50+ Preposition List: Topic Overview
The preposition list spans over dozens upon dozens of exciting words. Each of them is necessary to the English language as they complete and form the sentences to make the most sense. Without them, it would be pretty difficult for people to understand each other in a conversation.
With that being said, the subject of prepositions often becomes confusing and frustrating to the students who strive to master the language. The logic behind the formation of some of them can sometimes be hard to comprehend and requires the help of a grammar book.
In our article, we put together a prepositions list that contains over 50+ words with example sentences to provide a more immersive learning journey. We also touch on what the meaning behind this form of speech is and what types they are generally categorized into to complete the information.
What are prepositions?
Before we can begin exploring over fifty of the most commonly used expressions, we need to figure out what the meaning behind a preposition really is. If we turn to scholarly studies, the Britannica Dictionary defines prepositions as the following:
“A word that indicates the relationship of a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase (a group of words that function collectively as a noun) to another word or phrase in a sentence.”
In simple words, this part of speech often tells us what and where something is happening. It also helps us understand the relation of each object in a sentence to one another. These prepositions are surprisingly not the cool words you would expect, but regular and everyday phrases like with, by, during, behind, etc. Broken down in a sentence, it looks like this: “I leave early in (preposition) the morning (noun)”.
In general, English prepositions are placed further in a sentence, typically following the noun or a pronoun. However, in some instances, like informal speech, ending a sentence with a preposition is not considered a grammatical error. It is often done to maintain the flow of the conversation and keep the sound more appealing to the ear.
For example, you want to say: “I found the shirt that I was looking for”. If the preposition were not placed at the end, the sentence would end up sounding awkward and outdated. Like this: “I found the shirt for which I was looking”.
With that being said, there is an instance in which ending the phrase with a preposition is not grammatically correct. It is called a dangling preposition. In the case when an object is completely missing from the sentence, using prepositions is considered a mistake unless it is a phrasal verb.
For instance, saying: “Who are you going to school with?” does not sound ideal. Instead, you could say: “With whom are you going to school?” which sounds more accurate. When you are not exactly sure how to use a preposition, you can always turn to various English grammar books to find the right answer.
Still, there is no final consensus on whether to use dangling prepositions or not. After all, they normally sound more natural and common in a sentence as opposed to the “correct” way of using them, which may be more accepted in formal writing but does not necessarily sound natural.
There is more to learn about such a curious and complex part of speech as a preposition. In addition, we will go over the five of the most widely used types of expressions and how they are categorized. For now, let’s move forward with examining a prepositions list specially curated for English learners.
50 preposition words list
English is an exciting language with a myriad of fascinating figures of speech, idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs, and more. Prepositions are no expectation as there are over a hundred of them in the English language.
However, exploring them all at once is quite a difficult and time-consuming task. Hence, we put together a list of preposition words that contain 50 of the most commonly used ones. Let’s get started in an alphabetical order.
1. Above
Example:
The bird flew above the clouds.
2. About
Example:
Let’s talk about our plans for the weekend.
3. Across
Example:
We walked across the bridge to get to the other side.
4. Across from
Example:
The bakery is across from the post office.
5. After
Example:
We will have dessert after dinner.
6. Against
Example:
He casually leaned against the wall.
7. Along
Example:
We took a stroll along the beach at sunset.
8. Amid
Example:
She remained calm and collected amid the chaos.
9. Amidst
Example:
Amidst the typical fish, there were also frogs in the lake.
10. Among
Example:
The book is among the bestsellers this month.
11. Around
Example:
We drove around the city to explore the infrastructure.
12. As
Example:
She worked as a nurse for many years.
13. At
Example:
Let’s meet up at the cafe at our usual time.
14. Apart from
Example:
Everything apart from the heavy electronics was stolen.
15. Before
Example:
We hope he will arrive before the meeting starts.
16. Behind
Example:
The cat is hiding behind the couch.
17. Below
Example:
The temperature dropped below freezing.
18. Beneath
Example:
Treasure is buried beneath the old tree.
19. Beside
Example:
He sat beside his best friend in school.
20. Between
Example:
You have to make a decision between the two options.
21. Beyond
Example:
His skills go beyond what is expected of him.
22. By
Example:
She left a goodbye note by the front door.
23. During
Example:
I will be busy with meetings during the morning.
24. For
Example:
I made this gift just for you.
25. Following
Example:
There was a big uproar following his departure from the post.
26. From
Example:
She received a letter from her dear friend.
27. In
Example:
The family usually leaves the keys in the drawer.
28. Inside
Example:
It’s warm inside the house.
29. Inside of
Example:
Upon checking the inside of the box, he found vintage vinyls.
30. Into
Example:
He immediately jumped into the pool after arriving at the hotel.
31. Near
Example:
The comic book store is near the city park.
32. Of
Example:
The job was a piece of cake.
33. Off
Example:
I kindly asked him to turn off the lights.
34. On
Example:
The book you are looking for is on the table.
35. Onto
Example:
She stepped onto the school bus.
36. On top of
Example:
The bird’s nest is sitting on top of the tree.
37. Other than
Example:
I had no choice other than to call her.
38. Out
Example:
We went out for dinner for our anniversary.
39. Outside of
Example:
We decided to sit outside of the cafe.
40. Over
Example:
The plane flew over the snowy mountains.
41. Through
Example:
We hiked through the lush forest.
42. Throughout
Example:
She laughed throughout the entire standup performance.
43. To
Example:
I’m going to join the literature club.
44. Toward
Example:
They walked toward their business goal together as partners.
45. Under
Example:
The child believes there are monsters under his bed.
46. Underneath
Example:
The spare key is underneath the doormat.
47. Until
Example:
I’m going to wait in the living room here until you get ready.
48. With
Example:
She made her favorite sandwich with ham and cheese.
49. Within
Example:
The right answer always lies within reach.
50. Without
Example:
He ate his meal without complaining for the first time.
Five types of prepositions
In general, prepositions list a number of types that they are divided into. These types denote different kinds of subjective and abstract situations. Separating them helps us categorize this part of speech for a more practical learning experience.
While there are types of prepositions that are used in a broader sense, the five of the main ones include time, place, direction, movement, and a phrase. Let’s get down to uncovering the meaning behind each of these categories one by one.
Prepositions of time
These prepositions are used to indicate at which time the specific action takes place. It could be during a particular hour, day, week, month, year, etc. For example:
- It’s been over two months since she moved to another city and we have seen each other.
- Me and Mike decided to elope later this year.
Prepositions of place
The next type of preposition refers to a place. It helps us understand the precise or approximate location of an object or a person in a given situation. For example:
- The tour guide told us that the camping spot was nearby.
- The pizza delivery guy is in front of our entry door.
Prepositions of direction
Directional prepositions are used to describe a location or a sense of where the situation is headed. It is known that sometimes these expressions can be hard to understand logically, so it’s best to refer to a dictionary book when in doubt. For example:
- The dog was running next to a car in an attempt to chase it.
- He has been marching towards his goal of becoming an astronaut since he was five years old.
Prepositions of movement
This type of expression is meant to tell us how a thing or a person is moving and in which manner. It can describe where the object is moving from, where to, and how. For example:
- We were walking down the street when we saw a festival unfolding in the center of the city.
- He got out of the car when a police officer stopped him for driving at the red light.
Prepositional phrase
The last type on a preposition list is the phrasal one. It refers to a combination of words that consist of a preposition, its object (typically a noun or a verb), and a word that modifies the object. Such a phrase describes a particular relationship between the objects. For example:
- We were stuck in the middle of heavy traffic leading out of the city.
- My first crush was a girl at school with ginger hair.
Getting the hang of all the types of prepositions and other forms of speech is not a one-day project. You have to work up a lot of patience and not be afraid to refer to the dictionary book. Especially considering that not all phrases are constructed in a particularly logical manner.
Remember that making mistakes and correcting them is a part of the learning process, so don’t be discouraged if you stumble upon them. Be sure to check out other interesting information about idiomatic sayings in the English language in our guides to phrasal verbs with come and phrasal verbs with look.
In concussion of prepositions list
Uncovering the rules behind how a preposition is formed and understanding how to use it is the topic that takes many by surprise with how complex and nuanced it is. Many students who learn English as a second language stumble upon difficulties when it comes to this subject.
However, by pushing forward and persevering through the issues, you can master this form of speech and become much more advanced in your skills. Wrapping your head around the right way to use a preposition allows you to be more proficient in your writing and sound more native than before.
To help you become an expert in this topic, we put together a preposition words list with the most common phrases and provided example sentences to let you memorize them more effectively. We also took a dive into the main principles of the formation of a preposition, giving you an easier entry point into the basics of this matter.
