English Grammar

Prepositions and Their Types, Definitions, and Examples

Prepositions and Their Types, Definitions, and Examples

I’ve held onto your bag. Do you not want to know the location of your bag? It doesn’t look like the sentence is complete. Prepositions are used in English to show where the objects are in a sentence. This page covers the meaning, usage, and definition of prepositions. In order to assist you in understanding how prepositions and Their Types are used, below is a complete list of prepositions for your reference as well as examples of prepositions used in sentences.

What is a Prepositions?

A preposition is defined as a word or phrase that joins a verb or adjective in a sentence with a noun or pronoun. They are often found in front of nouns and are brief words. Prepositions are occasionally used in front of gerund verbs.

Prepositions are the mortar that holds a phrase together if the subject, noun, and verb are the building blocks. They convey time, space, motion, possession, and the manner in which an action is carried out.

Also Read:
Adverbs and their Types
Adjectives and Their Types 
Verbs and Their Types
Pronouns and their Types
Types of Nouns with Examples
8 Parts of Speech

How Many Types of Prepositions Are There in English?

12 Types of Prepositions in English Grammar are given below…

  • Simple Prepositions
  • Compound Prepositions
  • Double Prepositions
  • Participle Prepositions
  • Phrase Prepositions
  • Prepositional Adverbs
  • Adjective Prepositions
  • Relative Prepositions
  • Phrasal Prepositions
  • Adverbial Prepositions
  • Conjunctive Prepositions
  • Elliptical Prepositions

12 Prepositions and Their Types, Definitions, and Examples:

  1. Simple Prepositions:

    • Definition: Basic prepositions that indicate location, time, direction, or relationships between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence.
    • Prepositions: at, in, on, by, with, to, for, from, etc.
    • Examples:
      • She is at the library.
      • The book is on the table.
      • He went to the store.
  2. Compound Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions formed by combining two or more words.
    • Prepositions: into, onto, within, without, throughout, etc.
    • Examples:
      • He jumped into the pool.
      • The cat climbed onto the roof.
      • She went to bed without eating dinner.
  3. Double Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that are made up of two words.
    • Prepositions: among, between, across, beyond, inside, outside, etc.
    • Examples:
      • The toys are scattered among the children.
      • The bridge stretches across the river.
      • He walked between the trees.
  4. Participle Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions formed from the present or past participles of verbs.
    • Prepositions: considering, regarding, notwithstanding, concerning, etc.
    • Examples:
      • Considering the circumstances, he did well.
      • She wrote a letter regarding the issue.
      • Concerning your question, I will get back to you soon.
  5. Phrase Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that consist of more than one word.
    • Prepositions: because of, in spite of, due to, on account of, etc.
    • Examples:
      • He missed the train because of the traffic.
      • In spite of the rain, they continued the game.
      • She couldn’t attend due to illness.
  6. Prepositional Adverbs:

    • Definition: Words that function as both adverbs and prepositions.
    • Prepositions: over, under, around, through, etc.
    • Examples:
      • The cat jumped over the fence.
      • He walked through the forest.
      • She hid under the bed.
  7. Adjective Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that modify or describe nouns.
    • Prepositions: next to, opposite of, inside of, outside of, etc.
    • Examples:
      • The park is next to the school.
      • The restaurant is opposite of the bank.
      • She found her keys inside of the bag.
  8. Relative Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that introduce relative clauses.
    • Prepositions: who, whom, which, whose, where, etc.
    • Examples:
      • The person whom I met was very friendly.
      • The book which she recommended was excellent.
      • The city where he grew up is beautiful.
  9. Phrasal Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that consist of a verb and an adverb or a preposition.
    • Prepositions: look forward to, get away with, give up on, etc.
    • Examples:
      • She is looking forward to her vacation.
      • He got away with cheating on the test.
      • They gave up on finding their lost keys.
  10. Adverbial Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
    • Prepositions: before, after, during, since, until, etc.
    • Examples:
      • They arrived before the concert started.
      • She waited until the rain stopped.
      • He has been studying English since last year.
  11. Conjunctive Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that connect words, phrases, or clauses.
    • Prepositions: as, because, since, until, while, etc.
    • Examples:
      • He left early because he was tired.
      • She stayed inside while it was raining.
      • They waited until the movie ended.
  12. Elliptical Prepositions:

    • Definition: Prepositions that are implied but not stated explicitly.
    • Prepositions: (dependent on context)
    • Examples:
      • He is fond of sports (activities).
      • She arrived after (the others).

12 Prepositions and Their Types, Definitions, and Examples

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The Author is a Certified TEFL Trainer from Arizona State University having experience of 7 years in teaching English worldwide to the students with diverse culture. He is a passionate English language trainer by both profession and passion.

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