prepositional phrases in creative writing

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Prepositional phrases: what they are and examples

Jessica Malnik

What’s a preposition? What’s the difference between prepositions and prepositional phrases? And, how do you know when to use one? 

In this post, we’ll cover the basics that you need to know about them, what they are, and some practical examples.

What is a prepositional phrase?

Before we can define what a prepositional phrase is, you should know what a preposition is. The purpose is to tell where or when something is in relation to another.

A preposition is a word governing a noun or pronoun. A preposition can be used with a noun, pronoun, infinitive, or gerund. 

Prepositions are pretty versatile. They can indicate time, location, spatial relationships, direction, and other abstract relationships.

Here are examples of these different types of prepositions:

Now that you know what a preposition is, we can dive into what makes up a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is simply a group of words that consists of a preposition and the object of the preposition. It can also include words that modify the object. Normally, the modifier will be a noun or the infinitive or gerund form of the linking verb.

There are several different types of prepositional phrases that you should be aware of. We’ll cover these in the next section.

List of prepositional phrases to use

Here’s a list of prepositions for you to use with your prepositional phrases. These are common and refer to placement or movement:

These prepositions are less common, but can still be used in prepositional phrases:

It’s important to keep in mind that the words in the list above have the potential to become a part of a prepositional phrase. They often won’t act as prepositions. Sometimes these words act as adverbs or something else instead. It’s all about context.

Remember that prepositions are always in prepositional phrases. If you see one of the above words in a prepositional phrase, then it’s likely a preposition.

Types of prepositional phrases

There are two primary types of prepositional phrases. The first is an adverbial phrase and the second is an adjectival phrase. Here’s how to tell the two apart.

Adverb prepositional phrases

An adverbial or adverb prepositional phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb. When the phrase acts on the verb, it’s considered to be acting adverbially because adverbs modify verbs.

Here are two examples of adverb prepositional phrases:

Example 1: “The dog jumped up with excitement.”

This sentence answers the question, “Jumped how?”

Example 2: “To find the professor that teaches chemistry, check in the cafeteria.”

This sentence answers the question, “Look where?”

Adjective prepositional phrases

An adjectival or adjective prepositional phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun. When a prepositional phrase behaves adjectively it’s considered to be an adjectival phrase.

Here are two examples of adjective prepositional phrases:

Example 1: “The painting on the end is the best.”

This sentence answers the question of which painting the writer believes is the best.

Example 2: “Taylor wants to stop at the restaurant by the mall.”

This sentence tells us what restaurant Taylor wants to stop at.

Prepositional phrases behaving as nouns

Aside from adverb and adjective prepositional phrases, some prepositional phrases can act as nouns. This doesn’t occur very often, but it’s still something you should be aware of.

Here are some examples of prepositional phrases acting as nouns:

Example 1: “Before the show will be too early for us to go to lunch.”

Example 2: “During the intermission is the ideal time to talk to your friends.”

Common prepositional phrase mistakes

No matter what type of prepositional phrase you use, there are a few common mistakes writers make that you should be aware of.

Here are three commonly made mistakes to avoid when using prepositional phrases in your writing:

Prepositional phrases may seem tricky at first, but they just take a bit of practice to identify. Look for common prepositions like the ones mentioned above. Be sure to avoid the common pitfalls like treating the prepositional phrase as the subject of the verb. The more you practice, the more prepositions and prepositional phrases will become second nature.

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Prepositional Phrases: Examples, Sentences, & Usage Tips

What is a prepositional phrase.

Prepositional phrases are groups of words starting with a preposition, that describe nouns, verbs, and adjectives. We’ll see lots of examples in this lesson!

Prepositional phrases can function as adjectives, modifying nouns or pronouns by providing additional information about them. For example, in the sentence “The book on the shelf is mine,” the prepositional phrase “on the shelf” modifies the noun “book” by telling us where it is located.

They can also function as adverbs, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs by answering questions such as “where,” “when,” “how,” or “why.” For instance, in the sentence “ He ran to catch his train ,” the prepositional phrase “to catch his train” modifies the verb “ran” by telling us why he was running.

Prepositions can indicate direction, location, time, manner, and much more, and using prepositional phrases correctly can help you create better sentences! In this lesson, we’ll see lots of prepositional phrase examples, how they function within sentences, common uses, and common mistakes.

Common Prepositions Used in Prepositional Phrases

In / on / at.

These three prepositions are commonly used to indicate place or location. Here are some examples – the prepositional phrases are in bold:

• In: The book is in the bookcase.
• On: The pen is on the table.
• At: I’ll meet you at the park.

These two prepositions are often used to show movement from one place to another. For example:

• To: We’re going to the mall.  (destination)
• From: She came from Japan.  (origin)

“With” indicates association or accompaniment, and “by” shows how something was done. For example:

• With: I went to the beach with my friends.
• By: The cake was made by my sister.

ABOUT / FOR / THROUGH / UNDER / OVER

These prepositions are also frequently used. Here are some examples:

• About: He talked about his favorite movie.
• For: This gift is for you.
• Through: We walked through the forest.
• Under: The cat slept under the bed.
• Over: The plane flew over the mountains.

Check out this list of 600+ prepositional phrases!

Now let’s look at the different types of prepositional phrases.

Adjective Prepositional Phrases: Modifying Nouns

This type of prepositional phrase modifies nouns or pronouns in a sentence. It usually answers questions such as “what kind?” or “which one?” For example:

• I like cakes  with buttercream frosting. (prepositional phrase answers “what kind?”)
• The window in my bedroom needs to be repaired. (prepositional phrase answers “which one?”)

In some cases, an adjective prepositional phrase may be essential to understanding a sentence’s meaning. For example, consider this sentence: “The man with the red hat is my uncle.” Here, without the prepositional phrase “with the red hat” describing the subject “man,” we wouldn’t know which man is being referred to.

Here are some more examples of prepositional phrases functioning as adjectives. The prepositional phrases are in bold, and the nouns they describe are underlined:

• The boy with blue eyes looks rather sad.
• I watched a show about South American history.
• She opened the gifts   from her grandmother.
• This information is  out of date.
• All the products   on display  are beautiful.

Adverb Prepositional Phrases: Modifying Verbs or Adjectives

Prepositional phrases act as adverbs when they modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs in a sentence. These typically answers questions such as “when?” “where?” “how?” and “why?”

Here are some examples of prepositional phrase modifying verbs:

• He drove to work at 7 am . (when did he drive?)
• I put the milk  in the fridge. (where did I put the milk?)
• She sang with joy. (how did she sing?)
• We’re learning English  for fun. (why are we learning English?)

And here are some examples of prepositional phrase modifying adjectives:

• You’re very good   at grammar. (how are you good?)
• This shirt is too tight in the sleeves. (where is it tight?)
• Honey is perfect   for sweetening tea. (why is it perfect?)

A prepositional phrase can even modify another adverb, for example: I like to get up early in the morning.

More Prepositional Phrase Examples

Prepositional phrases describing time:.

• in the morning
• in the afternoon
• on Friday afternoon
• on the 15th of the month
• in the winter
• during class
• before breakfast
• until the 30th
• from 8 AM to 4 PM
• for three hours
• for fifteen years
• since January

Learn when to use IN, ON, and AT for different times and places

Prepositional phrases describing place:

• in the park
• in New York
• in the kitchen
• on Main Street
• on the couch
• on the roof
• on the ground
• on an island
• at the corner
• at the doctor’s office
• at a concert
• under the bed
• behind the school
• near a hospital
• beside the airport
• between the two buildings
• inside the closet
• outside the country

Prepositional phrases describing manner / way of doing something:

• without hesitation
• with regret
• without precedent
• in a friendly way
• in a polite manner

Prepositional phrases describing reason / purpose:

• for cooking
• to meet new people
• to find a job
• because of the delay
• due to the weather

Learn how to use TO and FOR correctly

How to use Prepositional Phrases Correctly in English

Prepositional phrases are essential components of a sentence that provide additional information about the subject, verb, or object. However, using them correctly can be difficult, especially for non-native English speakers. In this section, we will learn some tips on how to use prepositional phrases correctly in writing.

The first tip is to use the correct preposition. For example, consider these sentences with a similar prepositional phrase, but a different preposition:

• The book is on the table.
• The book is beside the table.
• The book is  under   the table.

The different prepositions make these three sentences mean completely different things! “On” the table means “on top of the table,” “beside” means “next to the table,” and “under” means lower than the table. This is why it’s important to learn common prepositions in English , what each one means, and how they are used.

Second, avoid using too many prepositional phrases, because it can make the sentence confusing. For example:

• The first part of the new movie about space travel in theaters now was rather boring.

This sentence is not very clear because it has three prepositional phrases in a row, and the subject (“part”) is very far separated from the verb (“was”). We should divide up the sentence so that it is easier to understand.

• There’s a new movie about space travel in theaters now . The first part of it was rather boring.

Also, be careful with where you put a prepositional phrase in a sentence. It should be as close as possible to the word it modifies. For example:

• John woke up to a beautiful sunrise in his bed. This makes it sound like the sun was rising in his bed!
• Laura gave cards to the students with decorations on them. This makes it sound like the students were decorated!
• John woke up to a beautiful sunrise.  (“in his bed” is not really necessary)
• Laura gave the students cards with decorations on them. Now it is clear that the cards are decorated

Finally, remember that some verbs and adjectives require specific prepositions after them in order to convey their intended meaning correctly. For example, “depend on” instead of “depend of,” or “married to” instead of “married with.” Check out these lessons for common verb + preposition combinations and adjective + preposition combinations.

Now you’ve learned how a prepositional phrase can function like an adjective or an adverb, you’ve seen lots of sentences using prepositional phrases, and you’ve learned about common mistakes to avoid with them. Try putting it into practice by writing your own sentences using some of the prepositional phrase examples from this lesson!

Take your English grammar skills to the next level!

More Espresso English Lessons:

About the author.

Shayna Oliveira

Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects

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On prepositions

Prepositions are keywords that indicate the start of a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase begins with the first preposition in the sentence and ends with the object or noun of the phrase. For example, “She sat on the red carpet while reading.” The italicized portion is a prepositional phrase. Generally, prepositional phrases act as adverbs or adjectives in that they modify either verbs, adverbs, or adjectives. This section will demonstrate how to use prepositions for time, place, and objects in American English.

One point in time

“On,” “at”, and “in” are used to describe a moment in time.

On is used with days:

• I will see you on Monday.
• The week begins on Sunday.

At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day:

• My plane leaves at noon.
• The movie starts at 6 p.m.

In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, and with seasons:

• He likes to read in the afternoon.
• The days are long in August.
• The book was published in 1999.
• The flowers will bloom in spring.

Extended time

To express extended time, English uses the following prepositions: since, for, by, from—to, from-until, during, (with)in

• She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)
• I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.)
• The movie showed from August to October. (Beginning in August and ending in October.)
• The decorations were up from spring until fall. (Beginning in spring and ending in fall.)
• I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.)
• We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)

To express notions of place, English uses the following prepositions:

In: to talk about an object being contained.

Inside: to refer more specifically to where the object is contained.

On: to talk about the surface.

At: to talk about a general vicinity.

• There is a wasp in the house. (The wasp is contained in the house.)
• Go look inside the refrigerator. (Inside is used as a specific place, the inside of the refrigerator.)
• I left your keys on the table. (The keys are on the surface of the table).
• She was waiting at the corner. (The corner is a general location she was waiting at.)

Higher than a point

To express notions of an object being higher than a point, English uses the following prepositions: over, above .

Over: to talk about an object that has moved higher and wider than another object.

Above: to talk about an object that has moved higher than another object.

• He threw the ball over the roof. ( The ball is somewhere past the height and width of the roof.)
• Hang that picture above the couch. (The picture should be higher in relation to the couch.)

Lower than a point

To express notions of an object being lower than a point, English uses the following prepositions: under, underneath, beneath, below.

Under: to describe an object that is below a general point

Underneath: to describe something that is below a more specific point

Beneath: to describe an object that is directly below another object

Below: to describe an object that is lower or less than another object or point

• The rabbit burrowed under the ground. (The rabbit is somewhere underground.)
• The child hid underneath the blanket. ( The child hid in a more specific place, a blanket.)
• We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches. (The shade lies specifically right below the branches.)
• The valley is below sea-level. (The valley is somewhere lower than sea-level)

Close to a point

To describe an object as being close to a point, English uses the following prepositions: near, by, next to, between, among, opposite .

• She lives near the school. (She lives in close proximity to the school.)
• There is an ice cream shop by the store. (The ice cream shop is very close to the store.)
• An oak tree grows next to my house. ( An oak tree grows beside the house, likely in the yard.)
• The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street. (Elm and Maple Street sandwich the house).
• I found my pen lying among the books. (The pen could be anywhere around the area that the books occupy.)
• The bathroom is opposite that room. (Similar to “next to,” opposite means that the bathroom faces the room, rather than adjoins.)

To introduce objects of verbs

An object of a verb adds specificity to the verb. In terms of prepositional objects, the object is introduced by a preposition. For example, in the sentence, “They fought about the old chair,” which object did they fight over? The chair. When introducing objects of verbs, there are some prepositions that directly follow specific verbs. Below are some examples:

“At” is used with the following verbs: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare

• She glanced at her reflection. ( exception with mirror : She glanced in the mirror.)
• You didn't laugh at his joke.
• I'm looking at the computer monitor.
• We rejoiced at his safe rescue.
• That pretty girl smiled at you.
• Stop staring at me.

“Of” is used with the following verbs: approve, consist, smell

• I don't approve of his speech.
• My contribution to the article consists of many pages.
• He came home smelling of alcohol.

“Of” (or “about”) is used with the following verbs: dream, think

• I dream of finishing college in four years.
• Can you think of a number between one and ten?
• I am thinking about this problem.

“For” is used with the following verbs: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish

• Did someone call for a taxi?
• He hopes for a raise in salary next year.
• I'm looking for my keys.
• We'll wait for her here.
• You go buy the tickets, and I'll watch for the train.
• If you wish for an "A" in this class, you must work hard.

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Prepositional Phrase: What Is It & How to Use

If you want to improve your writing and grammar skills, you’ll need to understand the concept of prepositional phrases.

What is a prepositional phrase, and what purpose does it serve?

The short answer is that a prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and the object affected by that preposition. For example, “ with gusto” and “ behind the tree” are both prepositional phrases.

This article will give you a detailed guide to prepositional phrases and teach you how to identify them in a sentence.

What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

Let’s take a closer look at what prepositional phrases are and how to use them.

Prepositional Phrase Definition

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a prepositional phrase as a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun , pronoun , or noun phrase .

How to Identify Prepositional Phrases

You can identify a prepositional phrase by looking for the preposition and then figuring out what object that preposition attaches itself to.

For example, take the sentence “George rode his bike to the library.”

The preposition in this sentence is “to”, and the object attached to “to” is “the library.” Thus, the prepositional phrase is “to the library.”

This prepositional phrase gives more information about the action performed in the sentence, which is “George rode his bike.”

Here are some other prepositional phrase examples:

• “Susan complained about last week’s exam .”—“about” is the preposition, and “about last week’s exam” is the prepositional phrase
• “Please sign your name above the dotted line .”:—“above” is the preposition, and “above the dotted line” is the prepositional phrase
• “Cinderella had to leave the ball before the stroke of midnight .”—“before” is the preposition, and “before the stroke of midnight” is the prepositional phrase

Can you identify the prepositional phrases in the following sentences?

• They waltzed around the ballroom together.
• Tell me about your day.
• Why did you crawl under the table?

What Kinds of Prepositions Are Used in Prepositional Phrases?

As we mentioned earlier, the best way to identify a prepositional phrase is by looking for the preposition. But what exactly does that mean?

Essentially, a preposition is a part of speech used to show the relationship between a noun and another part of the sentence.

Prepositions are commonly used to give information related to direction, time, and place.

Let’s look at some common prepositions in each of these categories.

Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions of direction include “to,” “toward,” “from,” “in,” “into,” “on,” and “onto.”

For example, in the sentence “Sally is walking to the store,” the prepositional phrase “to the store” tells us the direction Sally is walking in.

Here are some prepositional phrase examples that include prepositions of direction:

• “William took the train from London .”—“from” is the preposition, and “from London” is the prepositional phrase
• “Kylie accidentally backed her car into a fire hydrant yesterday.”—“into” is the preposition, and “into a fire hydrant” is the prepositional phrase
• “I grabbed onto the ledge .”—“onto” is the preposition, and “onto the ledge” is the prepositional phrase

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time include “since,” “for,” “by,” “during,” and “within.”

For example, in the sentence “John will be home by February”, the prepositional phrase “by February” gives us a timeframe for when John will be home.

Here are some prepositional phrase examples that include prepositions of time:

• “My cat has been missing since Friday .”—“since” is the preposition, and “since Friday” is the prepositional phrase
• “I’ll need your answer by six o’clock .”—“by” is the preposition, and “by six o’clock” is the prepositional phrase
• “If I don’t finish the project within a month , my boss will be upset.”—“within” is the preposition, and “within a month” is the prepositional phrase

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place include “inside,” “over,” “above,” “below,” “beneath,” “under,” “near,” and “between.”

For example, in the sentence “The deer jumped over the river,” the prepositional phrase “over the river” tells us the place where the deer jumped.

Here are some prepositional phrase examples that include prepositions of place:

• “I found her hiding inside the kitchen cabinet .”—“inside” is the preposition, and “inside the kitchen cabinet” is the prepositional phrase
• “There’s a secret vault hidden beneath the floorboards .”—“beneath” is the preposition, and “beneath the floorboards” is the prepositional phrase
• “I want to live in a big house near the beach .”—“near” is the preposition, and “near the beach” is the prepositional phrase

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Other Prepositions

There are also plenty of prepositions outside of the three categories we’ve talked about.

We often use prepositions to convey information about similarity, method, relationships, and all sorts of other information.

Here are some examples of prepositional phrases that fall into categories outside the ones we’ve discussed so far:

• “You look like your mother .”—“like” is the preposition, and “like your mother” is the prepositional phrase
• “Here’s a complimentary gift bag with your purchase .”—“with” is the preposition, and “with your purchase” is the prepositional phrase
• “She died of tuberculosis .”—“of” is the preposition, and “of tuberculosis” is the prepositional phrase

Complex Prepositions

There are also complex prepositions that involve more than one word, such as “in front of,” “according to,” and “in addition to.”

In these cases, the prepositional phrase includes every word within the complex preposition.

Here are some examples of prepositional phrases that include complex prepositions:

• “Another customer cut in front of me .”—“in front of” is the preposition, and “in front of me” is the prepositional phrase
• “ According to The New York Times , the election results are a foregone conclusion.”—“according to” is the preposition, and “according to The New York Times” is the prepositional phrase
• “ In addition to your current duties , you’ll need to take on your colleague’s workload too.”—“in addition to” is the preposition, and “in addition to your current duties” is the prepositional phrase

What Kinds of Objects Are Used in Prepositional Phrases?

Now we’ve looked at the types of prepositions that are used in prepositional phrases. What about the other component of a prepositional phrase, the object?

The object of a prepositional phrase can be a noun, a gerund, or a clause.

Let’s look at an example of each type of object using the preposition “after.”

Objects That Are Nouns

A noun is a word that identifies a person, place, or thing.

Consider this example: “The cat chased after the dog .”

Here, the object attached to the preposition (“after”) is a noun (“the dog”).

Objects That Are Gerunds

A gerund is a grammatical unit that’s derived from a verb.

Consider this example: “ After finishing dinner , please put your plate in the dishwasher.”

Here, the object attached to the preposition (“after”) is a gerund (“finishing dinner”).

Gerunds can help keep your writing interesting.

Use ProWritingAid’s sentence structure check to make sure that your sentences are varied enough to engage your reader.

Objects That Are Clauses

A clause is a grammatical unit that includes both a subject and a predicate.

Consider this example: “We went to the movie theater after Dad came home .”

Here, the object attached to the preposition (“after”) is a clause (“Dad came home”). In this case, the subject is “Dad” and the predicate is “came home.”

What’s the Purpose of a Prepositional Phrase?

Prepositional phrases can serve three purposes in a sentence. They can act as an adjective , as an adverb , or as a noun.

Prepositional Phrases That Function as Adjectival Phrases

Adjectival phrases are phrases that modify nouns. When a prepositional phrase modifies a noun in the sentence, it serves the same purpose as an adjectival phrase.

For example, consider this sentence: “The house across the street has a beautiful garden.”

Here, the prepositional phrase “across the street” functions as an adjectival phrase because it gives more information about the noun “the house”.

Here are some other examples of prepositional phrases that act as adjectival phrases:

• “The cat in the hat swung his new bat.”—the prepositional phrase “in the hat” modifies the noun “the cat”
• “The bridge across the river is old and rusty.”—the prepositional phrase “across the river” modifies the noun “the bridge”
• “The woman with the long brown hair is smiling at us.”—the prepositional phrase “with the long brown hair” modifies the noun “the woman”

Prepositional Phrases That Function as Adverbial Phrases

Adverbs modify verbs. When a prepositional phrase modifies a verb, it functions as an adverbial phrase within the sentence.

For example, consider the sentence: “We ran away from the monster .”

Here, the prepositional phrase “from the monster” functions as an adverbial phrase because it gives more information about the verb “ran”.

Here are some other examples of prepositional phrases that act as adverbial phrases:

• “I walked to my friend's house .”—the prepositional phrase “to my friend's house” modifies the verb “walked”
• “The water dripped down from the faucet ."—the prepositional phrase “down from the faucet” modifies the verb “dripped”
• “He muttered under his breath ."—the prepositional phrase “under his breath” modifies the noun “muttered”

Prepositional Phrases That Function as Nouns

Nouns are words that function as the subject or object of a sentence. Sometimes, prepositional phrases can also function as a subject or an object.

For example, consider this sentence: “ Below the oak tree is where you’ll find the hidden treasure.”

Here, the prepositional phrase “below the oak tree” functions as the subject of the sentence.

Here are some other examples of prepositional phrases that act as nouns:

• “The best time to eat dessert is after dinner .”—the prepositional phrase “after dinner” serves as the object of the sentence
• “ Beyond the dark valley is where you'll meet your fate.”—the prepositional phrase “beyond the dark valley” serves as the subject of the sentence
• “ Without her dog was when she felt most alone.”—the prepositional phrase “without her dog” serves as the subject of the sentence

Prepositional Phrase Examples in Sentences

Here are some examples of prepositional phrases from English literature.

See if you can identify the preposition and the object within each of the prepositional phrases in bold.

“It was only two months since graduation , but already Brakebills seemed like a lifetime ago .”— The Magicians by Lev Grossman

“The soul might be within the eyes , but the subconscious, the matter of their behavior, that is in the hands . Watch a man’s hands, and you watch his heart.”— City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

“The worse the service, the more Theo tended to tip. He supposed it was a character weakness. He thought of himself as a person made almost entirely out of weaknesses rather than strengths .”— Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

“We’re like a pair of bad trapeze artists, reaching for each other’s hands and missing every time.”— Calypso by David Sedaris

“Somehow, the rapid flicker of her mood shone right through her face —she carried her own personal weather, as subtly shifting as a sea sky.”— The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison

“A contortionist in a sparkling black costume twists on a platform nearby, bending her body into impossible shapes .” — The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

“The house was very still. Far off there was a sound which might have been beating surf or cars zooming along a highway , or wind in pine trees .”— Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

“The sun had slipped behind a mountain , and the light had fallen flat. The branches were bare, the grass yellowed gray. Not a single snowflake. It was as if everything fine and glittering had been ground from the world and swept away as dust.”— The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

“Large tears rolled down her cheeks , but Sasha felt neither sadness nor despair, nor any emotions whatsoever—as if her tears came out of an open faucet .”— Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

“Silence has infinite flavors, with endless shadows and notes . The sharpest of all the silences , and the most necessary to know , is the silence before an attack .”— Black Wings Beating by Alex London

“He angles his head against the window and watches the autumnal landscape pass: the spewing pink and purple waters of a dye mill , electrical power stations, a big ball-shaped water tank covered with rust .”— The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

“I have been birds and branches. I have been bees and wolves. I have been ether flooding the void between stars , tangling their breath into networks of song . I have been fish and plankton and humus, and all these have been me.”— This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

“All her life, she had learned that passion, like fire , was a dangerous thing. It so easily went out of control . It scaled walls and jumped over trenches . Sparks leapt like fleas and spread as rapidly; a breeze could carry embers for miles .”— Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

“I remembered the lesson I’d learned as a child : it isn’t pain or suffering that unmakes a person; it’s only time. Time, sitting on your breastbone like a black-scaled dragon , minutes clicking like claws across the floor , hours gliding past on sulfurous wings .”— The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

“Marian was the confirmed beauty: big blue eyes, tiny nose, perfect pointy chin. My features changed by the day , as if clouds floated above me casting flattering or sickly shadows on my face .”— Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

“As proud parents sat open-mouthed on the surrounding benches , she came hurtling out of the back annex, along the corridor , through the connecting door , into the hall , up to the springboard and into space . She drove me into the floor like a tack.”— Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James

“An old scar under his right eye stretched three inches to his jaw .”— The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

“Next morning early I started afoot for Walden , out Main Street and down Thoreau , past the depot and the Minuteman Chevrolet Company .”— Walden by E.B. White

“The bond that binds us is beyond choice . We are brothers.”— The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin

“Would you kindly not air accusations of murder in the dining room ?”— How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

There you have it: a complete guide to prepositional phrases and how to identify them.

Do you have any favorite prepositional phrases? Let us know in the comments.

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General Education

In grammar, a "prepositional phrase" refers to a preposition, its object, and any modifiers. Here in this article, we’ll answer the basic questions people most often have about prepositional phrases, such as "What is a prepositional phrase?" and "How do I use a prepositional phrase?" We will also provide plenty of prepositional phrase examples for you to practice with.

What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a part of a sentence that consists of one preposition and the object it affects . The object of a prepositional phrase can be either a noun, gerund, or clause.

Here’s an example of a prepositional phrase (in italics):

She caught the bus on time .

"On time" is the prepositional phrase. It consists of a preposition ("on") and a noun ("time").

Here’s another example of a prepositional phrase at work:

Mark is going out with that beautiful woman .

In this example, the prepositional phrase is "with that beautiful woman." The preposition is "with," while the object it affects is "woman."

As shown in this example, prepositional phrases can govern more than one word—they can govern any words that modify or describe the object of the preposition, too .

Here’s a final example of a prepositional phrase:

Before going home , go to the bank.

The preposition in this prepositional phrase is "before." The word that it governs is "going," which is a gerund.

Remember that prepositional phrases can govern nouns, gerunds, or clauses .

Prepositional Phrase Examples: Modifying Nouns

There are a number of different types of prepositional phrases.

The first type of prepositional phrase modifies a noun. In that way, this type of prepositional phrase acts as an adjective and is therefore known as an adjectival phrase.

Here are some examples of prepositional phrases acting as adjectives:

That puppy at the park is so happy.

The prepositional phrase "at the park" acts adjectivally because it’s providing more information about the puppy.

I like to go grocery shopping at the Whole Foods behind my house .

Here, the prepositional phrase "behind my house" acts adjectivally because it modifies the noun "Whole Foods."

In both of these examples, the prepositional phrases give more information about the nouns to enhance our understanding.

Prepositional Phrase Examples: Modifying Verbs

Just as prepositional phrases can act as adjectives that modify nouns, they can also act as adverbs that modify verbs . Let’s look at some examples:

Jane cheered for her team with excitement .

The prepositional phrase "with excitement" acts adverbially because it provides more information about how Jane is cheering.

Here’s another example:

Mark looked behind his brother .

In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "behind his brother" gives us more information about exactly where Mark looked.

Prepositional Phrase Examples: Acting as Nouns

Prepositional phrases can act as nouns, too. Here’s an example:

During the commercials is the best time to go to the bathroom.

The prepositional phrase "during the commercials" acts as a noun and is in fact the subject of the sentence.

Prepositional Phrase Examples: Different Types

Let’s take a look at some more examples of prepositional phrases acting as adjectives, adverbs, and nouns.

Prepositional Phrases Acting as Adjectives

The girl in the middle is the best dancer.

The grocery store across town has a great produce selection.

The park near the lake has an off-leash dog area.

The restaurant behind my house is loud.

The neighbors to my right have a lot of parties.

Prepositional Phrases Acting as Adverbs

She went to the store .

My dad took his boat to the lake .

My sister clapped for her team .

My brother ran to his girlfriend’s house .

Prepositional Phrases Acting as Nouns

Behind the school is a park.

After the movie is the perfect time to get dinner.

During the flight is a good time to catch up on work.

Common Words That Start Prepositional Phrases

If you’re looking to find the prepositional phrase in a sentence, keep an eye out for these words that often signify the start of prepositional phrases :

Final Thoughts: What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

What's the prepositional phrase definition? A prepositional phrase is a part of a sentence consisting of a preposition and the word it governs. Prepositions in prepositional phrases can govern nouns, gerunds, or clauses.

There are three main types of prepositional phrases:

• Those that act as nouns
• Those that act as adverbs
• Those that act as adjectives

Looking at prepositional phrase examples can help you keep each of them straight!

What’s Next?

Trying to brush up on your grammar to prepare for your AP English exam? We've got tons of resources for you! Start by reviewing our AP English exam guide and then check out the complete list of practice tests and books you should read for the essay portion of the test.

Looking for information about writing? Take a look at our guides on literary elements , sonnets , and similes vs metaphors .

Wondering about the role grammar plays on the SAT? Learn the most important SAT grammar rules and check out our complete prep guide to the SAT Writing section .

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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Understanding Prepositional Phrases (Definition, Examples, Exercises)

What is a prepositional phrase, and how do you use one in writing? How can you avoid the mistakes that are commonly made with prepositional phrases? The answer to each of these questions can seem daunting at first. However, once you learn what a prepositional phrase is, it becomes very simple to use them in your writing.

You need to know everything about prepositional phrases, including prepositional phrase examples, what constitutes these phrases, and much more.

What is a prepositional phrase?

The prepositional phrase definition is “a group of words consisting of a preposition and its object.”

Further , these phrases can consist of other terms that modify the object of the preposition.

Often, grammar rules note that these prepositional phrases will modify verbs or nouns .

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a word that indicates the position, relationship, or direction.

These words may seem little and unimportant, but they provide a lot of meaning in a statement.

With that, some examples of prepositions that express physical position include:

Prepositions that express a position in time include modifiers like:, lastly, some examples of prepositions that show a relationship with another thing or person include:, prepositions vs. prepositional phrases.

What’s the difference between a preposition and a prepositional phrase?

A preposition is a single word used to describe a position in time, physical position, or any other relationship with another person or thing.

Essentially, these are one word.

In comparison, a prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with either a noun or a pronoun.

So, while “between” and “in” are examples of prepositions , “between friends” and “in his car” are prepositional phrases.

A better way to think about it is that prepositional phrases are a group of words.

Prepositions are simply a part of that group.

How do you identify a prepositional phrase?

Before identifying any types of prepositional phrases, it is essential to understand what a preposition is ( see below).

Second, it helps to know what nouns and pronouns are.

With that, a noun is any person, place, or thing.

A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun (he, she, they, etc.).

Pronouns refer to things that were already mentioned or are understood by the reader.

Remember, prepositional phrases contain a preposition usually placed before nouns or pronouns.

Common prepositional phrases

The minimum requirement for a prepositional phrase is a phrase that contains at least one preposition and the object it governs.

That said, the object in question can be a noun, gerund , or a clause.

A gerund is a verb ending in “-ing” that acts as a noun.

For example, “studying” acts as a gerund in the following sentence :

“I needed to get to a quiet area so I could focus on studying .”

As you can see, “studying” acts as a noun phrase (person, place, or thing) in the previous statement, but it can also act as a verb in a different statement, such as :

“I am studying right now.”

Some of the most common prepositions that are placed at the beginning of prepositional phrases include:

A prepositional phrase modifies…

Prepositional phrases can be used for modifying nouns or modifying verbs.

With that, it is important to recognize the differences between these types of prepositional phrases, so you understand how to use them correctly.

Prepositional phrases that modify nouns

A prepositional phrase acts adjectivally when it acts upon a noun.

That said, adjectives modify nouns.

Essentially, the adjectival phrases provide more information about the noun in question to provide more under

standing for the reader.

“JoAnn thought the watermelon in the middle was the biggest.”

In the previous sentence, “in the middle” behaves adverbially because it describes which watermelon JoAnn thinks is the biggest.

“My friends always go the club on 27th street .”

This time, “on 27th street” is the prepositional phrase because it tells the reader more about the club the subject is describing.

“My brother wants to look at the house by the river .”

In this sentence, “by the river” is the prepositional phrase, as it tells the reader what kind of house “my brother” wants to look at.

Prepositional phrases that modify verbs

If a prepositional phrase acts upon a verb, it behaves adverbially.

That said, adverbs modify verbs.

Further, examples of prepositional phrases acting adverbially offer more information to the reader.

“If you want to find directions to the school, look behind you. “

In this sentence, the words “look behind you” act as the adverbial phrase because it answers the question “look where for directions.”

• “He ran up the court with intensity.”

“With intensity” describes how the subject traveled up the court.

Of course, one could write the statement as “He ran up the court.”

However, the “with intensity” portion gives the reader a better picture of how “he” traveled.

Take the following example for better context:

• “Katie answered the question truthfully.”

In this instance, “truthfully” describes how “Katie” answered the question.

Prepositional phrases acting as nouns

Sometimes, a prepositional phrase can act as a noun.

However, these circumstances are fairly rare.

Typically, these noun prepositional phrases act as the subject of the sentence or as the complement.

Take these sentences for example:

• “ In back of the room is the best place to be.”

In this case, “In back of the room” is the subject of the sentence.

However, one can rewrite this statement so the same phrase can function as the complement, such as:

• “The best place for me is the in the back of the room .”

Kinds of prepositional phrases

As previously mentioned, prepositional phrases can modify nouns or verbs.

With that, there are two kinds of prepositional phrases; adverbial and adjectival phrases.

What is an adjectival phrase?

An adjectival phrase is one that is used to describe adjectives.

In terms of prepositional phrases, an adjectival phrase is used when it acts upon a noun.

Essentially, these phrases provide more information about the nouns.

Although this information isn’t necessary to make the statement fit English grammar rules, it helps paint a clearer picture.

What is an adverbial phrase?

Sentences with adverbial phrases see the prepositional phrase act on a verb.

With these types of prepositional phrases, the adverb will modify the verb.

Overall, adverbial phrases offer more information for the reader, even though said information isn’t necessary to meet proper English grammar rules.

This sentence is one example of adverbs that modify verbs:

“We’re climbing the highest mountain tomorrow with care.”

In the previous example, “with care” answers the question, “How did they climb the mountain?”

Adjective vs. adverb

There is often confusion about the distinction between adverbs and adjectives.

An adjective is a modifier of nouns and pronouns.

Further, an adjective provides the reader with more information about a certain object.

Take the following example:

• “The hungry kids ate the savory food.”

In this instance, the adjective “hungry” describes the state of the kids, while “savory” is the adjective used to express the food more in-depth.

In comparison, an adverb modifies an adjective, verb, clause, or another adverb.

Typically, adverbs provide information that answers questions like “When?,” “How?,” and “Why?”

• “Jon took the exam quietly .”

In this case, the object of the adverb “quietly” is to depict how Jon completed his exam.

Further, “quietly” answers the question, “How did Jon take the exam?”

Prepositional phrases in active voice

In writing, active voice means that the sentence’s subject is doing the action.

So, “I ran the same way as my dog” is active.

An active voice is typically used in writing more often because it is more precise and efficient.

The following is an example of a prepositional phrase written in active voice:

• “Kyle threw the ball with focus.”

In this statement, “with focus” offers an understanding to the reader of how Kyle threw the ball.

Prepositional phrases in passive voice

Passive voice means that the object of the sentence behind a preposition is doing the action.

This rule applies even if there is no prepositional phrase present.

Here is an example of passive voice in context:

“The ball was thrown by Hilda.”

If you are unsure whether a sentence is written in passive voice, use these indicators:

• The subject of the sentence is doing the action
• Passive verbs use the third form of the verb (ending in -ed) or a helper verb
• When the object after the word “by” or “to” does the action, the statement is passive

Prepositional phrase examples

It can be tricky to identify a prepositional phrase in daily writing.

So, here are some prepositional phrase examples in a variety of sentences.

• “ During the concert is the most inconvenient time to go to the bathroom.”
• “ After our class there won’t be any time to stretch before practice.”
• “Michael ran his workout class with intensity .”
• “To locate the person who can help you, look to your right .”
• “The child furthest left is the best at sports.”
• “He always plays soccer at the field next to Kim’s grocery store .”
• “Jaden’s dream house has always been the green house by the lake .”

Avoiding excessive prepositional phrases

It is easy to get carried away and use more than one preposition or prepositional phrase in writing.

If you become aware of more than one preposition for every ten words, it is best to remove some prepositions.

Fortunately, there are several ways to edit your writing, so there aren’t as many prepositions.

Replacing prepositional phrases

Let’s use this first sentence as a base:

“It is best to act with confidence when working with a best friend in the presence of the teacher.”

As you can see, there are several prepositional phrases in this example, including two “with” phrases, an “of,” and an “in” phrase.

Even though this statement is wrong, it can be written more efficiently.

For instance, the statement can still function the same when it is written like this:

• “ In the teacher’s presence, act confidently when working with a best friend.”

Now, the only two examples of prepositional phrases are “in” and “with.”

Even when you write a statement like this, you still refer to and express the same thing as the original statement.

Writing in active tone

Another way to reduce prepositional phrases is to write in an active tone (one of the many tones in writing).

Using this type of speech, you can reduce the number of words in the statement.

Take this sentence, for example, which is written in a passive tone:

• “The ball was thrown by Tim.”

Here, the prepositional phrase is “by Tim.”

Although this statement is grammatically correct, it reads awkwardly.

Instead, the active tone would change the statement to this:

• “Time threw the ball.”

Even with a simple statement like this, fewer words made it easier to read while making it much more clear for the reader.

Can you start sentences with a prepositional phrase?

No grammatical rules in English say one cannot start a statement with a prepositional phrase.

Recall that some of the most common of these prepositions (which start a prepositional phrase) include words like:

Unfortunately, the only way to identify a preposition is to memorize them.

So, how can one use a prepositional phrase at the start of a statement?

One way to use a prepositional phrase at the start of a statement is like this:

• “In general, the school allows kids to wear whatever they want.”

In the previous example, “in general” is the prepositional phrase.

As you can see, there are no grammar mistakes in the sentence.

The misconception that prepositional phrases acting as an introduction are incorrect is outdated.

A hanging or dangling preposition was often taught to be a writing mistake.

In the past , it was considered informal to end a sentence with a dangling preposition or start one with a hanging preposition.

However, today, writing experts do not consider these two things mistakes.

Many people are unaware of this and are therefore unsure whether or not they can write a clause with a preposition at the start of a statement.

Still, no matter where a prepositional phrase is placed, one must be aware not to overuse these modifiers in a single statement.

• What Is a Gerund? – Grammarly
• What Is a Prepositional Phrase? – Grammarly
• What Is an Adjective Phrase? – Grammarly
• What Is An Adverbial Phrase? – Oxford Dictionary
• Prepositional Phrases as Nouns – English Grammar 101
• Adjectives vs. Adverbs: What’s The Difference? – Thesaurus.com
• Can You Start a Sentence With a Presposition? – Pro Writing Aid

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Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Prepositional Phrases

Prepositions.

Prepositions are orienting words, helping you understand how one word connects to another in time, space, and relationship. Examples of prepositions:

It can sometimes help to think of a preposition as “anywhere a mouse can go,” such as the following:

This “mouse” hint doesn’t always work, though, for the following are also prepositions:

Below are some of the most common prepositions:

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that contains the preposition along with the object of that preposition. In other words, it is the preposition plus “the what” or “the when” the preposition is directing. In the prepositional phrase across the table , the preposition is across , and the object of the preposition is the table .

Examples of Prepositional Phrases (with the preposition underlined and the object italicized):

• along the street
• in the cave
• with your friends
• during the storm
• around some zombies
• under the bridge
• through the waterfall
• above the nuclear explosion at the hour of his doom in space right before the commercial

Why start with prepositional phrases if we are learning grammar? Why not start with subjects and verbs? These are very good questions. It’s true that the ability to identify subjects and verbs is the most fundamental skill for grammar, but prepositions get in the way. That’s because prepositions can sometimes seem like subjects, and sometimes seem like verbs, but note the following grammar rules:

• The sentence’s subject will never be inside a prepositional phrase.
• The sentence’s verb will never be inside a prepositional phrase.

So identifying prepositional phrases allows you to eliminate the wrong answers and distractions, making identifying the real subjects and verbs much easier.

In the following example, all sorts of words cause distractions in trying to identify the sentence’s subject and verb:

But if we cross out the prepositional phrases, which never contain the sentence’s subject or verb, then we can see the right answers much more easily:

The only options remaining are he and laughed , which happen to be the sentence’s subject and verb.

The following example includes several sentences, and the prepositional phrases are circled in each.

The Writing Textbook Copyright © 2021 by Josh Woods, editor and contributor, as well as an unnamed author (by request from the original publisher), and other authors named separately is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Prepositions and prepositional phrases.

This handout is available for download in DOCX format and PDF format .

A phrase is a group of two or more words that does not contain a subject and a verb working together. There are many types of phrases, including verb phrases, adverb phrases, and adjective phrases. Each of these groups of words acts together as a single part of speech.

Prepositions

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word. Common prepositions are shown in the table below:

* “but” is only a preposition when it means “except”

Note: Some of these listed prepositions (like “after” and “before”) can also act as adverbs or subordinating conjunctions. Look for the object of a preposition to determine if the word is acting as an adverb or a preposition.

Prepositional Phrases

The prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, the object of a preposition, and all its modifiers. A prepositional phrase may be used as an adjective or an adverb.

• I placed the flowers on the flowered tablecloth.

The preposition is “on”; the object of the preposition is “tablecloth”; “flowered” modifies “tablecloth.” The entire prepositional phrase is therefore “on the flowered tablecloth.” This phrase answers the question “where”—I placed it where? On the tablecloth—making “on the tablecloth” an adverb prepositional phrase.

• The box without a label arrived at our house.

“Without a label” is an adjectival prepositional phrase, describing (modifying) the box. “Label” is still the object of the preposition “without.” “At our house” is an adverbial prepositional phrase, answering the question where and modifying “arrived.” “House” is the object of the preposition.

• Look in the drawer with the scissors!

This sentence has two prepositional phrases. The first, “in the drawer with the scissors,” is an adverb, modifying the verb “look.” The phrase answers the adverb question where : Where should I look? In the drawer. “Drawer” (and its modifying phrase “with the scissors”) is the object of the preposition “in.” The second prepositional phrase, “with the scissors” is an adjectival phrase, modifying the noun “drawer.” (To repeat, since “with the scissors” modifies “drawer,” it is part of the prepositional phrase that begins “in”).

Find the prepositional phrases in the following sentences. Then mark the object of the preposition and indicate which part of speech the prepositional phrase functions as (adjective or adverb). Remember that prepositional phrases can exist within other prepositional phrases!

• In 2016 I tried snowboarding for the first time.
• I frequently fell on my butt and once put my head in a snowbank.
• Afterwards, I had green and yellow bruises on my knees under my knee pads.
• I took a hike down a ravine to a pond with clouds of vicious mosquitoes.
• The bridesmaid's dress was a terrible shade of pink with small orange dots.
• The commentator on the radio mentioned a book about saturated fats in fast food.

Phrases are in bold; objects of preposition are italicized.

• In 2016 (answering the question “when”) and for the first time (answering the question “under what condition”). Both are adverbial prepositional phrases modifying the verb “tried.”
• on my butt (an adverbial phrase answering “where” I fell) and in a snowbank (an adverbial phrase answering “where” I put my head).
• on my knees under my knee pads (adjectival phrase describing “bruises”) and under my knee pads (adjectival phrase describing “knees”). Note: Afterwards is not a preposition here; it is an adverb since it has no object of the preposition.
• down a ravine to a pond with clouds of vicious mosquitoes (adjectival phrase modifying “hike”) and to a pond (adjectival phrase modifying “ravine”) and with clouds (adjectival phrase modifying “pond”) and of vicious mosquitoes (adjectival phrase modifying “clouds”).
• of pink with small orange dots (adjectival phrase modifying “shade”) and with small orange dots (adjectival phrase modifying “pink”).
• on the radio (adjectival phrase modifying “commentator”) and about saturated fats in fast food (adjectival phrase describing “book”) and in fast food (adjectival phrase modifying “fats”).

Adapted from Lydia Fash, University Writing Program, 2008, 2021.

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Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

Improving Your Writing Style

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

Writing Concisely

What this handout is about.

This handout helps you identify wordiness in your sentences, paragraphs, and essays and offers strategies for writing concisely.

Identifying and addressing wordiness in sentences

If you are a student, pay close attention to your instructors’ comments on your essays. Have they written things like “wordy,” “passive voice,” “filler” or “irrelevant”? By learning to write concisely, you will be able to fill your papers with more substantive information. Getting to the point promptly can help you become a clearer thinker and a more engaging writer.

Outside of school, writing concisely can help you create more effective business letters, email messages, memos, and other documents. Busy readers appreciate getting the information they need quickly and easily.

Here are some strategies to help you identify wordiness and decide whether, and how, to revise it. At times, you may choose to keep a sentence just as it is, even though there are more concise ways to express your idea: you might, for example, use repetition to emphasize a point or include a redundant pair of words (a subject we’re just about to discuss) to create a certain rhythm. What’s important is that you make a conscious choice.

1. Eliminate redundant pairs

When the first word in a pair has roughly the same meaning as the second, choose one.

Common examples of redundant pairs include: full and complete, each and every, hopes and dreams, whole entire, first and foremost, true and accurate, always and forever.

Example: For each and every book you purchase, you will receive a free bookmark.

Revision: For every book you purchase, you will receive a free bookmark.

2. Delete unnecessary qualifiers

Often we use qualifiers that really aren’t necessary to express our meaning (such as “really” in this sentence). By deleting unnecessary qualifiers, you can often eliminate one or two words per sentence. Tweaks like this may not seem like much, but they can add up.

Common qualifiers include: actually, really, basically, probably, very, definitely, somewhat, kind of, extremely, practically.

Example: Because a great many of the words in this sentence are basically unnecessary, it would really be a very good idea to edit somewhat for conciseness.

Revision: Because many of the words in this sentence are unnecessary, we should edit it.

3. Identify and reduce prepositional phrases

Overuse of prepositional phrases (which begin with words like “in,” “for,” “at,” “on,” “through,” and “over”) can make a sentence clunky and unclear. To locate this problem, circle the prepositions in your draft and see whether you can eliminate any prepositional phrases without losing your meaning. Sometimes the easiest way to revise a wordy sentence is to ask yourself “What do I really mean here?” and then write a new sentence; this approach can be more efficient than just tinkering with your existing sentence.

Example: The reason for the failure of the basketball team of the University of North Carolina in the Final Four game against the team from Kansas was that on that day and at that time, some players were frequently unable to rebound the ball.

Revision: UNC’s basketball team lost the Final Four game against Kansas because it could not consistently rebound the ball.

4. Locate and delete unnecessary modifiers

Sometimes the meaning of a word or phrase implies its modifier, making the modifier unnecessary.

Example: Do not try to anticipate in advance those events that will completely revolutionize society.

In this example, “anticipate” already implies that something is in advance, and “revolutionize” already implies that something will be completely changed.

Revision: Do not try to anticipate revolutionary events.

5. Replace a phrase with a word

Many commonly-used phrases can be replaced with single words. These phrases often crop up in writing that requires a formal tone, but they detract from, rather than add to, meaning.

“The reason for”, “due to the fact that”, “in light of the fact that”, “given the fact that”, and “considering the fact that” can be replaced with because, since, or why.

“In the event that” and “under circumstances in which” can be replaced with if.”It is necessary that” and “cannot be avoided” can be replaced with must or should.

“For the purpose of” can often be replaced with an infinitive verb (the “to ____” form of the verb).

Example: In the event that going out for the purpose of eating with them cannot be avoided, it is necessary that we first go to the ATM, in light of the fact that I am out of cash.

Revision: If we must go out to eat with them, we should first go to the ATM because I am out of cash.

For more examples of common phrases that can be replaced with a word, see the Writing Center’s handout on style .

6. Identify negatives and change them to affirmatives

Expressing ideas in negative form means you must use an extra word; it also makes readers work harder to figure out your meaning.

Example: If you do not have more than five years of experience, do not call for an interview if you have not already spoken to human resources.

Revision: Applicants with more than five years of experience can bypass human resources and call for an interview.

Passive voice

In an active sentence, the subject (the person or thing doing the action) comes first. In a passive sentence , the order of the words is different-the object (the thing that is receiving the action) comes first, and the subject appears at the end of the sentence or isn’t included at all. To spot the passive voice, look at the main verb of each sentence-if there’s a form of “be” (am, is, are, was, were) and a past tense verb (many end with -ed), the sentence may be passive. The passive voice is not a grammatical error, and it can be useful, especially in scientific writing. But writing in the passive voice often leads to using more words than necessary. Passive sentences can also frustrate or confuse your readers, who must wait patiently to find out who or what did the action of the sentence.

Example: The 1780 constitution of Massachusetts was written by John Adams.

In this passive construction, the meaning of the sentence is clear, but there are more words than necessary. To make this sentence more concise, move the subject to the front and get rid of the “to be” verb (in this case, “was”).

Revision: John Adams wrote the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution.

Another example: The letter was taken to the mailbox by Sally.

Revision: Sally took the letter to the mailbox.

Writing concise papers

Now that you know how to avoid wordiness at the sentence level, you may want to try some additional strategies to use the space in your papers efficiently.

Think about your argument

What is the thesis of your paper? What exactly are you trying to accomplish? And what components of your paper are necessary to prove your argument? In a thesis-driven essay, every part of your paper should be geared toward proving that argument. Sometimes this proof will come in the form of direct evidence supporting your thesis; other times you will be addressing counterarguments.

Every paragraph in your essay must have a purpose. When revising, critically examine each paragraph and ask yourself whether it is necessary to your overall thesis. You may decide to cut some paragraphs. This process could be painful, especially if you have done a lot of research you’d like to include or need more words to meet a page limit, but it will strengthen your paper.

Think about your audience

Not all types of writing are thesis-driven, but all writing has an intended audience. When writing, you should always have your readers in mind and consider what they need to know.

For example, when writing a paper for your psychology class on Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams, you probably do not have to start by saying “Sigmund Freud is one of the most famous psychiatrists of all time.” In most college papers, you should imagine that your audience is composed of educated readers who are not taking your class and are not experts on your current topic. Most educated readers will know who Freud is and will not need such a general reminder.

For another example, when applying to the business school and working on your one-page resume, rather than using a small font and trying to include every job and activity you took part in, think about your audience and the information they will most need to evaluate your application.

Knowing how to write concisely will serve you well in many situations. For more information on writing concisely, please consult the works below.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Cook, Claire Kehrwald. 1985. Line by Line: How to Improve Your Own Writing . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Lanham, Richard A. 2006. Revising Prose , 5th ed. New York: Pearson Longman.

Williams, Joseph, and Joseph Bizup. 2017. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , 12th ed. Boston: Pearson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Writing Tips

Grammar Tips: Prepositions

3-minute read

• 12th March 2023

In the English language, prepositions can be tricky to master because they’re usually idiomatic. However, there are some rules and tips for how to use them correctly. In this article, we’ll look at some of these rules, how to use prepositions in sentences, and some common prepositional phrases.

What Is a Preposition?

A preposition or prepositional phrase goes before a noun , pronoun , or noun phrase to indicate the time, location, or spatial position. There are many prepositions in English, and they all have specific uses and meanings with some general rules of use.

Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions of direction include to , in , into , on , and onto . These are used when describing the motion or direction of a person or thing.

Prepositions of Time

The most common prepositions of time are at, in, and on . They each have specific uses, as described in these examples.

At is used with a specific time of day or with noon, night, or midnight.

In is used for unspecific times of the day (e.g., evening, morning, afternoon), months, years, or seasons.

On is used in relation to days of the week.

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Prepositions of Place

There are several prepositions of place, all of which are used to indicate where someone or something is. For example, in is used to refer to the exact location, at is used in relation to a general area, on is used for surfaces, and inside is used when talking about containers.

For objects that are above something else or overhead, use over or above . On the other hand, you should use below , beneath , under , or underneath for objects that are lower.

For objects that are close by or near something else, use by , near , next to , between , among , or opposite .

Verbs and Prepositions

As mentioned earlier, many prepositions are idiomatic, meaning they work with specific verbs. Here’s a short list of some common verb + preposition combinations to remember.

Verb + From

Verb + with, verb + about.

There are many prepositions in English. Some have clear rules, and others may need memorizing if you want to use them correctly. If you’re struggling with English grammar in your writing, check out our Common ESL Writing Errors guide. Or why not have a proofreader help? We offer a free trial to help make your writing clean, clear, and professional. Try it out today!

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How to Teach Prepositional Phrases—Free Activity

February 23, 2021 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

Prepositions, despite seeming confusing and complex to students, are actually some of the most commonly used words in the English language and are an important steppingstone in developing students’ descriptive writing!

Prepositions have a lot of different functions, such as describing movement, time, place, manner, means, or possession. Prepositional phrases expand the job of prepositions into modifying verbs, nouns, or adjectives in greater detail. Once students understand the function and importance of prepositions and prepositional phrases, their writing fluency will increase, and they’ll be able to write more descriptively and in more detail.

Examples of Prepositions The basic prepositions that we use most often are:

The main function of these prepositions is to show the relationship between two words in a sentence. For example:

• The table by the window. By, in this sentence, describes the table in relation to the window. It connects the window and the table and adds direction and detail to the sentence.

The words listed above are used in many of our sentences without us realizing it. Notice how many prepositions are used in the previous sentence! They’re everywhere in our language, but how do we teach that to students? Check out some of the activities below.

Beginning Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase is a preposition followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun group. Some examples of this are:

• I went to the store. “To” is the preposition, and “to the store” is the prepositional phrase.

In addition to the prepositions listed above, some other beginning prepositions are:

These prepositions describe position and movement, which is an easy way for students to remember them.

• The plane is below the clouds.
• The river is beneath the bridge.

Here are some examples of the beginning preposition workbook pages:

Advanced Prepositional Phrases

There are other prepositions that can sometimes be more difficult for students to remember. Though they are more advanced, they still function the same as beginning prepositions and serve similar purposes like movement, means, or manner. Here are some examples:

More advanced prepositions also sometimes use multiple prepositions in one phrase. This is called a complex prepositional phrase. For example:

• The store is across from the gas station.
• According to the news, it will snow today.

There are also adjectival and adverbial prepositional phrases, which use nouns, prepositions, objects, and adjectives to add more detail and description to a sentence. Here is an example:

• The car across the street is purple.

The car is the noun, across the street is the prepositional phrase, and purple is the adjective. Prepositions are often used in a sentence like this to help modify nouns.

Language Fundamentals also covers more advanced prepositions, as well as adjectival and adverbial prepositional phrases. Here are some examples of the lessons students use to practice advanced prepositions:

5 Hands-on Preposition Activities

In addition to worksheets and practice sentences, there are many hands-on activities to help students understand prepositions! These can be done in the classroom, at home, or during online learning!

Simon Says Prepositions Game

• Each student needs a cup (plastic or one from home) and a small toy, like a car or plastic bear.
• Using directional prepositional phrases (below, next to, under, on top of, etc.) call out commands Simon Says style.
• For example: “Simon Says the toy is behind the cup.” Students must follow suit until you have a winner!
• You can also practice writing sentences by having students place the toy and then write a sentence describing its position.

Preposition Scavenger Hunt

• Hide an object in the classroom or at home, then give clues (or have your students give you clues), but they can only use prepositions.
• For example: The object is under the desk . The desk is next to the window.
• Challenge your students to give descriptive clues or make it a rule that the searchers can’t move unless they get a clue. This activity is fun for students and practices prepositional phrases.

Preposition Pictionary

• All you need for this simple and fun activity is drawing paper and pens or a whiteboard and markers.
• Read a prepositional phrase, like “The dog is next to the cat.”
• Have students draw the picture to match the sentence.
• Now reverse it! Draw a picture for the class, like a car on top of a bridge.
• Students must write a sentence describing the picture!

Preposition Board Games

• Adapt one of your favorite board games to use prepositions for movement! This can be done with a variety of board games, but the easiest may be Candy Land.
• Instead of pulling color block cards for movement, write a series of cards that have directional prepositions on them (before, after, between, in front of, behind, across, below, above).
• Students will pull a preposition card, for example, behind, and then a color card! If they pull behind and purple , they move to whatever color is behind the nearest purple. If they pull a between card, they pull two color cards and move to a space between those two cards.

Square Movement Game

• Using an outdoor space (this is a great activity for in-person, distanced learning) mark out squares using tape or chalk. Model it after a chess or checkerboard.
• Have students each pick a square.
• Call out prepositional commands, for example: Move to the square in front of you! Skip to the square across from you.
• To make this more fun and active, label each square with an exercise, like jumping jacks, star jumps, or toe touches.

Using the activities, workbooks, and resources provided, prepositions can be easy and fun for students. Mastering prepositions is the next step in improving writing fluency and allows students to be more descriptive in their writing for all subjects!

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Prepositional Phrases and Concision

Prepositional phrases ( preposition + object) tend to build up and generate confusion. Consider the following examples: 

• I run down the street. 
• I run down the street on Tuesday.
• I run down the street across the highway through the trees down to the beach and jump into the lake on Tuesday.

Does anyone really remember that you were running?

Cutting down some of the prepositional phrases can help your reader understand your meaning. Here are a few examples of how to do so. 

• "The countries that had defeated Germany gathered outside of Paris and signed the Treaty of Versailles in January of 1919."
• Put dates first and delete ”of” between month and year: " In January 1919, the countries that defeated Germany gathered outside of Paris and signed the Treaty of Versailles."
• Replace two prepositions with one and put another prepositional phrase up front: "In January 1919, gathered near Paris, the countries that defeated Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles." 
• "This war was of inevitable nature because Athens was growing at a rapid rate, and it brought concern not only to Sparta but also to city states in the surrounding areas."
• Use a conjunctive adverb ("inevitably") in place of six words ("This war was of inevitable nature");
• Replace the “was” phrase ("Athens was growing at a rapid rate") with an apostrophe and an adjective ("Athens’s rapid growth");
• Use specific and concise wording when possible (do we really need the "and it"?)
• Take an adjective out of the prepositional phrase and place it behind the noun it modifies: "city states in the surrounding areas"-->"surrounding city states";

Here we have it: "Inevitably, Athens’s rapid growth created concern for both Sparta and surrounding city states, which led to war." Your word count will love it.

Prepositional Phrases Links

• GWC video (8:25): " Achieving Concision with Prepositions "

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• © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - University of South Florida

Eliminate choppy writing by avoiding unnecessary prepositions.

When used in moderation, prepositions are invaluable: they work as connecting words, linking the object of the preposition to a word that appears earlier in the sentence. Like linking verbs, however, prepositions do not convey action, nor do they subordinate one thought to another. Instead, they merely link chunks of meaning that readers must gather together in order to understand the sentence.

Prepositional Phrases Create a Choppy Style

When used excessively, as demonstrated by the following example, prepositional phrases create a choppy, list-like style:

Sample : The major objective of this study was to determine the perceived effects of the union on monetary and on non-monetary aspects of compensation over the period in which respondents to the survey had been union members.

Because this sentence occurs in the conclusion of a five-page published essay, a careful editor should probably have eliminated this sentence altogether. Let’s face it: If the readers still don’t have the point after five pages, there is little hope for them. Nevertheless, the editor and author could have improved the sentence by reducing the number of prepositions:

Sample : This study examines how the union affects monetary and non-monetary aspects of compensation.

To help identify and eliminate prepositions, isolate them by putting slashes between prepositional phrases and other basic sentence parts as illustrated here:

/Furthermore,/ /in response/ /to the increased pressure/ /to publish/ /in academia/ /the past decade/ /and the growing complexity/ /of the academic areas and research tools/, /one should expect/ /to find/ /increased emphasis/ /on cost-cutting techniques/ //by academic writers/. /An increase/ /in cost/ /can probably be observed/ /by investigating/ /the changing trends/ /in the multiple authorship/ /of articles/ /over time./

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

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Fun Activities for Teaching Prepositions & Prepositional Phrases

October 17, 2020 by Cristy

When Teaching  Prepositions, Start with a  Book or a Video 

Incorporating a book or a video into any lesson is sure to engage learners. Luckily, there are quite a few picture books and videos you can use when teaching prepositions. Quite a few include prepositional phrases and are perfect for upper elementary students.

• If you were a Preposition by Nancy Lowen has to be the top pick here as a read aloud for prepositional phrases. It is a quick story that highlights prepositions by describing them and changing the color of the text when one is used. It even goes into details about how prepositions do not work alone and create a prepositional phrase. 
• Under, Over, by the Clover: What is a Preposition?  by Brian Cleary is another fun book about prepositions that students always love. The illustrations and colored text captures their attention and makes it any fun and easy read aloud.
• Behind the Mask: A Book About Prepositions  by Ruth Heller introduces ALL of the different types of prepositions and includes a tremendous amount of examples. This book is best used by section if time constraints are a concern, but it is definitely a great one to have in your classroom to share with students.
• Brainpop has a quick two minute video that explains exactly what a prepositional phrase is. It’s an easy way to set up your lesson on prepositional phrases for students.
• Flocabulary has a longer video on prepositions, but students love the catchy rap and storylines used.

Whole Group Lesson

As with any new skill, explicit instruction is necessary. Whole group grammar lessons can incorporate posters, anchor charts, or interactive notebook activities. The trick is to use something that is visually appealing for students and that they can quickly transfer into their notebooks.

• Displaying posters in the classroom or on your white board is a quick way to showcase the grammar skill.
• Anchor charts usually take a little more time, but students usually love to incorporate these in their notebook. You can create one in class and have them follow along, or you can create a notebook sized one, copy it, and give it to the students to glue into their notebooks.
• My favorite way to incorporate notes into their interactive notebook is to use print and fold grammar booklets . The prep involved is only printing and students love highlighting the notes and completing the activities.

Provide Practice Activities

Activities for teaching prepositions and prepositional phrases are a fan favorite when it comes to students and teachers. This is because it can involve as much movement as you’ll allowed. Get ready for a ton of engagement and lots of learning.

1.  Prepositional Charades

Choose a student to start off. Give them an index card with a prepositional phrase on it. (Ex. under the desk, next to the computer, on the chair) Have the student act it out and have other students raise their hand and try to guess what the prepositional phrase is.

2.  Flying Objects  

Yes, you read correctly, but don’t cross this one of the list because it is one of the students’ favorite activities and gets EVERYONE in on the action at once. I promise you, students will LOVE either one of these activities.

• Flying Airplanes : In this version which I first discovered from Stephanie from Teaching in Room 6, students fold a sheet of paper into a paper airplane. Students will throw the paper airplane across the room. Wherever it lands or where it flew, students write it on the paper airplane as a prepositional phrase. (Ex. on the table, under the chair, between the desks, behind the bookshelf)
• Snowball Fight : This version is exactly like the airplane version except that students will crumble a sheet of paper and toss it across the room. Once it lands, students unwrinkled their paper and write the prepositional phrase inside the snowball.

It is best to give students different colored paper for the snowballs, so they can easily identify them when they land next to someone else’s. It is also best to have students use a marker to write. (Pencil may make it more difficult to read as the paper gets more and more wrinkled.)

3.  Detective Work

Have students take out the book they are currently reading. Give them each 2-3 sticky notes. Have the students look for 2-3 sentences in their book that contain a prepositional phrase. Have them write one sentence on each sticky note and place them on a prepositional phrase anchor chart.

4. Digital Task Cards  

Digital task cards are an easy, no prep, and engaging way to have students practice prepositional phrases. They can be used during centers, in small groups, or as a whole group activity.

• Assign as an activity to complete technology center
• Give one laptop or tablet to a pair of students and have them work on the task cards together
• Project the digital task cards on the board and have students answer using independent white boards

Assessing Students’ Understanding

Quick and short assessments allow you see who has understood the skill and who still needs further practice.

• Have students create and write 5 sentences on their own. Tell them to include one prepositional phrase in each sentence.
• Give students a standards-based quick check quiz that is quick and easy to grade.