1. Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

2. What is a preposition?  A connecting word like in, of, near, between or outside. It is always followed by a noun or pronoun that answers the question What? Or Whom?  Richard is outstanding in basketball. (in what? Basketball)  The judge ruled against him. (against whom? Him)

3. Common Prepositions  aboard  about  above  across  after  against  along  amid  among  anti  around  as  at  before  behind  below  beneath  beside  besides  between  beyond  but  by  concerning  considering  despite  down  during  except  excepting  excluding  following  for  from  in  inside  into  like  minus  near  of  off  on  onto  opposite  outside  over  past  per  plus  regarding  round  save  since  than  through  to  toward  towards  under  underneath  unlike  until  up  upon  versus  via  with  within  without

4. Prepositional Phrases  A prepositional phrase may have more than two words in it. The noun following the preposition may have adjectives as modifiers.  He could not compete in a fierce contact sport. (in what? Sport)  Fierce and contact are adjectives that modify the noun sport.

5. Prepositional Phrases  The preposition may be followed by two or more nouns that answer the question What?  It is not a matter of Richard’s ability or desire.  Ability and desire are both objects of the preposition.

6. How do I identify prepositions?  The way a word is used in a sentence determines whether it is a preposition or another part of speech.  Richard never thought of himself as handicapped before this incident.  Richard never thought of himself as handicapped before.  In the first sentence, before is a preposition (before what? Incident).  In the second sentence, before is an adverb answering the question when? after thought.

7. Types of prepositions  Place: above, by, near, beside, across  Direction: up, off, beyond, to, toward  Association: of, between, until, with, against  Time: before, after, during In the game, Twister, you are above, below, across, under, or around someone. The cat is on the chair.