Prepositional phrases

Spotting multi-word prepositions

Remember that multi-word prepositions include:

  • Ahead of
  • In front of
  • Instead of
  • Near to
  • In time for
  • As well as

...and many more!

You might notice that a few of those groups contain abstract nouns (in front of, in time for) or adverbs (ahead of, as well as). (And there's that slippery word as again!)

Why not call them preposition groups? Because they're not flexible in the same way that noun, verb and adjective groups are—they're basically fixed units of speech.

Then why not call them phrases? We could, but then we'd get mixed up with the larger prepositional phrases we've been talking about throughout this lesson. So it's easier just to call them prepositions.

Can you find the multi-word preposition (and any one-word prepositions) in this snippet?

I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading front office.

Twilight(2011)

There are two prepositions. You might notice once again these prepositions are describing positions: in front of the first building, over the door.

(Remember, this is the root of why prepositions are called prepositions: they are words that come before a position.)

How many prepositional phrases can you find in this one?

Smoke was used to heal wounds and treat ailments as well as to strengthen babies and, as in this case, to stimulate the production of milk.

The Girl from the Great Sandy Desert(2015)

There are two prepositions—as in and of—but this time they are not telling us about position, they are telling us more about purpose: what smoke was used for.

This is another example of a preposition that can also function as something else. In this case it's a conjunction connecting actions together, as in 'treat ailments and strengthen babies'.

You can check this really easily by looking at what comes after whatever you think is a preposition:

  • If it's a noun group, there's a good chance you're looking at a preposition.
  • If it's a verb group or another clause, then there's a good chance it's an adverb or conjunction.
  • The exception being those cases where it's followed by an -ing verb or a clause starting with a question word—remember the actions we turned into things earlier?—then it might still be a preposition. 🤪

Yep, 'to' can be a preposition, but it can also be part of an infinitive verb—to heal, to strengthen.

Remember, a preposition is almost always followed by a noun group.

Let's look at one more snippet!

How many prepositions are in this one?

There was no road through the wood. And anyway, for the people, there was another reason to leave the wood to itself: it belonged to the Fosters, the owners of the touch-me-not cottage, and was therefore private property in spite of the fact that it lay outside the fence and was perfectly accessible.

Tuck Everlasting(1975)

This one has a bit of everything.

  • Two of the prepositions communicate place: through the wood, outside the fence
  • Two direct action: leave the wood to itself, belonged to the Fosters
  • Two communicate relationships: there was another reason for the people, the owner of the touch-me-not cottage
  • And one is hard to explain: in spite of is a multi-word preposition that means something like 'disregarding' or 'ignoring'. But again it communicates a relationship between private property and the cottage's position outside the fence.

Next, let's tie this back to noun groups.

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