Prepositions


A preposition always connects a noun, a pronoun, or a noun phrase (noun clause, gerund phrase, infinitive phrase) to another word in the sentence. A preposition connects words in ways that establish spatial or temporal realtionships between the words in the sentence.

Robins nest in trees.

The noun, pronoun or noun phrase (in this case trees) is the object of the preposition.

The preposition and its object (and any modifers such as adjectives) all taken together form the prepositional phrase (in this case in trees). Here the "in" is establishing location.

Prepositional phrases as adjectives:

The costs of the job rise daily. [The prepositional phrase here relates to "costs"]

Prespositional phrases as adverbs:

The sun rose over the dump. [The prepositional phrase relates back to "rose." It describes where it rose, and it also describes the spatial relationship between the sun and the dump.]

Prepositional phrase as noun:

Across the river is too far to go for ice cream. [The prepositional phrase functions as sentence subject]


about among below despite from like onto since under without
above around beneath down in near out through until  
across aside from beside(s) during inside next to out of throughout up  
after at between except instead of outside till upon  
against before beyond except for of off over to with  
along behind by for into on past toward(s) within  

Fill in each blank with the appropriate preposition.

1. Craneıs disgust_____her countryıs special racial policies and her hatred____its rulers drove her _____ self-exile.

2. She had no confidence____the governmentıs promises_____gradual reform.

3. She could no longer silently cooperate_____its demeaning laws.

4. Only_____exile could she speak and write freely_____them.

5. ______summer vacation, they recovered_____the long semester ______them by spending time_____the beach.

6. ____ June of his 20th year, he changed his birthday ____ the 15th____the 17th___the 16th so that he could gain two years_____that year, 1968. The next year, ___1969, he turned 22.

7. Students____all over the world took part___the ceremony___ the school auditorium ___ Friday afternoon.

8. Some people always complain_____the weather___anyone who will listen.

9. All buildings______the stores are very old.

10. Any plea bargaining arrangement will hinge____the results___the exam___a government psychiatrist.

11. Alan Greenspan is expected to stride______the streets ___ South Central Los Angeles_____having breakfast_____inner-city business owners.

12. Dr. Richard Seed stood firm___his resolve to clone a child_____the next two years.

13. Jones is also demanding a full apology____the president___his alleged sexual approach_____her tenure as an Arkansas state employee.

14. Most of Pakistanıs 140 milion people are Sunni Mulims who hold no grudge_____their Shiite brethren.

15. The study involved 61,471 women ages 40 _____76 who were questioned _______1987 and 1990______their fat intake.