Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases - Definition, Uses, & Examples

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases - Definition, Uses, & Examples

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Prepositions and prepositional phrases are crucial in expressing relationships between different words in a sentence. They act as “glue” that connects ideas, helping clarify when, where, how, or to what extent things happen. Without them, sentences can become confusing or unclear. That’s why understanding their correct usage is essential for writing and speaking effectively.

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In this lesson, you’ll learn:

• What is a preposition and prepositional phrase

• How do they function within a sentence

• The main types of prepositions (time, place, direction, etc.)

• Common prepositions examples and how to use them correctly

• How to identify prepositional phrases in sentences

• How prepositional phrases act as modifiers for nouns and verbs

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What is a Preposition?

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A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show relationships such as direction, time, place, location, spatial relationship, or to introduce an object.

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Some common prepositions include in, at, on, of, and to. Check out the prepositions list below for more examples you’ll often see in everyday sentences.

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Types of Prepositions

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Prepositions of Direction

describe a movement of a person or object from one place to another.

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Common prepositions of direction include to, on, into, onto, across, along, around, away, down, from, up, towards, through, and over.

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Examples:

• We went to school.
• She drove the car on the road.
• The cat jumped into the box.‍
• They swam across the river.
• The store is right up the road.

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Prepositions of Time

help specify when something happens, such as a specific time, date, or period.

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Here are examples of how they're used in a sentence:

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“In”: Used for general times like parts of the day, months, years, and seasons.

Examples:

• He reads in the evening. (Evening is part of the day)‍
• It gets cold in December. (December is a month)‍
• She was born in 1996. (A specific year)‍
• We play outside in the summer. (Summer is a season.)

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“At”: Used for exact times or specific parts of the day.

Examples:

• I start work at 8:00. (An exact time.)‍
• He eats lunch at noon. (A specific part of the day.)‍
• She takes a walk at night. (A specific part of the day.)

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“On”: Used for specific dates, days of the week, and sometimes on special days.

Examples:

• I don’t have work on Saturdays. (A specific day of the week.)‍
• I’ll meet my friends on June 15th. (A specific date.)
• My brother will visit on New Year’s Day. (A holiday.)

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Other prepositions of time include:

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‍“Since”: Indicates a time duration that started from a point in the past.

• Example: I have been living here since 2005.

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“For”: Indicates a duration of time.

• Example: He will be gone for two weeks.

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“By”: Indicates a time or a period before which something should happen.

• Example: We should submit our project by Friday.

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“During”: Indicates that something happens within a certain period.

• Example: He works during the summer.

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“From” & “To”: Indicate a starting and ending point of a period or an event.

• Example: The store is open from 9 AM to 9 PM.

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“Within”: Indicates something will occur before a specific period of time ends.

• Example: The package will arrive within five days.

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Prepositions of Place

describe the location of something or where an action takes place.

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Here are examples of how they're used in a sentence:

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“In”: Used for enclosed spaces or areas.

• Example: My old clothes are in the storage room. 

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“At”: Used for specific locations or spots.

• Example: She is waiting at the bus stop.

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“On”: Used for describing a location on a surface.

• Example: The phone is on the table.

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“inside”: Used for a fully contained or enclosed space.

• Example: The book is inside the bag.

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To indicate a higher position or level than something else, we use the prepositions: Over, Above

• Example: The fan is spinning above my head.

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To suggest a lower position, under something, or sometimes covered by something else, we use the prepositions: Under, Beneath, Below. Underneath

• Example: The cat is hiding underneath the bed.

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To describe something that is nearby, next to, or adjacent, we use the prepositions: By, Near, Next to, Between, Among, Opposite

• Example: The ice cream shop is near the playground.

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Prepositions of Spatial Relationships

describe how objects are positioned in relation to each other.

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Here are examples of how they're used based on location, direction, and proximity:

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Location: in, on, at, under, above, beside, behind, before, after

• Example: The kids are hiding behind the tree.

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Direction: to, from, toward, through, across, around

• Example: The post office is across the street.

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Proximity: near, within, between, among, along

• Example: They walked along the river.

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What are Prepositional Phrases?

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A prepositional phrase consists of a group of words beginning with a preposition (e.g., in, on, at, under) and concluding with a noun or a pronoun. These phrases serve as modifiers, adding extra details about the object of the preposition, such as where, when, or how something occurs.

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For example,  on the table. This prepositional phrase consists of the preposition (on) and the noun (table).

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A prepositional phrase can be added in the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. It depends on what part of the sentence it modifies. Some of the most common prepositions used in a prepositional phrase are: to, of, about, at, before, after, by, behind, during, for, from, in, over, under, and with.

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Important Note

The subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the verb (the action) are not part of the prepositional phrase.

Example: The house across the street has just been bought.

• Subject → house
• Verb → has been bought
• Prepositional phrase → across the street; it gives more information about which house, but does not contain the subject or the verb.

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How to Identify Prepositional Phrases

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1. Spot the preposition – Look for words like in, at, on, by, with, during, across, etc.

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2. Find the object – This is the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition.

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3. Highlight the entire phrase – The prepositional phrase usually modifies a noun or a verb.

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For example: A group of hikers across the river set up camp during the evening.

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Prepositional Phrases:

• across the river → modifies the noun "group of hikers" (which group)

• during the evening → modifies the verb "set up" (when it happened)

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Types of Prepositional Modifiers

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Prepositional phrases usually function as a modifier for the noun or verb in the sentence.

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Adjectival Prepositional Phrases

modify nouns and function as adjectives, providing descriptive information.

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Example: The dog with the red collar barked loudly.

Prepositional Phrase: “with the red collar” → modifies the noun dog

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Adverbial Prepositional Phrases

modify verbs and function as adverbs, providing information about time, place, or manner.

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Example: They left in a hurry.

Prepositional Phrase: “in a hurry” → modifies the verb left

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Common Prepositional Phrases

Here are some prepositional phrases examples:

• by the fire
• under the bridge
• on the chair
• after the storm
• within the boundaries
• toward the hills
• inside the house
• near the station

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