Pauline Christiansen – English 092

 

Prepositions

 

Read thoughtfully through the lists and information that follow to increase your awareness of prepositional phrases.

 

Prepositions: a sampling

 

about

because of*

for

of*

underneath

above

before

from*

off

until

according to*

behind

from among*

out of*

up

across

below

from between*

outside

upon*

after

between

from under*

over

with

against*

beyond

in

over against*

within

along

but

in front of* (a unit)

past

without

along with*

by

inside

since

 

among*

concerning

inside of*

through

 

around

despite*

in spite of* (a unit)

throughout

 

as for*

down

instead of*

to

 

as to*

during

into*

toward

 

at*

except

 

under

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* always a preposition.  Words not starred can be used other ways.

 

 

The Prepositional Phrase:  What is it?

Test for prepositional phrases by asking the preposition the question “What?” or “Whom?”

The preposition + the answer = the prepositional phrase.

 

 

Preposition

Question

Answer: Prepositional Phrase

 

for

“For what?”

for glory

 

In

“In what?”

in the light

 

by

“By what?”

by creating an engine

 

in front of

“In front of what?”

In front of his house

 

for

“For whom?”

for the writer

 

Prepositional phrases explain:

 

When?

by noon

Where?

beneath the hills

 

during the day

 

in the chair

 

in the evening

 

under the floor

 

from the Middle ages/to the present

 

among the leaves

 

 

 

 

 

Why?

for joy

How? or

by bending the edges

 

because of his weight

In order to find out

In what way?

by machine

(young) in attitude

 

for no good reason

 

(stale) with sweat

 

 

 

 

Recognizing prepositional phrases is important ONLY so that pieces of them don’t sneak into your subject/verb identifications.

 

 

Prepositional phrases add depth/texture/specificity/detail/richness to your lines.

Prepositional phrases are vital – but ignore them when you’re finding your subject/verb combinations.

 

 

 

Mentally omitting prepositional phrases from your lines helps to locate your subject/verb combinations in what remains.