Prepositions: Grammar Rules

The Rule for Prepositions Is That You Should Not Position A Preposition at the End of A Sentence, Phrase, or Clause. 

Like Most Rules, However, There Are Exceptions to That Rule,  but Try to Rearrange Your Sentences So That You Have No Dangling Prepositions. Yet, don’t take this rule too far:

“This is the type of errant pedantry up with which I will not put.”

– Winston Churchill – Former Prime Minister of England

What Are Prepositions?

What exactly is a preposition?

“A preposition is a word—and almost always a very small, very common word—that shows direction (to in “a letter to you”), location (at in “at the door”), or time (by in “by noon”), or that introduces an object (of in “a basket of apples”). Prepositions are typically followed by an object, which can be a noun (noon), a noun phrase (the door), or a pronoun (you).” Webster Dictionary

What is an example of a preposition?

“The most common prepositions are atbyforfrominofonto, and with. Other common prepositions are aboutaboveacrossafteragainstalongamongaroundbecause ofbeforebehindbelowbeneathbesidebetweenclose todownduringexceptinsideinstead ofintolikenearoffon top ofontoout ofoutsideoverpastsincethroughtowardunderuntilupuponwithinwithout.” Merriam Webster Dictionary

Examples

preposition around.png

The animals are circling around the globe.

preposition above.png

The elephant is balancing above the bar.

preposition below.png

The monkey is hanging below the bar.

preposition beside (1).png

The snake is standing beside the bar.

preposition in.png

The fish is in a bowl on top of the bar.
Note: “of” is also a preposition.

preposition over.png

The bird is flying over the bar.

preposition through.png

The cat is jumping through the hoop.

preposition under.png

The snake is crawling under the bar.