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Prepositions: Definition, Types, and Examples | Grammarly Prepositions: Definition, Types, and Examples Grammarly Updated on February 18, 2025 Parts of Speech Prepositions are parts of speech that show relationships between words in a sentence. In “the book on the table,” the preposition on shows the relationship between the book and the table . They often indicate where (“She walked through the park”), when (“We met at noon”), why (“He succeeded because of hard work”), or how something happens (“She completed the task with ease”). While some believe that ending a sentence with a preposition is incorrect, it is not actually a grammatical error. Many words and phrases require specific prepositions, so understanding their correct usage is essential for clear and natural communication. For example, we say “interested in ” (not “interested on ”). Prepositions play a key role in phrasal verbs and collocations, where changing the preposition can alter the meaning of a phrase entirely. For example, “look up ” (search for information) and “look after ” (take care of) have very different meanings. Prepositions are small but powerful words that help clarify relationships between different parts of a sentence. Here, we’ll discuss how prepositions work, the different types of prepositions, and how to use them effectively in writing and speech. Work smarter with Grammarly The AI writing assistant for anyone with work to do Get Grammarly Table of contents What is a preposition? List of prepositions Types of prepositions Ending a sentence with a preposition Unnecessary prepositions Other uses of prepositions Prepositions FAQs What is a preposition? Prepositions are small words that describe relationships with other words in a sentence, such as where something took place (“ in a park) or when (“ at noon”). Prepositions combine with other words to form a prepositional phrase . Preposition: to Prepositional phrase: to the moon These prepositional phrases can describe nouns (“the cat on the shelf”) or verbs (“ run through the grass”). Although you can place prepositional phrases in different places, it’s best to put them close to the word they describe . Each prepositional phrase must contain a noun, known as the object of a preposition . The prepositional phrase often includes a determiner with the object, like the articles the , a , or an . Sometimes, the object also has its own adjective , like “on the wooden table.” List of prepositions Below is a list of commonly used prepositions, organized alphabetically: A: aboard, about, above, absent, across, after, against, along, alongside, amid (or “amidst”), among (or “amongst”), around, as, at, atop B: bar (or “barring”), before, behind, below, beneath, beside (or “besides”), between, beyond, but, by C: circa, concerning, counting D: despite, down, during E: effective, except (or “excepting”), excluding F: failing, following, for, from I: in, including, inside, into L: less, like M: minus N: near, next, notwithstanding O: of, off, on, onto, opposite, out, outside, over P: past, pending, per, plus R: regarding, respecting S: short, since T: than, through, throughout, to, toward (or “towards”) U: under, underneath, unlike, until, up, upon V: versus (or “vs.”), via W: wanting, with, within, without, worth Here’s a tip: Prepositions may be small, but they can be confusing. Grammarly can check your grammar and punctuation to ensure you’re using prepositions correctly in your writing . Types of prepositions People categorize prepositions in different ways, and there is no official grouping. However, the most common prepositions fit into four main categories, with a fifth category for additional types. Keep in mind that a preposition can have more than one meaning, and sometimes, the same preposition belongs to more than one type. Here are the main types of prepositions. Prepositions of place Prepositions of place show where something is or where something happened. The objects of prepositions of place can refer to a specific location or describe a location in relation to another thing, such as “under the table.” They’re building an amusement park near my apartment. Today I’m cleaning the dust above the refrigerator. The health food is between the snacks and the sodas. I have a sandwich in my bag. Meet me at the restaurant. Prepositions of time Prepositions of time show when something happened or will happen (and sometimes its duration). They always describe verbs, such as when the verb’s action occurs. We have to be ready at 5:00 pm. Don’t eat before bedtime. I suddenly get energy after the sun sets. Our teacher fell asleep during recess. Your homework is due by Monday. Prepositions of direction or movement Prepositions of direction or movement show how something is moving or which way it’s going. For example, in the sentence “The dog ran in a circle,” the prepositional phrase “in a circle” describes how it ran instead of where it ran. These prepositions are usually used with verbs of motion. The defense recovered the fumble and ran across the entire field. The baby took her first steps toward her mother. My daydreaming friend walked into a river! It’s easier to go through the woods than around the woods. He shot the basketball over his opponent’s head. Prepositions of manner, cause, or purpose Prepositions of manner, cause, or purpose show how or why something happens, such as describing the way or the reasons something occurred. This includes descriptions of feelings or opinions, as well as comparisons. When I’m late my dad takes me to school by car. She drives like a maniac. He only competes for honor, not money. Everyone was eating in silence. Ava reads with difficulty if she isn’t wearing her glasses. Additional types of prepositions Prepositions can show many other relationships, but they’re not as common as the four types of prepositions above. Let’s look at some other, less common types of prepositions you can use. Prepositions of possession show ownership or describe a trait someone possesses. The most common preposition of possession is of , but with can also be used to describe a distinguishing trait. The tree of our neighbor drops fruit in our yard. I’m going to adopt the dog with black spots. Prepositions of source explain where something came from or who created it, typically using from or by . The message is from outer space! That hole was made by a mouse. Prepositions of measurement refer specifically to quantities and amounts, usually with units of measurement. The most common are by and of . Likewise, fractions and percentages use the preposition of when describing what they’re part of. Start the recipe with a cup of flour. The boardwalk sells taffy by the yard! More than 59% of the world’s population lives in Asia. Ending a sentence with a preposition The old claim that it’s wrong to end a sentence with a preposition has been debunked. It’s not true now and it never was true. In other words, ending a sentence with a preposition is perfectly fine. Writers who insist that a preposition can’t end a sentence often end up with stilted and unnatural-sounding sentences: There’s no one else to hide behind . (Correct and natural) There’s no one else behind whom to hide. (Correct but unnatural) Where did you come from ? (Correct and natural) From where did you come? (Correct but unnatural) That said, it is sometimes more elegant to move a preposition to an earlier spot in a sentence, especially in very serious and formal writing . But if you do move the preposition, remember to delete it from the end. This is something we must meditate on . This is something on which we must meditate. This is something on which we must meditate on . Unnecessary prepositions One of the most common preposition mistakes is adding an unnecessary at to the end of a question . Where is your brother at ? Although this is common in some English dialects, it’s considered nonstandard in writing. You can fix the problem by simply deleting the at . Where is your brother? If you’re not sure which preposition to use, sometimes you can just get rid of it altogether. In fact, you should always eliminate unnecessary prepositional phrases, as too many can be a sign of unfocused writing. Look at how many prepositions appear in the sentence below: For many people, the reality of an entry into a new area of employment is cause for a host of anxieties. Getting rid of the prepositions forces you to tighten up the sentence. The result is shorter, more direct, and easier to understand: Changing careers makes many people anxious. Here’s another example: Alex hit the baseball up over the fence. Remove the up . You don’t need it: Alex hit the baseball over the fence. Other uses of prepositions Sometimes, prepositions are combined with other parts of speech to form phrases with entirely new meanings. These phrases don’t act like prepositional phrases, and they take on different functions and usages in a sentence. Prepositions in phrasal verbs A phrasal verb is a group of words that together act as a single verb with a unique meaning. For example, the phrasal verb go out has a different meaning than the words go and out . Often, phrasal verbs combine an existing verb with a preposition. If you’re new to prepositions, pay close attention to phrasal verbs. While some prepositions can be interchangeable in general use, the meaning of a phrasal verb always depends on a specific preposition. Changing the preposition can completely alter the meaning of the phrase. For example, the prepositions on and over can sometimes mean the same thing, such as on the stove and over the stove . But the phrasal verbs come on and come over have very different meanings. When using phrasal verbs, make sure you’re using the correct preposition and treat each verb as its own word. Collocation In linguistics, collocation is just a fancy word to describe words that are commonly used together. In English, we have certain phrases or ways of talking tha