Prepositional phrases are groups of words that begin with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. They function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence, modifying nouns or verbs. In this lesson, we will learn what is a prepositional phrase, a prepositional phrase list, and prepositional phrase examples in English.
What is a Prepositional Phrase?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. The object of the preposition is the noun or pronoun that the preposition introduces. Prepositional phrases function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence, modifying nouns or verbs.
For example:
- The book on the table is mine. (The prepositional phrase “on the table” is modifying the noun “book.” It tells us where the book is.)
- She is running around the block. (The prepositional phrase “around the block” is modifying the verb “running.” It tells us where she is running.)
Prepositional phrases can also include additional modifying words. For example:
- The cat with the fluffy tail is mine. (The prepositional phrase “with the fluffy tail” is modifying the noun “cat.” It tells us which cat is being referred to.)
Prepositional phrases can be short or long, and they can consist of just a preposition and its object or include other modifiers as well. They can also be made up of more than one word, such as “because of” or “in spite of.” Prepositional phrases are an important part of English grammar and are used to show relationships between words in a sentence.
Here are some basic examples:
- At school
- In town
- On the table
- Off the sidewalk
- To the beach
- Up the road
- With Steven
- On balance
- On a diet
- By heart
- By law
- In good condition
Prepositional Phrase List
Every prepositional phrase is a series of words made up of a preposition and its object. The object may be a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause. A prepositional phrase functions as an adjective or adverb.
AT
Here is a useful list of prepositional phrases with AT you should know.
- at high speed
- at risk
- at one’s side
- at a fraction of
- at the outset
- at the end
- at sight
- at the double
- at one time
- at a discount
- at a distance
- at a glance
- at a guess
- at a loose and
- at a loss
- at a low ebb
- at a price
- at a rate of
- at a speed of
- at a standstill
- at all costs
- at all events
- at issue
- at large
- at least
- at length
- at liberty
- at most
- at night
- at noon
- at one’s leisure
- at one’s request
- at peace
- at war
OUT
List of some common prepositional phrases with OUT in English.
- out of fashion
- out of print
- out of step
- out of breath
- out of context
- out of control
- out of curiosity
- out of jealousy
- out of date
- out of doors
- out of duty
- out of hand
- out of ideas
- out of one’s mind
- out of order
- out of pity
- out of place
- out of practice
- out of reach
- out of respect for
- out of sight
- out of spite
- out of stock
- out of the ordinary
- out of the question
- out of work
IN
This is a useful list of prepositional phrases – IN for ESL Learners.
- in time
- in demand
- in of focus
- in an uproar
- in answer to
- in anticipation of
- in arrears
- in danger
- in debt
- in decline
- in defense of
- in detail
- in disgrace
- in disguise
- in fact
- in fairness to
- in favor of
- in fear of
- in flames
- in flower
- in full
- in future
- in gear
- in general
- in good condition
- in good faith
- in hand
- in harmony (with)
- in haste
- in hiding
- in high spirits
- in honor of
- in horror
- in ink
BY
- by chance
- by the name of
- by luck
- by accident
- by air
- by sea
- by land
- by all accounts
- by all means
- by any standard
- by appointment
- by birth
- by check
- by coincidence
- by courtesy of
- by definition
- by degrees
- by design
- by dint of
- by far
- by force
- by hand
- by heart
- by law
- by marriage
- by means of
- by mistake
- by my watch
- by nature
- by no means
- by request
- by rights
- by sight
ON
- on watch
- on schedule
- on the record
- on the road
- on oath
- on pain of
- on the air
- on balance
- on a diet
- on a journey
- on a trip
- on a large scale
- on a small scale
- on a pension
- on a regular basis
- on a spree
- on account of
- on an expedition
- on an island
- on approval
- on average
- on bail
- on behalf of
- on board
- on business (Learn more about Business English)
- on order
- on remand
- on show
- on strike
- on suspicion of
- on the agenda
- on the brink of
- on the dot
- on the edge of
Prepositional Phrase Examples
- The cupcake with colorful sprinkles is yours.
- In this garden, there are many strawberries.
- There are lots of birds nesting under the eaves.
- He’s standing behind a tree.
- I get to school on my bike.
- She talked about the story.
- The cat in the middle is the cutest.
- I adopted a black cat with white paws.
- For one hundred years the chair sat moldering in the attic.
- I put the book on the table in the kitchen.
- After work, I always go to the gym.
- My mother has always wanted to live in a cabin by the lake.
- Robin was angry about the comment.
- She likes to spend a lot of time with her baby.
- She is out of practice so she will not dance well tonight.
- The children squared off the sidewalk to play hopscotch.
- He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.
- My veganism is out of respect for animals.
- Seb was still in high spirits after winning the race.
- Jane and I are related by marriage.
List of Prepositional Phrases | Infographic
Prepositional Phrase Examples
Prepositional Phrase List
Some Prepositional Phrase Examples in English
Useful Prepositional Phrase List in English
