Prepositions | List, Examples & Definition
Prepositions are words that demonstrate a relationship between two parts of a phrase or sentence. They are often used to give information about:
- Location (e.g., “on the table”)
- Time (e.g., “at midnight”)
- Direction (e.g., “through the intersection”)
They can also be used to express more abstract relationships (e.g., “We talked about the new project”).
According to Lena, the show won’t be finished until midnight.
Let’s put that item on the agenda for next week.
What are prepositions?
Prepositions are used very frequently in English. They are (usually small) words that describe the relationship between two elements of a sentence. They often answer the implied questions “when?” “where?” or “how?”
Prepositions are always accompanied by a noun or pronoun that serves as the object of the preposition. The preposition, its object, and any modifiers make up a prepositional phrase.
Deepak is buying the house across the street.
The train leaves at 2:10 p.m.
Can we get to Chicago by bus?
List of prepositions
There are well over 100 prepositions in English. Below are some of the most common ones. Keep in mind that the same preposition is often used in different ways to describe different relationships.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Location | above, at, below, beside, between, by, on, over, out, under |
| Time | after, before, by, during, in, on, at, since, until |
| Direction | across, around, down, into, past, through, to, toward |
| Other relationships | about, as, by, for, from, of, with |
Some prepositions can also be used as different parts of speech (e.g., “until” can be a subordinating conjunction). When used as prepositions, though, these words will almost always be followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.
Since prepositions can be used in so many different ways, there are not many clear rules about when to use which preposition. Reading and noting examples are the best ways to learn. Tools like QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use prepositions correctly in your writing.
Multi-word prepositions
Though most prepositions are single words, there are some multi-word prepositions.
The game was canceled because of the rain.
There was a fire at the house across from mine.
Common mistakes with prepositions
Because the rules for prepositions vary so much, it’s easy to make mistakes with them. Knowing some of the categories of mistakes, though, can help you avoid them.
If you’re a native speaker of English, you probably intuitively choose the correct preposition most or all of the time. If you’re an English learner, you may need to look up specific phrases to see how they’re typically used.
Using the wrong preposition
Certain types of phrases require specific prepositions. These rules can seem rather arbitrary and are difficult to categorize. For example, different times of day require different prepositions.
- I like to exercise in the morning.
- I like to exercise at the morning.
- We love to drink hot tea at night.
- We love to drink hot tea in the night.
Changing the meaning with a preposition
Sometimes, multiple prepositions are appropriate, but the choice of preposition changes the meaning of the sentence (in either minor or major ways).
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| We will arrive at 10 a.m. | We plan to be there at 10 a.m. (and maybe only a few minutes earlier or later). |
| We will arrive by 10 a.m. | We plan to be there sometime before 10 a.m. or right at 10 a.m. |
| The award was given to Rodrigo. | Rodrigo received the award. |
| The award was given by Rodrigo. | Rodrigo presented the award to someone else. |
| I’m studying the effects of inflation on farming. | I’m studying how the broad phenomenon of inflation affects farming. |
| I’m studying the effects of inflation in farming. | I’m studying how inflation in the farming sector affects farming or other sectors. |
Unnecessary prepositions
People often add an unnecessary preposition at the end of a question. While this is often acceptable in conversation, it should be avoided in formal or academic settings.
- Where is my phone at?
- Where is my phone?
Additionally, people often use prepositional phrases when shorter grammatical forms, such as possessive nouns or noun phrases, would be appropriate.
The organization’s director recruited study participants. [more concise]
Prepositions vs verb particles
Many preposition words are used in phrasal verbs (e.g., “sleep in”). In this example, “in” is acting as a verb particle rather than a preposition. It does not require an object (e.g., “On Saturdays, I love to sleep in”).
This difference is fairly technical, but it’s important to remember that phrasal verbs are units. The particle cannot be changed (e.g., the opposite of “sleep in” is not “sleep out”).
| Preposition | Verb + particle |
|---|---|
| Is your car parked on the street? | Keep calm and carry on. |
| Go up the stairs and turn left. | Don’t give up. |
| The bookstore is around the corner. | Stop messing around. |
Frequently asked questions about prepositions
- Can you end a sentence with a preposition?
-
Yes, you can end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “Which meeting are you going to?”).
In the past, some sources recommended keeping a preposition with its object (e.g., “To which meeting are you going?”), but this sounds unnatural and overly formal.
Even in academic writing, it is completely acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you check for any mistakes with prepositions in your writing.
- Are prepositions capitalized in titles?
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The rules of capitalizing prepositions in titles are quite complex and often depend on the particular style guide you are following.
In general, prepositions of three or fewer letters (e.g., “in,” “to,” “for”) are not capitalized in titles unless they are the first or last word of the title (e.g., On the Banks of Plum Creek).
For longer prepositions (e.g., “through,” “with,” “between”), the rules vary based on which style guide you are using:
- In APA Style, prepositions of four letters or more should be capitalized (e.g., A River Runs Through It).
- In Chicago style and MLA style, all prepositions should be lowercase (e.g., A River Runs through It) unless they are the first or last word of the title (e.g., Through the Looking-Glass).
Additionally, preposition words are often capitalized in titles when they are acting as verb particles in a phrasal verb (e.g., Wake Up and Live).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help ensure you are capitalizing titles correctly.
- What are some common prepositions?
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There are well over 100 prepositions in English. They can be loosely grouped according to function. Below are some of the most common ones.
Common prepositions Location above, at, below, beside, between, by, on, over, out, under Time after, at, before, by, during, in, on, since, until Direction across, around, down, into, past, through, to, toward Other relationships about, as, by, for, from, of, with Automatically rewrite your sentences to express your desired meaning using QuillBot’s tools.
- What are prepositions of time?
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All prepositions show the relationship between two parts of a phrase or sentence. Prepositions of time express when something happens.
The three most common prepositions of time are in, on, and at. They are used with specific units of time, as shown in the following table.
Prepositions of time Preposition Used with Examples On Days The test is on Tuesday. I leave for Paris on the 15th.
At Specific times of day and the general “night” The show starts at 7:30 p.m. I went to bed at midnight.
You shouldn’t drink coffee at night.
In Months, years, seasons, general times of day (besides night) Easter is in March this year. She graduated in 2022.
I plan to travel in the summer.
Do you wake up early in the morning?
Other examples of prepositions of time include “since” (e.g., “since last week”), “for,” (e.g., “for a year”), and “until” (e.g., “until midnight”).
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using prepositions correctly in your writing.
