English and Language · Topic 14 of 66

Prepositions

Prepositions show the position or relationship of one thing to another: in, on, under, beside, between. 'The cat is under the table.'

💡 Fun fact

You can think of a preposition as anywhere a cat can go relative to a box.

All about Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the position, direction or relationship of one thing to another. Common prepositions include in, on, under, beside and between. In "The cat is under the table," under is the preposition.

Prepositions often come before a noun or pronoun, which is called the object of the preposition. Some prepositions show time, like at, on and in for times and days, and others show movement, like to, from and through.

🎮 Try it yourself!

Loading…

Real-life uses of Prepositions

Giving directions, such as "turn left at the shop"
Describing where objects are in a picture or scene
Writing about when events happen

Frequently asked questions about Prepositions

What is a preposition?

A word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and the rest of the sentence, such as in, on or under.

Is it wrong to end a sentence with a preposition?

It is fine in everyday English, as in "What are you looking at?", although some formal writing avoids it.

What is a prepositional phrase?

A preposition together with its object and any words that modify it, such as "under the old wooden table".