What’s a Preposition? Meaning and Examples.

Have you ever encountered the word “preposition” and wondered, “What’s a preposition?”

Prepositions are small but mighty words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to the rest of the sentence, giving it extra clarity. They’re like the glue that helps everything stick together, showing relationships like direction, time, place, or cause.

Want to master prepositions and perfect your grammar? 

Check out Arvin AI’s grammar checker here!

What’s a Preposition?

A preposition is a word that establishes a relationship between a noun or pronoun and other elements in a sentence. It often provides information about direction, location, time, cause, manner, or purpose, making it essential to clarify a sentence’s context and meaning.

Example of a Preposition

The book is on the table.

• Preposition: on
• Prepositional Phrase: on the table (shows location—where the book is)

More Examples by Type

1. Preposition of Location:
   • The keys are under the couch.
   • The painting hangs above the fireplace.
2. Preposition of Direction:
   • She walked to the park.
   • The cat jumped into the box.
3. Preposition of Time:
   • We will meet at noon.
   • The event is scheduled on Friday.
4. Preposition of Cause:
   • The game was canceled because of the rain.
   • He stayed home due to illness.

Unsure if you’re using prepositions correctly? Let Arvin AI refine your grammar!

Types of Preposition

1. Prepositions of Place/Location

These prepositions describe where something is located.

• Examples: on, in, under, over, behind, between, at
• Sentences:
  • The book is on the table.
  • The keys are under the couch.
  • She stood between the two trees.

2. Prepositions of Direction/Movement

These prepositions show movement from one place to another.

• Examples: to, into, onto, toward, through
• Sentences:
  • He walked to the park.
  • The cat jumped onto the chair.
  • They ran through the forest.

3. Prepositions of Time

These prepositions indicate when something happens.

• Examples: at, on, in, before, after, during
• Sentences:
  • We’ll meet at noon.
  • The party is on Saturday.
  • She arrived before dinner.

4. Prepositions of Cause or Purpose

These prepositions explain why something happens or for what purpose.

• Examples: because of, due to, for, with
• Sentences:
  • The flight was delayed because of the storm.
  • He succeeded due to hard work.
  • This gift is for you.

5. Prepositions of Manner or Means

These describe how something happens or the method used.

• Examples: by, with, via
• Sentences:
  • He traveled by train.
  • She cut the paper with scissors.
  • The news spread via social media.

6. Prepositions of Comparison or Contrast

These prepositions show a relationship of similarity or difference.

• Examples: like, as, than, unlike
• Sentences:
  • He swims like a fish.
  • She is taller than her brother.
  • Unlike him, she enjoys hiking.

7. Prepositions of Possession

These show ownership or association.

• Examples: of, to, with
• Sentences:
  • The pages of the book are torn.
  • The car belongs to my neighbor.
  • He is friends with everyone.

8. Prepositions of Agent or Instrument

These describe who or what is performing an action or the instrument used.

• Examples: by, with
• Sentences:
  • The book was written by a famous author.
  • He opened the jar with a knife.

What’s a Preposition in a Sentence?

Prepositions are always part of a prepositional phrase, which consists of:

1. The preposition
2. The object of the preposition (a noun or pronoun)
   Together, they create a phrase that adds meaning to the sentence.

Key Characteristics of Prepositions in a Sentence

1. They Always Have an Object:
   Prepositions require an object to complete their meaning.
   • Incorrect: She went to.
   • Correct: She went to the Disney park.
2. They Add Meaningful Details:
   Prepositions clarify the where, when, how, or why of a sentence.
3. They Don’t Stand Alone:
   Prepositions are meaningless without the rest of the phrase they introduce.
4. Common Prepositions Include:
   • Place/Location: in, on, under, between
   • Time: at, on, during, after
   • Direction: to, into, toward, across
   • Cause/Purpose: because of, due to, for

What are the 10 Examples of Prepositions?

1. In

• Example: The keys are in the drawer.
  (Shows location: where the keys are.)

2. On

• Example: The book is on the table.
  (Shows position: where the book is placed.)

3. At

• Example: We’ll meet at the park.
  (Shows location: where we’ll meet.)

4. Under

• Example: The cat is hiding under the bed.
  (Shows position: where the cat is hiding.)

5. Between

• Example: The car is parked between the two buildings.
  (Shows location: the position of the car relative to two buildings.)

6. To

• Example: She is walking to the store.
  (Shows direction: where she is walking.)

7. From

• Example: He received a letter from his friend.
  (Shows source: who sent the letter.)

8. With

• Example: She painted the picture with a brush.
  (Shows the tool used: how she painted.)

9. During

• Example: It rained heavily during the night.
  (Shows time: when it rained.)

10. Because of

• Example: The flight was delayed because of the weather.
  (Shows cause: why the flight was delayed.)

What are the 150 Prepositions?

1. Simple Prepositions

These are single-word prepositions used in basic sentences.

| Examples | about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, into, near, of, off, on, over, past, since, through, to, toward, under, until, up, upon, with, within, without |

2. Double Prepositions

These are combinations of two simple prepositions.

| Examples | into, onto, out of, from behind, from within, upon, from among, outside of |

3. Compound Prepositions

These are prepositions formed by adding a prefix to a noun, adjective, or adverb.

| Examples | according to, because of, in front of, in place of, in spite of, instead of, on behalf of, on top of, out of, with regard to |

4. Prepositions of Time

These specify when something happens.

| Examples | after, at, before, by, during, for, from, in, on, since, till, until, within |

5. Prepositions of Place/Location

These describe the position or location of something.

| Examples | above, across, against, along, among, at, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, in, inside, near, on, outside, over, under, upon |

6. Prepositions of Direction/Movement

These describe motion from one place to another.

| Examples | across, along, into, onto, out of, over, through, toward, to |

7. Prepositions of Cause, Purpose, or Reason

These explain why something happens or for what reason.

| Examples | because of, due to, for, from, on account of, owing to |

8. Prepositions of Manner, Agency, or Instrument

These describe how something is done or by what means.

| Examples | by, with, via, through, by means of, with the help of |

9. Prepositions of Comparison or Contrast

These show similarities or differences.

| Examples | as, like, unlike, than, contrary to, in comparison to, in contrast with |

10. Prepositions of Possession

These indicate ownership or association.

| Examples | of, to, with |

11. Prepositions of Relation

These clarify relationships between ideas.

| Examples | about, as to, concerning, regarding, respecting, with reference to |

Complete List of 150 Prepositions

about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, into, near, of, off, on, over, past, since, through, to, toward, under, until, up, upon, with, within, without, into, onto, out of, from behind, from within, upon, from among, outside of, according to, because of, in front of, in place of, in spite of, instead of, on behalf of, on top of, out of, with regard to, after, at, before, by, during,

for, from, in, on, since, till, until, within, above, across, against, along, among, at, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, in, inside, near, on, outside, over, under, upon, across, along, into, onto, out of, over, through, toward, to, because of, due to, for, from, on account of, owing to, by, with, via, through, by means of, with the help of, as, like, unlike, than, contrary to, in comparison to, in contrast with, of, to, with, about, as to, concerning, regarding, respecting, with reference to.

Final Words

Prepositions may be small, but they play a big role in making your sentences meaningful and precise. Whether you’re describing location, time, direction, or cause, these little connectors are the unsung heroes of language. Mastering them can elevate your writing from good to great.

But let’s be honest—grammar isn’t always easy, and prepositions can sometimes be tricky. That’s where Arvin AI’s Grammar Checker comes in. It’s like having a personal writing coach by your side, ready to catch errors and improve your writing with just a few clicks.

Learn prepositions the easy way and ensure error-free writing. Try Arvin AI now!

FAQ