English Grammar: Prepositions

Prepositions

Prepositions are words or groups of words that are used to show relationships between other words in a sentence. They indicate the location, direction, or time of an action or event. In English grammar, prepositions are considered one of the eight parts of speech.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be categorized into several types, including:

• Prepositions of Movement: These indicate motion, direction, or change of location. Examples include "on," "into," "onto," and "over."

• Prepositions of Place: These indicate a location that is static and unchanging. Examples include "in," "inside," "on," and "behind."

• Prepositions of Time: These add a time reference to a sentence. Examples include "at," "in," "during," and "until."

Prepositions may also indicate the syntactic function of a noun phrase. For example, the preposition "to" or "for" is sometimes used to identify who or what receives the direct object of the action.

Prepositional Phrases and the Placement of Prepositions

A preposition, by definition, must govern a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. The combination of a preposition with such a word or phrase is called a prepositional phrase. Examples of prepositional phrases include:

• "into the box"
• "of X as a cure for Y"
• "in X is a common disease"

Can You End a Sentence with a Preposition?

Yes, it is possible to end a sentence with a preposition. The idea that sentences cannot end with prepositions originated in the 17th century, but it is not a hard and fast rule in English grammar. However, it is generally discouraged in some circumstances, such as when it would make the sentence's meaning less clear. Additionally, a sentence cannot end with a preposition if the noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that it governs is not present in the sentence at all (a circumstance known as a dangling preposition).

Test your understanding of prepositions in English grammar, including types of prepositions, prepositional phrases, and sentence construction. Learn how to use prepositions to show relationships between words and convey meaning in sentences.