Prepositions
Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases
What is prepositions?
Definition: A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a word in the sentence and the word that is the object of the preposition.

You have just finished the Modifiers Module. You learned that adjectives tell which one, what kind, how much, and how many about a noun or pronoun. You learned that adverbs tell where, when, how, and to what extent about verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Sometimes the answers to those questions take more than one word. Often those phrases are prepositional phrases.

EXAMPLE
Which one:	The flower in the vase is a peony.
What kind:	The umbrella with the polka-dots is Mary Anne's.
Where:	We will be going to the movies..
When:	My lunch period is after science.
How:	You are walking on your tiptoes.

What is phrases?
Definition: A phrase is a group of words working together that does not have both a subject and a verb. Phrases usually act as a single part of speech. (We will get to that part later.)

Prepositions can never be alone, so it makes sense to learn about prepositions in their phrases. Any lone preposition is actually an adverb.

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a word in the sentence and the word that is the object of the preposition.

IN THE PREVIOUS EXAMPLES
In shows the relationship between the flower and the vase.
With shows the relationship between the umbrella and the polka-dots.
To shows the relationship between where we are going and the movies.
After shows the relationship between our lunch and science class.
On shows the relationship between how we are walking and our tiptoes.

What is object of the prepositions?
Definition: The object of the preposition is the noun following the preposition that the preposition is relating to something in the sentence.

In the previous examples, the objects are vase, polka-dots, movies, science class, and tiptoes.

Hint:
To find the object of the preposition ask "What?" after the preposition.

EXAMPLE
The flower in the vase is a peony.	You found in: Ask - "In what?" Answer - vase.

What is a prepositional phrase?
Definition: A prepositional phrase is the preposition, the object of the preposition, and all the modifiers between the two.

EXAMPLE
in (preposition) the vase (object)
with (preposition) the polka-dots (object)
to (preposition) the movies (object)
after (preposition) science class (object)
on (preposition) your tiptoes (object)

Some common prepositions

COMMON PREPOSITIONS
Prepositions of time:	after, around, at, before, between, during, from, on, until, at, in, from, since, for, during, within
Prepositions of place:	above, across, against, along, among, around, at, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, in, inside, into, near, off, on, opposite, out, over, past, through, to, toward, under, underneath
Prepositions of direction/movement:	at, for, on, to, in, into, onto, between
Prepositions of manner:	by, on, in, like, with
Other types of prepositions:	by, with , of, for, by, like, as

Do you need to know what categories they fit into? Not really. It's just a way to sort them. Remembering time, place, direction, and manner might help you remember what prepositions do.

Hint:
The word to is often a preposition, but it is just as often part of an infinitive verb. If the word after to is a verb, to is not a preposition.

EXAMPLE
Preposition: I want to go to Florida for vacation.
Infinitive Verb: I want to go to Florida for vacation.

Hint:
 Think of prepositions as arrows.

EXAMPLE
→ to, at, for...
← from, next to...
↔ with, between...
↑ above, on...
↓ in, inside, under, below...

Hint:
One of the best ways to understand prepositional phrases is to learn how to diagram sentences.


Compound Prepositions and Compound Objects
What is Compound prepositions?
Definition: Compound prepositions are made up of two or more words. They may be written as one word (They look like regular prepositions) or as two or more separate words (They look like an adverb and a preposition or another prepositional phrase). These separated prepositions are sometimes called double prepositions, multiword prepositions, or phrase prepositions.

EXAMPLE
The bird \in the tree \outside my window is singing loudly. (one word compound)
The bird \on top of the tree \outside of my window is singing loudly. (multiword compounds)
That movie will be playing from June 10 to June 23. (This is an unusual one because the parts of the preposition are interrupted.)

Compound Objects
A preposition can have two or more objects.

EXAMPLE
The swimming pool is \between the oak tree and the palm trees.

Preposition vs Adverb
Some words can be used as either prepositions or adverbs. If the word has an object, it is acting as a preposition. If it has no object, it is acting as an adverb.

Adverb: My school bus just went past.
Preposition: My brother just drove past us.

Hint:
Ask what after the word to see if it has an object.

Adverb:	My school bus just went past.  (Past what? Nothing = Adverb)
Preposition:	My brother just drove past us. (Past what? Us = Preposition)

Adjective Prepositional Phrases
Definition: An adjective prepositional phrase describes a noun or pronoun. It answers the questions which one, what kind, how much, or how many.

Adjective:	The wind's sound made a whistling noise.
Prepositional Phrase:	The sound \of the wind made a whistling noise.

On the other hand, adverb prepositional phrases modify a verb, adjective, or adverb. They usually tell when, where, how, why, or to what extent (how many, how much, how long, or how far), and under what condition.

Adjective prepositional phrases can also follow linking verbs; however, this is not very common.

EXAMPLE
You seem \under the weather. (Under the weather describes you, not how you seem.)

EXAMPLE
More than one adjective phrase can modify the same noun. The sound \of the players \from the gym distracted us. - The sound \of the players - The sound \from the gym

Adverb Prepositional Phrases
Definition: An adverb prepositional phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb. It usually tells when, where, how, why, or to what extent (how many, how much, how long, or how far), and under what condition.

Modifying a verb:	We always go \to the beach \on the weekends. (Where and when we go.)
Modifying an adjective:	You look tired \from all the heat. (How tired?) Michele is very good \at singing. (Under what condition is she good?)
Modifying an adverb:	I don't like getting up early \in the morning. (How early?)

Notice that adverbs don't tell why, but adverb phrases do. You generally can't explain why with a single word.

More than one adverb phrase may modify the same verb.

EXAMPLE
\At the same time, the two opposing players crashed \into me.
crashed \at the same time crashed \into me

Trouble Prepositions
Some prepositions commonly cause trouble for writers.

Beside / Besides
Beside means next to or at the side of. The book is on the table beside my chair.
Besides means in addition to. No one besides the teachers is allowed in the teachers' lounge.

Between / Among
Between is used with two things. I sit between Annie and Mark.
Among is used with a group of three or more. I sit among my friends.

Have / Of
Because the verb have is often contracted with a helping verb like could or should resulting in could'veor should've, students often think the contractions mean could of or should of.
You should have brought it since you could have.

Angry with / Angry at
You are angry with a person. I am angry with my little brother for breaking my television.
You get angry at an object. I was angry at my locker when I couldn't get it open.

Different from / Different than
Always use different from. My answer was different from the answer on the key.
Never use different than. My answer was different than the answer on the key.