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Although no truly adequate definition exists,
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we can fairly say that prepositions relate
nouns or pronouns to other words in the
sentence
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the noun or pronoun in the prepositional phrase
functions as the "Object
of the Preposition"
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an interesting way to remember prepositions is
the following:
about
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above |
across |
after |
against |
along |
among |
around |
at |
before |
behind |
below |
beneath |
beside |
besides |
between |
beyond |
by |
concerning |
down |
during |
except |
for |
from |
in |
inside |
into |
near |
of |
off |
on |
onto |
out |
outside |
over |
past |
since |
through |
to |
toward |
under |
until |
up |
upon |
with |
within |
without |
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PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
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most prepositions form a
prepositional phrase
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which begins with a
preposition
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and ends with the next
NOUN or PRONOUN
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no verbs allowed
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no set number of words (beyond 2)
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to the store
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INFINITIVES
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still other prepositions form
infinitives
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which consist of the
preposition “to”
plus the base form of
the verb
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“to give” “to run” “to buy”—
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I went to the store
(prepositional phrase)
to buy (infinitive)
milk, bread, and cheese.
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EXCEPTION:
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however, due to the idiomatic nature of our
language,
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some
prepositions
appear with VERBS
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(and are thus considered neither
prepositional phrases nor infinitives):
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concerned with/over/about
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shut up, speak up
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stand up, sit down
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slow down, speed up
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bored with, interested in
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similar to, independent of
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EXCEPTION:
according
to |
because of
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on account
of |
apart
from/aside from |
in spite of
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on top of
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as to |
instead of
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out of |
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owing to |
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as
writers, you have a choice to use either
prepositional phrases or possessive nouns
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The
girl’s dress was made of satin.
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The dress of the girl
was made of satin.
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also
at your authorial discretion is the use of
prepositional phrases or indirect objects
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We sent a letter to her.
(PP)
We sent her a letter.
(IO)
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We bought a dress for her.
(PP) We bought her a
dress. (IO)
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