At their basic level, prepositions are defined as ‘connecting words.’ They connect nouns and pronouns with other words. Taken a step further, prepositions give information about time, places, and direction.
It is that last bit that makes prepositions so fascinating. On one hand, the discussion about prepositions could be very simple:
It is that last bit that makes prepositions so fascinating. On one hand, the discussion about prepositions could be very simple:
“Prepositions are connecting words, and without them, writing would have no time, place or direction.”
But that one word – time – creates an entirely new level for the preposition. Suddenly, there are phrases like ‘simple’ and ‘perfect’ tenses in the past, present and future. The simple tense merely conveys action in the time narrated.
I would love to be able to discuss these phrases on some intellectual level, but frankly, my understanding of them is limited. (So, we will learn together.)
But for now, the basics of the preposition are as follows:
They describe:
The position of something: The pen fell between the cushions.
The time when something happens: My alarm goes off at six a.m.
The way in which something is done: I type by touch.
A few examples of preposition words are above, after, among, around, along, at, before, behind, beneath, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into, like, of, off, on, out, over, through, to, up, upon, under, with. (But this is only a sample.)
As connecting words, prepositions link nouns and pronouns to other words, called objects, in a sentence. They show space or time between the noun and the object.
For example:
My wheelchair is in the trunk.
(In this sentence, wheelchair is the noun, in is the preposition, and trunk is the object.)
In the next grammar blog, we will explore more about the preposition as we discuss ‘prepositional phrases,’ and how they affect word usage.
