Prepositions

Prepositions beginning with A
One-word prepositions
aboard
• We went aboard the boat.
• Is there a doctor aboard the plane?
about
• What do you think about Mary?
• Let's talk about something different.
• I've just read a book about President Kennedy.
• The lion was pacing about its cage.
above
• We are flying above the clouds.
• We live in the hills, 1,000 metres above sea-level.
• It's only two degrees above freezing point. [+2ºC]
• Who came above you in the test results?
across
• We drove across the desert.
• The dog ran across the road.
• There is a bridge across the river.
• She lives in the house across the street. It's nearly opposite mine.
after (also conjunction)
• We had lunch [1pm] after the meeting [11am].
• Let's meet the day after tomorrow.
against
• Did you vote for or against the suggestion?
• He put his bicycle against the wall.
along
• We walked along the beach for two miles.
• There are trees along the road.

• The toilet is along the corridor.
alongside
• Their boat came alongside our boat.
• Team A worked alongside Team B during construction.
amid | amidst (poetic)
• I couldn't hear her amid the noise.
• We were lost amidst the trees.
among | amongst (mainly British English)
• Is there a doctor among us?
• There were secret police among the crowd.
• I was amongst strangers. I didn't know anyone.
anti
• He seems to be anti my idea.
• Some people are anti everything.
around
• We walked around the town for an hour.
• They all sat around the camp fire.
• There is a big fence around the house.
• He was born around 1570.
• Let's meet around 7pm.
as (also conjunction)
• He is working as a waiter.
• The risk is as nothing compared to the profit.
• Ram is as tall as Anthony.
astride
• She sat astride the horse.
at
• He is at school.
• We first met at a party.
• Let's start the meeting at 9 o'clock.

• He started work at 17 (years of age).
• We are aiming at sales of $1,000,000.
atop (poetic)
• The church is situated atop a hill.
Complex prepositions
according to
• According to John, Mary was late. I believe John.
ahead of
• Anthony is ahead of Rachel in the race. He'll win.
• We have a long day ahead of us. Let's get going!
à la (from French)
• It's a TV show à la CNN. Same style, similar content.
along with
• Do you want some pork along with the chicken?
apart from
• Nobody objected apart from you, so we did it.
as for
• As for Matt, he will arrive later.
aside from
• I have another car aside from this one. Both are red.
as per
• We must work strictly as per the law.
as to
• As to your behaviour, I think you were wrong.

as well as
• You should telephone as well as write, just to be sure.
away from
The cat ran away from the dog and escaped.
Prepositions beginning with B
bar
• Everyone came bar Angela.
• He is the best bar none.
barring
• Barring rain, we'll play tennis tomorrow.
before (also conjunction)
• We had lunch [1pm] before the meeting [3pm].
• We met the day before yesterday.
• She was before me in the queue.
• I would rather die before doing that.
behind
• There is a police car behind us. It's following us.
• We have a garden behind our house.
• The child was hiding behind the tree.
• I am behind your project. I will support it.
• Vonica finished behind Shirley in the race.
• She is behind the other children in her class.
below
• Much of Holland is below sea-level.
• There is a family in the flat below us.
• The temperature is 5 degrees below freezing point. [-5ºC]
• I came below Vonica in the test.
• You can buy it if it's below $50.

beneath
• Our garage is beneath our house.
• The tunnel runs beneath the sea.
• Laurence is beneath the General Manager.
• It was beneath his dignity to do that.
beside
• The river runs beside our house.
• James was sitting beside Miriam.
besides
• What shall we have besides coffee?
between
• Tara was sitting between Ram and Ati.
• Between you and me, I think she's crazy.
• I can meet you between 1pm and 2pm.
beyond
• Can you see someone in the distance, beyond that house?
• This is too difficult. It's beyond me.
• The meeting continued beyond midnight.
but (also conjunction)
• Everyone came but Andrea.
by
• We came by car.
• Fireworks were invented by the Chinese.
• He was shot by a professional killer.
• It happened by accident.
• He lost the race by five seconds.
• The room is 10 metres by 6 metres.
• We must finish by Tuesday.
• We were sitting by the window.
• By my calculation he must be 73.

because of
• We can't play tennis because of the rain.
but for
• It's your fault! But for you, I'd have been on time.
by means of
• You open a door by means of its handle
Prepositions beginning with C
circa
• He died circa 1270.
concerning
• Your teacher talked to me concerning your homework.
• I have some questions concerning your decision.
considering
• Considering the poor quality, I think the price is too high.
• I think I must be going, considering the time.
counting
• There were four people, or five counting the baby.
• That makes $70, not counting the tax.
cum
• I have a study-cum-bedroom.
• She is a kind of secretary-cum-receptionist.
close to

• My car is close to your car. About two cars away.
contrary to
• Contrary to expectations, the euro fell in value.
Prepositions beginning with D
despite
• We went swimming despite the cold water.
• He passed the test despite being ill.
down
• They ran down the hill.
• The post office is down the road.
• They have had many wars down the years.
during
• He fell asleep during the meeting.
• I want to go swimming during the weekend.
• I was bored during the whole film.
depending on
• We'll play tennis tomorrow, depending on the rain.
due to
• The cancellation was due to the rain. There was no other reason.
Prepositions beginning with E
except

• You can have any colour except blue. There is no more blue.
• They all came except Stephen. He didn't want to come.
excepting
• I can eat anything excepting pork. It makes me sick.
• Excepting Jo, everyone was present. No-one knew where Jo was.
excluding
• It costs $70, excluding $10 for delivery. (Total = $80.)
• We open every day excluding Christmas Day. On Christmas Day we have a
holiday.
except for
• Everyone was present, except for Mary. She stayed at home
Prepositions beginning with F
following
• We had coffee following lunch.
• He couldn't work following his illness.
for (also conjunction)
• This is for you.
• Do you want to go for a walk?
• You use a corkscrew for opening bottles.
• Cigarettes are bad for you.
• I'm saving for a new car.
• Is this the road for Rome?
• They passed me over for John.
• Is this the train for Cambridge?
• I bought it for $10.
• We worked for three hours.
• Keep walking for two kilometres.
from

• Where do you come from?
• This letter is from my wife.
• I bought this car from Henry.
• They prevented me from entering.
• My car is different from yours.
• We worked from Monday to Wednesday.
• Paper is made from wood.
• It can cost anything from $5 to $15.
• The police took my driving licence from me.
• He died from overwork.
forward of
• He was sitting forward of me in the plane. I could just see the back of his head.
further to
• Further to your letter, I have spoken to Mr Brown.
Prepositions beginning with G
given
• He is in very good health, given his age. He's at least 95.
• Given the time, you ought to leave now.
gone (mainly British English)
• It's certainly gone 11 o'clock. It must be 11.30.
He's gone 50. He must be nearly 60 years
oldPrepositions beginning with I
in

• Monkeys live in the jungle.
• John is the man with his hand in his pocket.
• I live in an apartment.
• She lives in Bangkok.
• Tara was born in 1977.
• Trains were invented in the nineteenth century.
• I'll come back in two weeks.
• Let's meet in the morning.
• There are 60 seconds in a minute.
including
• The price is $70 including $10 for delivery. (Total = $70.)
• There were four of us, including the baby.
inside
• It was dark inside the tunnel.
• My modem is inside my computer. It's an internal modem.
into
• John went into that shop.
• If you heat ice it turns into water.
• We cut the cake into ten pieces.
• Five into ten makes two.
in addition to
• There were two people in addition to me. So that made three of us.
in between
• He is in between the two opinions. He wants to compromise.
in case of
• You can phone me in case of need. Day or night.
in face of
• He reacts bravely in face of danger.

in favour of
• I am not in favour of your idea. It won't work.
in front of
• You can park your car in front of my house.
• I couldn't see the film because the woman in front of me was wearing a big hat.
in lieu of
• I don't have any dollars. Can I pay euro in lieu of dollars?
in spite of
• We went swimming in spite of the cold water.
instead of
• We don't have any tea. Would you like coffee instead of tea?
in view of
• In view of your illness, we will wait for a week.
Prepositions beginning with L
less
• 10 less 3 = 7.
like
• She is like her sister.
• She sings like a bird.
• It's not like John to complain.
• Do it like this.
• I feel like swimming.
• It looks like rain.
• I want something cold, like iced-coffee.

Prepositions beginning with M
minus
• 10 minus 3 = 7.
• The temperature is minus 30 degrees centigrade.
•

Prepositions

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