The Parts of Speech Warriner, John E., Mary E. Whitten and Francis Griffith. Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition Third Course. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Print.

The Preposition

Certain words function in a sentence as relaters. Certain words function in a sentence as relaters. That is, they relate nouns and pronouns to other nouns and pronouns, to verbs, or to modifiers. That is, they relate nouns and pronouns to other nouns and pronouns, to verbs, or to modifiers. These words are called prepositions. These words are called prepositions.

Definition A preposition is a word that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in a sentence.

Notice how the relationships change when the preposition changes. I walked to the house. I walked around the house. I walked through the house.

The book by Douglass is new. The book by Douglass is new. The book about Douglass is new. The book about Douglass is new. The book for Douglass is new. The book for Douglass is new.

The following words are commonly used as prepositions: Aboard Aboard About About Above Above Across Across After After Against Against Along Along Among Among Around Around At At

Before Before Behind Behind Below Below Beneath Beneath Beside Beside Besides Besides Between Between Beyond Beyond But (except) But (except) By By Concerning Concerning Down Down During During Except Except

For For From From In In Inside Inside Into Into Like Like Near Near Of Of Off Off On On Out Out Over Over Past Past Since Since

Through Through Throughout Throughout Till Till To To Toward Toward Under Under Underneath Underneath Until Until Up Up Upon Upon With With Within Within Without Without

Many words in this long list can also be adverbs. Many words in this long list can also be adverbs. To distinguish between adverbs and prepositions, ask yourself whether the word relates a following noun or pronoun to a word that precedes. To distinguish between adverbs and prepositions, ask yourself whether the word relates a following noun or pronoun to a word that precedes.

Compare the following: Look around. [adverb] Look around. [adverb] Look around the corner. [preposition] Look around the corner. [preposition]

There are also compound prepositions, having more than one word. There are also compound prepositions, having more than one word. Here are some that are frequently used: Here are some that are frequently used:

According to According to As of As of Aside from Aside from Because of Because of By means of By means of In addition to In addition to In front of In front of In place of In place of In spite of In spite of Instead of Instead of On account of On account of Out of Out of Owing to Owing to Prior to Prior to

The preposition and the noun or pronoun that follows combine to form a prepositional phrase. The preposition and the noun or pronoun that follows combine to form a prepositional phrase. Add prepositions to the following sentences to form prepositional phrases: Add prepositions to the following sentences to form prepositional phrases:

1.Recently I have learned a great many facts ____ animals. 2.A whale cannot stay ____ the water long because it must breathe air. 3.Though a whale may live a hundred years, a horse is old ____ the age ____ thirty, and a dog usually dies before it reaches twenty.

4.The deafness ____ insects may surprise you. 5. ____ their blindness, bats depend greatly ____ their voices and ears. 6.Equipped ____ a type ____ radar, a blind bat squeaks ____ a high pitch, listens ____ the echo, and detects and dodges obstacles.

7.The ears ____ both bats and dogs can detect sounds that cannot be heard ____ human ears. 8.Owls may see rays ____ light which are invisible ____ human eyes.

9.It is, ____ course, a tragedy when a person loses an arm or a leg ____ an automobile accident. 10.Yet, if ____ chance a starfish should lose arms, new arms would grow; if one type ____ flatworm should get its head chopped off, it would ____ time grow a new head.