What's IN a Preposition?

by Josef Essberger

Prepositions can be divided into:

• one-word prepositions (eg at, into, on)
• complex prepositions (eg according to, in spite of)

The name "preposition" (pre + position) means "place before". Prepositions usually come *before* another word, usually a noun or noun phrase:

• noun (I will meet you IN *London*.)
• pronoun (Give it TO *her*.)
• noun phrase (I'm tired OF *all this work*.)
• gerund (verb in -ing form) (It crashed ON *landing*.)

If a preposition does not come before another word, it is still closely associated with another word:

• *Who* did you talk TO?
• TO *whom* did you talk?
• I talked TO *Jane*.

Notice that many prepositions can also be adverbs:

• He walked DOWN the hill. (preposition)
• Please sit DOWN. (adverb)

A few prepositions can also be conjunctions:

• Everyone came BUT Tara. (preposition)
• I asked her BUT she didn't answer. (conjunction)

How many prepositions are there in English? It is not possible to give a definite answer, partly because complex prepositions are "open class", which means that new ones could be invented at any time. But for a list of almost all the one-word and complex prepositions in common use, see English Prepositions Listed which includes 370 example sentences.

Many words are associated with a particular preposition. When you learn a new word, try to learn the preposition associated with it. A good dictionary usually gives you examples.

Here are some common verbs that are associated with a particular preposition:

• to agree WITH somebody
• to agree ABOUT a subject
• to agree ON a decision
• to agree TO a proposal
• to arrive AT/IN a place
• to ask FOR something (but to ask a question/the time/directions etc)
• to borrow something FROM somebody
• to depend ON somebody/something
• to explain something TO somebody
• to insist ON -ing
• to laugh AT somebody/something
• to listen TO somebody/something
• to participate IN something
• to pay FOR something
• to be rude TO somebody
• to shoot AT somebody/something
• to smile AT somebody
• to succeed IN something
• to talk TO somebody
• to talk WITH somebody (US)
• to worry ABOUT something
• to write TO somebody

Here are a few common expressions with particular prepositions:

• to be afraid OF somebody/something
• to be angry WITH somebody
• to be angry ABOUT something
• to be bad AT something
• to be clever AT something
• to be good AT something
• to be interested IN something
• to be kind TO somebody
• to be nice TO somebody