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SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS
251
There are over 100 prepositions in English, including complex and marginal
prepositions. A list of more than 50 common simple prepositions is given here.
Some word pairs have over time become fused as simple prepositions (e.g. upon,
into
):
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
despite
down
during
except
for
from
in
inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over
past
round
since
than
through
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
via
with
within
without
Û
539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms
Prepositions and prepositional phrases | 463
COMPLEX PREPOSITIONS
252
Although most prepositions are single words, some pairs and groups of words
operate like single prepositions:
As for me, I’d rather have a holiday in January, when it’s cold and wet.
The street below was empty
except for a girl walking along sobbing quietly and
a boy behind her trying to explain.
I’d never say that
in front of the children.
There’ll be
up to 50 people there, I would think.
Pairs and groups of words which function in this way include:
PREPOSITIONS AND OTHER WORD CLASSES
253
Prepositions and conjunctions
253a
Some words which are prepositions also function as conjunctions. Among the
most common are after, as, before, since, until. When followed by a noun phrase,
they act as prepositions; when followed by a clause, they act as conjunctions:
After the meeting he rang me to apologise.
(preposition)
After we spoke this afternoon, he rang me to apologise.
(conjunction)
Has morale improved,
since his explanation?
(preposition)
Has morale improved
since he explained everything to them?
(conjunction)
ahead of
apart from
as for
as of
as well as
because of
but for
by means of
by virtue of
due to
except for
for lack of
in addition to
in aid of
in exchange for
in favour of
in front of
in line with
in place of
inside of
in spite of
instead of
near to
on account of
on top of
out of
outside of
owing to
prior to
subsequent to
such as
thanks to
up to
464 | Prepositions and prepositional phrases
Cambridge Grammar of English
Prepositions and adverbs
253b
Several words which are prepositions also belong to the word class of adverbs.
These are often called prepositional adverbs. Common prepositional adverbs are:
about
, across, around, before, beyond, down, in, inside, near, on, opposite, past,
through
, under, up, within. Prepositional adverbs normally stand alone:
Too many visitors were left to walk
in the castle unsupervised.
(preposition)
We stayed
in last night.
(prepositional adverb: in = at home)
PREPOSITIONAL MEANINGS: LITERAL AND METAPHORICAL
254
Many common prepositions can indicate a wide range of relations in space and
time and other more abstract relations. For example, at, in and on can express
relations in time and space as well as abstract relations:
at 6.30
in the garden
on New Year’s Day
to feel
at ease
the woman dressed
in white
a book
on the history of aircraft
The more abstract relations indicated by prepositions can often be seen as
metaphorical extensions of their literal meanings. This is particularly the case
with prepositions which refer to space. Basic spatial prepositions are often
extended metaphorically to more abstract meanings:
That map you need is
behind the filing-cabinet.
(basic spatial sense)
The whole nation was
behind the team.
(gave support)
The socialists are
behind the communists in the polls.
(competition as a race)
Who’s
behind his plan?
(describing agency: Who is responsible for his plan?)
What’s the reason
behind his resignation?
(describing causes)
Beyond the gardens, there were open fields.
(basic spatial sense)
Û
539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms
Prepositions and prepositional phrases | 465
Trigonometry was just
beyond me.
(Trigonometry was just too difficult for me.)
You’ll need to put a jacket
over that blouse. It’s cold.
There was a serious dispute
over performance-related pay.
Note that, when used metaphorically, the preposition can usually be modified by
an adverb of degree:
The team was
completely with the manager.
(was with = supported)
(metaphorical)
I went on holiday
with an old friend of mine.
(I went on holiday completely with an old friend of mine.)
STRUCTURE OF PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
255
Premodification
255a
Prepositions may be premodified. This applies mainly to prepositions with a
gradable spatial or temporal meaning:
They went
deep
into
the forest.
She doesn’t like flying and only started to relax when we were
high
above
the
clouds.
It was too foggy to see but the hotel was only
a short distance
in front of
them.
Be careful. The lamp’s
just
above
your head.
They arrived
just
before
the guests.
Complementation by a verb
255b
The form of the verb which follows a preposition is the -ing form:
Is she responsible
for handling all the phone calls and for managing the office?
The new director has devoted herself
to raising funds.
Do you think they have any interest
in selling the house?
Sometimes the subject of the verb occurs between the preposition and the -ing
form. If this subject is a pronoun, in everyday informal styles the object form of
the pronoun is used:
Within a few hours
of
us
putting the ad in the paper, we had over twenty phone
calls.
Because of
them
being so reasonable, at least compared with the rest of the
group, the airline made them wait to catch the next flight.
466 | Prepositions and prepositional phrases
Cambridge Grammar of English
In more formal styles the possessive pronoun form is used:
Well, this may result
in
his
receiving lots of unwanted junk mail.
(less formal: This may result in him receiving lots of unwanted junk mail.)
Û
also 285f Verbs normally only followed by -ing
A number of verbs, such as arrange, ask, long, wait, are followed by the
preposition for + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive. In such cases, for is not followed
by an -ing form:
They’ve
arranged for the cases to be transferred direct onto the flight.
Didn’t you
ask for it to be delivered by midday?
She’s been
longing for David to call her.
I’ve been
waiting for the bank statement to clear it all up.
(I’ve been waiting for the bank statement clearing it all up.)
A–Z
43 For
FUNCTION OF PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
256
Adjuncts
Prepositional phrases commonly function as adjuncts in the clause:
During the visit the inspectors will review the factory very thoroughly.
Prepositional verbs
Prepositional phrases also commonly function as the complements of verbs.
Where a special preposition is required to introduce the complement of the verb,
such verbs are called prepositional verbs:
It
depends on the weather.
Please
listen to me.
She has decided to
confide in her doctor.
I promise to
look at the results this afternoon.
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