Prepositions and Conjunctions

Introduction to Prepositions

OVERVIEW

Prepositions are words that connect a noun or pronoun with another part of a sentence.

WATCH EXAMPES

This video illustrates prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Download transcript.

READ EXAMPLES

Common Prepositions

about	because of	except	of	to
above	before	for	off	toward
across	behind	from	on	under
after	below	in	out	until
against	beneath	inside	outside	up
along	beside	into	over	upon
among	between	like	past	with
around	by	near	since	within
as	down	next to	through	without
at	during

Prepositions rarely function alone. They almost always introduce a noun or pronoun, which is called the object of the preposition.

Consider the following sentence:

EXAMPLE: An infographic about income differences by college major is often shown to first-year students.

This sentence contains three prepositional phrases:

Prepositional Phrases	Prepositions	Objects of the preposition
about income differences	about	differences
by college major	by	majors
to first-year students	students	students

Objects of a preposition can never be subjects of a sentence. This common error is discussed in more detail.

CONTINUE THROUGH THE UNIT

The LearningCurve and pre/post-tests (if assigned) in this unit include questions about prepositions and conjunctions. Make sure you have reviewed information on conjunctions as well.

Don’t forget to work smartly!