, or affected by the preposition is the object of the preposition. It typically follows the preposition.
A prepositional phrase at minimum contains a subject preposition and an object of that preposition. It may also contain modifiers of the object.
Ramit is moving across the country for graduate school.
My car is parked between two large trucks.
Objects of a preposition consist of nouns in various forms. Some examples of the most common types of prepositional objects are shown in the table below.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Noun | What time do you go to school? |
| Pronoun | I don’t know what is going on between them. |
| Compound | Send the files to the contractors and engineers. |
| Gerund | I always wash my face before sleeping. |
| Noun clause | We will purchase from whomever offers the lowest price. |
Pronouns as objects of prepositions
When a pronoun serves as the object of a preposition, it is always an object pronoun (e.g., “me,” “them,” “her,” “his” “whom”). English speakers typically understand this intuitively, but compound objects with pronouns (e.g., “her and me”) sometimes cause problems.
- The delivery person gave the boxes to Laney and I.
- The delivery person gave the boxes to Laney and me.
- I got the keys from she and her husband.
- I got the keys from her and her husband.
To avoid any mistakes, it can be helpful to consider each part of a compound object separately (e.g., “the delivery person gave the boxes to me”). The same pronoun will be used in the compound object.
Relative pronouns as objects of prepositions
In some situations, pronouns as prepositional objects may be placed before the preposition itself. This typically happens with relative pronouns (e.g., “what,” “whom”), especially in questions.
In the past, the preposition and object were always kept together (e.g., “With whom will you go to the dance?”) There is nothing wrong with that sentence, but it sounds very formal.
Nowadays, the preposition is often placed at the end of the clause or sentence (e.g., “Whom will you go to the dance with?”). The idea that a sentence or clause should not end with a preposition is outdated, and it is now considered acceptable (and often preferable) to end a sentence with a preposition, even in academic and professional contexts.
- About what are you speaking? [sounds unnatural]
- What are you speaking about?
- I love both colors. With which do you think I should paint my walls? [overly formal]
- I love both colors. Which do you think I should paint my walls with?
Who vs whom
Another area of difficulty with pronouns is the choice between who and whom. “Whom” is an object pronoun, and “who” is a subject pronoun. So, prepositional objects should technically always use “whom.”
However, this rule is often ignored in speech and informal writing (e.g., “Who will you go with?”). The distinction between “who” and “whom” should be maintained in formal and academic writing, though (e.g., “Everyone wondered whom the president had spoken to”).
- I don’t know whom I gave the package to. [appropriate for all contexts]
- I don’t know who I gave the package to. [appropriate only for speech or informal writing]
Subject-verb agreement
It is important not to confuse the object of a preposition with the subject in a sentence in order to correctly apply subject-verb agreement. This can be tricky when the prepositional object appears directly before the verb. The verb should always agree in number with the subject.
- A set of dishes are on their wedding registry.
- A set of dishes is on their wedding registry.
- The goal of the exercises were not clear.
- The goal of the exercises was not clear.
Frequently asked questions about Object of a preposition
- Can a gerund be the object of a preposition?
-
Yes, since it functions as a noun, a gerund (e.g., “reading,” “thinking”) can be the object of a preposition in a sentence (e.g., “I’ve thought about leaving”).
- Can there be a compound object of a preposition?
-
Yes, an object of a preposition is considered compound if it consists of two or more nouns or pronouns (e.g., “I’m going hiking with Vera and Jonas”).
- Can you end a sentence with “for”?
-
Yes, a sentence can end with “for” (e.g., “I don’t know what this tool is for”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “for,” “to,” “about”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
- Can you end a sentence with “to”?
-
Yes, a sentence can end with “to” (e.g., “Whom are you talking to?”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “to,” “for,” “about”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
- Can you end a sentence with “with”?
-
Yes, a sentence can end with “with” (e.g., “What can I pair this wine with?”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “with,” “for,” “to”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
