Prepositions

1. Prepositions are words that connect nouns and pronouns to other words in the sentence. The noun or pronoun is called the object of the preposition. A prepositional phrase consists of the preposition, the object of the preposition, and all the modifiers of the object.

2. The prepositional phrase works as an adjective (telling what kind or whose), adverb (telling where, when, how, or how often), or noun (when the phrase serves as a subject of the verb or a direct object) in the sentence depending upon its purpose in connecting the object to another word in the sentence.

Ex. 1, used as adjective: The choice to not participate is a choice to surrender one's rights as a student.

Explanation: The prepositional phrase to not participate describes choice.

Ex. 2, used as adverb: Public bathrooms are generally located in buildings that provide lots of parking.

Explanation: The phrase in buildings tells where polling places are located.

Ex. e, used as noun: At the time you enter college is not always the best time to begin good study habits.

Explanation: The phrase At the time you enter college is a noun that serves as the subject of the verb is.

3. Rarely should you put a comma before a prepositional phrase.

Here is a list of common prepositions:

above
according to
across
after
ahead of
against
along
along with
among
around
as well as
at
because of
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond

but
by
concerning
despite
down
during
except
for
from
in
in addition to
in case of
in front of
in place of
inside
in spite of
instead of
into
like
near

of
off
on
onto
out
outside
over
past
rather than
since
through
throughout
to
under
underneath
until
up
upon
with
within
without

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