Prepositions

 

There are eight or nine (or more) parts of speech, depending on what you read.

Some authorities list nine parts of speech. Those authorities which list eight
consider determiners (articles, quantifiers, etc) as adjectives. This site lists nine parts of speech.  

To determine what part of speech a particular word is it must be looked at in the context
of the sentence. Many words may be a different part of speech in different sentences.

Look at these examples.

Mr. Elliot feels well. (Adverb).

She is not a well woman. (Adjective)

Well! What happened. (Interjection)

He dropped his hat into a well. (Noun)

 

Prepositions

Prepositions denote relationships between certain words in a sentence. The relationships can
relate to place, time, or  movement. Prepositions are placed before a noun (or the
article/quantifier preceding the noun) and helps establish a  relationship between that
noun and another noun —or between that noun and a verb.   

Prepositions begin prepositional phrases that end with a noun or pronoun. The noun in a
prepositional phrase is  called the object of the preposition.  

Here are some common prepositions and prepositional phrases.  

 

Prepositions of Place  

on                     off                   in                        out                 at                     from                
next to              by                   beside                near               opposite          across from  
opposite of       between         inside of             against           above              on top                
below               under              in the middle      middle           in front of         in back of  
behind              to the right      to the left  

 

Prepositions of Time  

to                until            till                by  
for               during        while            from  
at                in                on                since  
before         after           around  

 

Prepositions of Movement  

across            along               into                 out of  
past                round               through           up  
off                   down               over                under  
toward  

The book is on the table. (establishes the relationship of the book to the table)  

Bob’s car fell off the bridge. (establishes the relationship of the verb fell to Bob’s car)  

Notice that this prepositional phrase – off the bridge – is working as an adverb. The phrase says where the car fell.