Just mention the word preposition and many people get nervous, looking for any way out of using a preposition, especially at the end of a sentence. But prepositions are natural, connective words that everybody uses in day to day conversations.
There are more than 100 prepositions in the English language, so it can be difficult to keep track of all of them, especially when you're just trying to avoid a preposition at the end of a sentence for a research paper.
What is a Preposition?
A preposition can be defined as a word or group of words that show the relationship between things in time and space. Prepositions are used with nouns, pronouns, or infinitive verb forms, and although you might have heard they should never be used at the end of a sentence, this traditional grammar rule is more accepted today when the preposition is necessary to avoid awkward phrasing. Read more about prepositions at the end of a sentence here.
List of Time Prepositions
- after
- around
- as
- before
- between
- by
- during
- for
- past
- since
- until
- with
- within
- since
- until
- within
List of Place Prepositions
- aboard
- above
- across
- against
- around
- at
- at the back of
- at the bottom of
- at the top of
- between
- behind
- below
- by
- in
- inside
- on the corner of
- in the middle of
- near
- next to
- to the left of
- to the right of
- on
- on the side of
- on top of
- on the other side of
- opposite
- outside
- under
- underneath
List of Direction Prepositions
- from
- left
- over
- right
- through
- under
Prepositions should not be used excessively, and in fact should be cut from a sentence that makes sense after removing the preposition in question, whether the preposition falls at the end of a sentence or in the middle. The more concise the writing, the less attention readers will pay to the way the sentence is written, and the more they can focus on what you're trying to say.
The previous list of prepositions includes most of the commonly used prepositions, but there are other prepositions that are no longer used or are very rarely used.
List of Archaic or Rarely-Used Prepositions
- anent
- anti
- behither
- betwixt
- cum
- ere
- fornenst
- fornent
- outwith
- pro
- qua
- re
- sans
- unto
- vis-à-vis
Remember to cut unnecessary prepositions from your writing to achieve the best flow and style, and never end a sentence in a preposition that is not necessary to the sentence (Where is your party at? As opposed to Where is your party?).
If you are unsure of whether your sentence ends in a preposition, keep this list by your computer as a reference. Now that you understand how a preposition functions and when it should appear within a sentence, you can write grammatically and stylistically correct.
Related Reading:
- Can I End a Sentence with a Preposition?
- How to Help Children Learn the Parts of Speech
- List of Transitional Phrases
Megan B. Wyatt - Megan B. Wyatt has a BA in English, edits fiction manuscripts and currently works as an entertainment reporter in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Join the Conversation