PREPOSITIONS

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.



Understand how to form a prepositional phrase:


Prepositions generally introduce prepositional phrases. Prepositional phrases look like this:

preposition + optional modifiers + noun, pronoun, or gerund

Here are some examples:

At school


*At = preposition; school = noun.


According to us


*According to = preposition; us = pronoun.


By chewing


*By = preposition; chewing = gerund.


Under the stove


*Under = preposition; the = modifier; stove = noun.


In the crumb-filled, rumpled sheets


*In = preposition; the, crumb-filled, rumpled = modifiers; sheets = noun.



Realize that some prepositions also function as subordinate conjunctions:

Some prepositions also function as subordinate conjunctions. These prepositions are after, as, before, since, and until. A subordinate conjunction will have both a subject and a verb following it, forming a subordinate clause.


Look at these examples!



After Sam and Esmerelda kissed goodnight

*After = subordinate conjunction; Sam, Esmerelda = subjects; kissed = verb.


As Jerome buckled on the parachute


*As = subordinate conjunction; Jerome = subject; buckled = verb.


Before I eat these frog legs


*Before = subordinate conjunction; I = subject; eat = verb.


Since we have enjoyed the squid eyeball stew


*Since = subordinate conjunction; we = subject; have enjoyed = verb.


Until your hiccups stop


*Until = subordinate conjunction; hiccups = subject; stop = verb.





If you find a noun [with or without modifiers] following one of these five prepositions, then all you have is a prepositional phrase. Look at these examples:




After the killer calculus test


*After = preposition; the, killer, calculus = modifiers; test = noun.


As a good parent

*As = preposition; a, good = modifiers; parent = noun.


Before dinner


*Before = preposition; dinner = noun.


Since the breakup


*Since = preposition; the = modifier; breakup = noun.


Until midnight


*Until = preposition; midnight = noun.


"THE ENGLISH WORLD"

by:
jenifer ramirez
daniela londoño
juandavid garcia