Did you know there are 150 most common English prepositions?
These tiny words may appear insignificant, but they are powerful, playing an important part in constructing clear and coherent phrases in English. Prepositions are vital for communication, whether you’re expressing where you left your keys (on the table), when something happened (after lunch), or why you enjoy coffee (for its aroma).
If you’ve ever wondered what prepositions are, how to use them, or why they can be difficult to understand, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll look at all 150 prepositions, break them down, provide examples, and help you learn these fundamental building blocks of English.
Ready to improve your grammar game? Let’s jump in and make prepositions your new best friend!
What Are Prepositions?
Prepositions are words that connect nouns or pronouns to other parts of a phrase, defining relationships like location, time, direction, manner, or cause. Examples include:
- Location: The book is on the table.
- Time: I’ll see you after work.
- Direction: She’s going to the park.
Prepositions, despite their apparent simplicity, are quite diverse. Learning all of them may seem difficult, but don’t worry—we’ve categorized them for you!
How Many Prepositions Are There in English?
There are 150 prepositions in English. These include single-word prepositions like “in”, “on”, and “through”, as well as compound prepositions like “because of”, “in spite of”, and “on behalf of.” While many of these are commonly used, others are more specialized or outdated.
If you want to become fluent, start with the most common used prepositions and gradually expand your understanding to include less common ones.
A Complete List of English Prepositions
Here’s the ultimate list of 150 prepositions. For easier digestion, we’ve grouped them into categories based on their usage.
Most Common English Prepositions
These are the prepositions you’ll encounter daily:
- about
- above
- across
- after
- against
- along
- among
- around
- at
- before
- behind
- below
- beneath
- beside
- between
- beyond
- by
- despite
- down
- during
- except
- for
- from
- in
- inside
- into
- near
- of
- off
- on
- out
- outside
- over
- through
- to
- toward
- under
- until
- up
- with
Less Common Prepositions
These might appear less frequently but are equally important:
41.aboard
42. alongside
43. amid
44. amongst
45. apart
46. as
47. astride
48. atop
49. bar
50. barring
51. concerning
52. considering
53. downward
54. excepting
55. excluding
56. following
57. inside of
58. notwithstanding
59. onto
60. opposite
61. outside of
62. pending
63. regarding
64. round
65. save
66. since
67. underneath
68. unlike
69. upon
70. versus
71. via
72. within
73. without
Compound Prepositions
These are phrases acting as prepositions:
74. according to
75. ahead of
76. apart from
77. as far as
78. as well as
79. because of
80. by means of
81. in addition to
82. in front of
83. in light of
84. in place of
85. in spite of
86. instead of
87. on behalf of
88. on top of
89. out of
90. owing to
Rare Prepositions
These are more specialized but still useful to know:
91. aboard
92. amidst
93. betwixt
94. beyond
95. circa
96. despite
97. per
98. post
99. pro
100. qua
101. re
102. viz.
Additional Prepositions
103. amidst
104. apropos
105. athwart
106. beyond
107. but (when used as except)
108. concerning
109. considering
110. despite
111. downward
112. excluding
113. following
114. inside of
115. minus
116. notwithstanding
117. off of
118. opposite of
119. out of
120. outside of
121. over against
122. past
123. per
124. plus
125. prepositioning
126. pro
127. pursuant to
128. qua
129. regarding
130. round about
131. save for
132. subsequent to
133. than (in comparative structures)
134. thanks to
135. throughout
136. to the rear of
137. towards
138. underneath
139. unto
140. up to
141. versus
142. vis-à-vis
143. what with
144. with reference to
145. with respect to
146. within
147. without
148. worth (e.g., “This book is worth reading”)
149. yet (in rare cases, such as archaic usage)
150. yonder (archaic/prepositional use for indicating direction or place)
Examples of Prepositions in Sentences
To see these prepositions in action, let’s explore example sentences across different contexts:
Location
- The keys are beneath the couch.
- She stood between the two trees.
- Let’s meet outside the museum.
- The cat hid under the couch.
- She stood between the two trees.
- We’re meeting at the park.
- The clock is hanging above the fireplace.
- The treasure is buried beneath the sand.
Time
- The event is scheduled for Monday.
- We’ve been waiting since noon.
- I’ll call you before dinner.
- I’ll see you after dinner.
- The meeting starts at 3 PM.
- The train arrived before the storm.
- We stayed up until midnight.
- She called me around noon.
Direction
- He climbed up the ladder.
- The dog ran toward the gate.
- We’re driving through the mountains.
- The dog ran into the house.
- She climbed onto the roof.
- He threw the ball over the fence.
- The kids ran across the field.
- The paper airplane flew out of the window.
Cause and Manner
- She succeeded because of her hard work.
- The painting was created by an unknown artist.
- They solved the puzzle with teamwork.
- The project was delayed due to technical issues.
- We’re celebrating in honor of his achievements.
- The cake was baked by my grandmother.
- The package was sent via express delivery.
- The house was built of bricks.
Keep Practicing Your English!
Prepositions may be small, but their impact on English is significant. Knowing all 150 prepositions may seem like a daunting task, but with this guide and some practice, you’ll be well on your way to mastering them.
Now, it’s your turn! Which prepositions do you use the most? Are there any that still confuse you? Happy learning, and remember: practice makes perfect!
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