English Education

A preposition is a word used to link a noun or pronoun (its object) to another sentence element by expressing such relationships as direction ( to , into , across , toward ), location ( at , in , on , under , over , beside , among , by , between , through ), time ( before , after , during , until , since ). Prepositions show the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence. In the following sentences, the prepositions are shown in boldfaced type. The words related by the preposition are in italics. Note that the sentences are alike in wording except for the prepositions across, inside, and around. The change in relationship between ran and yard is due to the change of preposition. A preposition always introduces a phrase. (A phrase is a group of related words used as a single part of speech and not containing a verb and its subject.) A prepositional phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and usually ending with a noun or a pronoun. • in the ...