Types of Prepositions – Basic Rules and Combinations

Preposition– It is a word or group of words placed before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show relationships.

Types of Prepositions

• Prepositions of Direction– It directs toward a place or location.
• Prepositions of Time – It refers to one point in time and to extended time.

Prepositions of Spatial Relationship-It refers to ‘where’ the subject of the sentence is or ‘where’ the action is taking place

Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of Spatial Relationship

Basic Rules of Prepositions

• A preposition must have an object. Example –She is in the living room (object –living room).
• A noun or pronoun (known as the object of the preposition) should always follow a preposition (living room –noun). Example –Shawn gave it to them (them –pronoun in objective form).
• Prepositions– one word prepositions and complex prepositions (in spite of).
• ‘To’ as preposition which is different from ‘to’ infinitive form. Example –I need to go to the market now. (use ‘to’ before a verb) is infinitive form.
• A preposition can’t be followed by a verb.

Exception to the rule –If we want to follow a preposition by a verb, we must use-ing form which is a gerund or verb in noun form.

Example: I am used to staying up late at night.

He complained about the noise from the backyard.

She is searching for her cat.

Georgina must listen to her parents.

• If a preposition and adjective to be used together, the preposition always comes directly after the adjective and followed by a noun or gerund.

Some common combinations –Verb +Preposition

Some common combinations –Adjective +Preposition