Prepositions
Learning Goal: In this lesson, you will learn about prepositions and how to use prepositions (and prepositional phrases) to enhance your writing.
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between words or phrases in a sentence. Here are some common prepositions:
Examples: among between from on toward at by in over under
around during into to through of with within behind
Examples: among between from on toward at by in over under
around during into to through of with within behind
Common Prepositional Pitfalls:
Use the preposition between to refer to two people, groups, or things; use among to refer to more than two.
Examples: Cathy used her GPS to calculate the distance between her house and the school.
The lottery grand prize will be distributed among six lucky players.
Use different from in most instances. Use different than only to avoid awkward phrasing, especially when what follows is a clause.
Examples: The movie is different from any other martial arts movie I've seen.
My painting turned out much different than I had expected.
If you are trying to speak or write formally, it is usually best to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition.
Example: Informal: Whom shall I give the message to?
Formal: To whom shall I give the message?
However, if following this rule makes the sentence sound more awkward, it is better to leave it or reword the sentence.
Example: Awkward: This is the school to which I used to go
Reworded: That is the school I used to attend.
Use the preposition between to refer to two people, groups, or things; use among to refer to more than two.
Examples: Cathy used her GPS to calculate the distance between her house and the school.
The lottery grand prize will be distributed among six lucky players.
Use different from in most instances. Use different than only to avoid awkward phrasing, especially when what follows is a clause.
Examples: The movie is different from any other martial arts movie I've seen.
My painting turned out much different than I had expected.
If you are trying to speak or write formally, it is usually best to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition.
Example: Informal: Whom shall I give the message to?
Formal: To whom shall I give the message?
However, if following this rule makes the sentence sound more awkward, it is better to leave it or reword the sentence.
Example: Awkward: This is the school to which I used to go
Reworded: That is the school I used to attend.
Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begin with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. Prepositional phrases usually act as adjective or adverbs in a sentence.
The word the prepositional phrase modifies is called it antecedent. If the antecedent is a noun, the phrase is acting as an adjective. If the antecedent is a verb, the phrase is acting as an adverb.
Examples: Tickets (antecedent) for the show (prep. phrase) are sold out.
I will go (antecedent) on holidays (prep. phrase) next week.
Tom starts (antecedent) his day at six (prep. phrase).
If you are looking to make your writing more concise, consider replacing subordinate clauses with prepositional phrases.
Example: Clause: Most students who are in my class are away this week.
Phrase: Most students in my class are away this week.
The word the prepositional phrase modifies is called it antecedent. If the antecedent is a noun, the phrase is acting as an adjective. If the antecedent is a verb, the phrase is acting as an adverb.
Examples: Tickets (antecedent) for the show (prep. phrase) are sold out.
I will go (antecedent) on holidays (prep. phrase) next week.
Tom starts (antecedent) his day at six (prep. phrase).
If you are looking to make your writing more concise, consider replacing subordinate clauses with prepositional phrases.
Example: Clause: Most students who are in my class are away this week.
Phrase: Most students in my class are away this week.
Source:
Language Power J. Toronto: Gage, 2003. Print
Language Power J. Toronto: Gage, 2003. Print
