Grammar Clinic: Part of Speech (Preposition)

Preposition is a word (one of the parts of speech) that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.

Related Posts: Parts of Speech (Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adverb and Adjective)

The combination of a preposition and a noun phrase is called a prepositional phrase. A word group (such as in front of or on top of) that functions like a simple, one-word preposition is called a complex preposition. Prepositions commonly convey the following relationships: agency (by); comparison (like, as . . . as); direction (to, toward, through); place (at, by, on); possession (of); purpose (for); source (from, out of); and time (at, before, on).

Simple Prepositions:

aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
around
as
at
atop
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
by
despite
down
during
for
from
in
inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
out
outside
over
past
regarding
round
since
than
through
throughout
till
to
toward
under
unlike
until
up
upon
with
within
without

Examples

1. I saw the ushers from the left side of the church near the big windows begin to move discreetly, like pallbearers, toward Sister Monroe’s bench.

2. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.

3. He was there on some chance of feeling the brush of the wing of the stray spirit of youth.

Source: About.com