Prepositional Phrases

Key prepositions include in, on, at, for, to, with, by, from, and about. Each one gives a specific kind of relationship.

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with its object, which is usually a noun or pronoun. The phrase acts as an adjective, adverb, or sometimes a noun.

Prepositional phrases can modify a noun by telling which one, what kind, or whose. They come right after the noun they describe.

Prepositional phrases can modify a verb, adjective, or adverb by telling when, where, how, why, or to what extent. They can move around in the sentence.

Certain nouns, verbs, and adjectives are often followed by particular prepositions. Learning these common pairs helps you use natural-sounding phrases.

Some prepositional phrases have figurative meanings that you must learn as chunks. They often do not make sense if you translate them word for word.

Prepositional phrases consistently show relationships such as location, time, cause, and manner. Focus on key prepositions and learn common collocations for smoother speech.