Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and another word or element in a clause.

Example: Robins nest in tall trees.

The preposition in shows the relationship between the noun trees and the subject–verb clause robins nest; therefore, trees is the object of the preposition in.

A prepositional phrase includes the preposition itself, the object of the preposition, and any modifiers (for example, tall).

How Can Knowing Prepositions Help in Writing Effectively?

Identifying Subjects and Verbs

Recognizing prepositional phrases can help you identify the subject and the verb of a sentence. Writers sometimes mistake the object of the preposition for the subject of the sentence and then use the wrong verb tense.

Incorrect:
In Freshman English, each of the students write a research paper.

Correct:
In Freshman English, each of the students writes a research paper.

To determine the correct verb form, you must identify the subject of the sentence. Some writers incorrectly assume the subject is the plural noun students and therefore use the plural verb write. However, students is the object of the preposition of, not the subject. The subject is the singular pronoun each, so the singular verb writes is correct.

The subject one is also singular and requires a singular verb.

Correct:
Every one of you is getting an A on the homework assignment.

Incorrect:
Every one of you are getting an A on the homework assignment.

You is not the subject of the sentence—it is the object of the preposition of. Therefore, the verb phrase is getting correctly agrees with the singular subject one.

Capitalization in Titles

Understanding prepositions can help you determine which words to capitalize in titles of works. Prepositions are not capitalized when they appear in the middle of a title. They should be capitalized if they are the first or last word in a title or if they appear after a colon or semicolon.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
A Rose for Emily
The Truth about Global Warming
The New Pocket Anthology of American Verse: From Colonial Days to the Present

Special Note: MLA rules for capitalization in titles differ from other style guides such as APA.

Commas with Prepositional Phrases

Knowing prepositions can also help you place commas correctly. If a sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, place a comma at the end of the phrase.

Examples:

In 1492, Columbus discovered America.
During the fall semester, students will be learning a lot about writing.

Infinitives vs. Prepositions

Infinitives are sometimes confused with prepositions. An infinitive is a verb form that looks like a prepositional phrase but is not one. It is also not the main verb of the sentence but usually follows it.

An infinitive consists of the word to followed by the base form of a verb:

to dance
to sing
to make
to ponder
to stroll
to explain

The word to can function as either a preposition or an infinitive, depending on its role in the sentence:

Infinitive: I want to dance gracefully.
Preposition: He went to class.

A Helpful Memory Trick

A simple way to remember prepositions is the phrase: “A preposition is something a rabbit can do to a log.”

A rabbit can jump over a log.
A rabbit can sit beside a log.
A rabbit can dig under a log.
A rabbit can hide behind a log.
A rabbit can hop around a log.
A rabbit can sleep near a log.
A rabbit can crawl through a hollow log.
A rabbit can perch on a log.

Not all prepositions fit this pattern, but many do. Prepositions can also describe time relationships, such as from two o’clock to four o’clock.

Some Common Prepositions

aboard
about
above
according to
across
after
against
along
among
around
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
by
concerning
despite
during
except
for
from
in
inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
out
outside
over
through
throughout
to
toward
under
underneath
until
up
upon
with
within
without

Additional Resources

A Writer’s Reference, pp. 425–428 and 484
The Blinn College – Bryan Writing Center’s “Infinitives and Gerunds” handout
Long, Elizabeth Cloninger. College Writing Resources with Readings. Pearson Longman, 2007.