Prepositions

Definition:

The preposition is a small but significant word class which expresses the relationship between two words or two units within a sentence, often between a noun and other elements of the sentence.

• Often this relationship relates to space or position eg on, in , under, beneath, over, behind.
  
  
  
• In other instances this relationship relates to time eg at, after or possession eg of.
  
  
  
• There are some prepositions which consist of more than one word. They include: instead of, due to, because of, in spite of.

Common examples of prepositions: about; against; among; at; before; behind; between; down; except; from; in; near; of; outside; over; past; than; to; under; up; with; without

The two most common functions of prepositional phrases are as adverbials or post-modify nouns.

• As an adverbial:
  By moonlight, we sat on the terrace and dreamed of peace.
  The man approached with aggressive intent.


• As a noun post-modifier:
  The man with the bowler hat was first on the train.
  He could name every rose in the garden.

Another function of prepositional phrases is as a complement to an adjective or a verb.

• They were all late for school
• She was on the bus.

            

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