Preposition facts for kids
Prepositions are words which link nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence
Prepositions often describe the position of something, the time when something happens or the way in which something is done. The prepositions "of", "to" and "for" have other functions.
In general, because they are links, prepositions belong in the middle of sentences. Putting a preposition at the end of a sentence is incorrect.
Example 1: "What did you put that there for?" (better English is the alternative: "Why did you put that there?")
Example 2: "A pen is a device to write with" (better English is "A pen is a writing device").
The table below shows some examples of how prepositions are used in sentences.
| Function | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Position | The cat is under the table. He is sitting on the chair. |
| Time | The class starts at 8 am. I am going to Spain on Wednesday. |
| How something is done | We travelled by car. |
| Possession | The book belongs to Colin. The door of the house is red. |
Compound prepositions
Compound prepositions come in two forms; two-word prepositions and three-word prepositions.
Some examples of two-word prepositions are:
- According to
- Because of
- Due to
- Instead of
Some examples of three-word compound prepositions are:
- As far as
- In addition to
- In front of
- In spite of
It's always a good idea to try and find the simplest way of writing something. Using compound prepositions in sentences should be used rarely. For example, it's much better to use the word like than say in a manner similar to.
List of common prepositions
- About
- Above
- Across
- After
- Along
- Amid
- Among
- Around
- As
- At
- Before
- Behind
- Below
- Beneath
- Between
- Because of
- Down
- During
- Except
- For
- From
- In
- Into
- Inside
- Instead of
- Near
- Next to
- Of
- Off
- On
- Outside
- Out of
- Past
- Round
- Since
- Than
- Through
- Till
- To
- Towards
- Under
- Underneath
- Until
- Unto
- Upon
- Without
- With
See also
In Spanish: Adposición para niños
