What Is a Preposition? Explanation, Usage, and Examples

Prepositions are common words that show a noun or pronoun’s position. 

You can identify a preposition by thinking about a mouse. In each sentence below, the bolded preposition connects the mouse to the other noun in the sentence.

• The mouse ran up the table leg.
• The mouse sat on the table.
• The mouse thought through his options.
• The mouse crept to the cheese.
• The mouse hid from the screaming person.
• The mouse ran down the table leg.
• The mouse dashed under the refrigerator.
• The mouse cuddled with his cheese.

There are four main ways to use prepositions in a sentence:

• to show location (The book is under my bed.)
• to show time (I'll be there in five minutes.)
• to show direction (You’re heading toward a tunnel.)
• to show connections between ideas (Tell me about the game last night.)

Most prepositions function in more than one way. For example, the preposition over can be used in all three ways:

• location - Hang the poster over my desk.
• time - The hospital is over an hour away.
• direction - I’m heading over there now.
• idea - George isn’t over his ex-girlfriend yet.

There are several hundred prepositions in the English language, all of which are used to show a relationship between ideas. See how many you already know — and how many you haven’t used before.

If you’d like a longer list of common English prepositions, download the printable PDF below. It’s a great resource for writers, students, and English learners.

When an object follows a preposition in a sentence, they form a prepositional phrase. Prepositional phrases function like adjectives to modify a noun or like adverbs to modify a verb.

• The kids sat against the stone wall.
• Shana texted me during the movie.
• I am on the phone.
• Alice went through her memory.
• He's going to the store.

Prepositions describe relationships between other parts of speech. There are several ways to use different types of prepositions in a sentence — and depending on the context, a single preposition can function in many ways.

Many prepositions show a noun’s literal location in space (spatial relationships). Words like across, next to, and under can help a reader understand exactly where something or someone is.

Examples of prepositions that show location include:

• Try not to sit across from your brother at Thanksgiving dinner.
• Set up the chairs along the far wall, please.
• It's good to be among friends.
• He's waiting for you at the front door.
• The coffee mugs are by the water glasses.
• Please sit next to me.

Prepositions can also show relationships of time (temporal relationships). For example, while the word around works in the spatial phrase “around the block,” it also works in the temporal phrase “around noon.”

• Let's go out for dinner after the show.
• It will take around an hour.
• Maria got to work at 8:00.
• We’ll be there between 9:00 and 10:00.
• The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.

While prepositions can’t show action (that’s a verb’s job), they can show movement by indicating a noun’s direction. 

These prepositions are often confused with adverbs, which show where an action takes place. But unlike adverbs, prepositions use objects to complete their meaning.

• The duck flew over the lake. 
• Let’s take a trip to Paris.
• The car drove into the parking garage.
• Mitchell headed toward the campsite.
• We drove around the neighborhood.
• The paper airplane sailed through the classroom.

You’ll also find that prepositions show connections between ideas (logical relationships). They connect two nouns that aren’t literally near each other but have another logical connection. 

• I’m voting against the candidate who wants to raise taxes.
• Nora works as a librarian at the university.
• She looks just like her grandmother at that age.
• My brothers were fighting over the car.
• She lives with her husband and four cats.

Once you’re comfortable with prepositions, you’ll notice (and use) them everywhere. Be prepared to use them properly by learning everything there is to know about prepositions and practicing using them.

• Review the rules for prepositions to avoid any future grammar mistakes.
• Learn the difference between in vs. on, especially when discussing time and place.
• Be sure that you’re using of vs. for correctly, while you’re at it.
• Discover the many ways to use at in a sentence, both as a preposition and as other parts of speech.
• Check out a list of idioms that begin with prepositions (you’ll know many of these).
• Practice identifying prepositions with a helpful preposition worksheet.
• Determine whether or not you can actually end a sentence with a preposition (Spoiler alert: It’s fine).