Parts of Speech-Preposition-Types of Preposition

The words which are used to express the relationship between nouns/pronouns or phrases of a sentence with the other words present in the sentence are called prepositions. For example- to, with, without, along, down, behind, below, upon, etc.

Types of Preposition:

1. Phrase preposition
2. Compound preposition 
3. Simple preposition 
4. Participle preposition
5. Double preposition 

Explanation of Types of Prepositions

1. Simple Prepositions

The words like at, for, in, off, under, on and over are types of simple preposition. They can be used to describe a location, time or place. Some examples are:

1. Madhvi sat on a chair. (ON tells the relationship between Madhvi and the chair)
2. The cat is hiding under the table. (UNDER tells the relationship between the cat and the table)
3. Tejas lives in Mumbai. (IN tells the relationship between action performed and the noun, i.e., Mumbai)
4. I am at the metro station. (‘AT’ tells the relationship between me and the metro station)
5. The Air India flight took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport. ( OFF tells the relationship between the Air India flight and the Indira Gandhi International Airport)

1. Double Prepositions

The two simple prepositions used together, often indicating directions like into, upon, onto, out of, from, within are called double prepositions. Some examples are:

1. We walked into the lawn.
2. The cat jumped onto the table.
3. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess.
4. The lion came out of the jungle.
5. The Management suggested that they recruit the employee for the desired post within the organisation.

1. Compound Prepositions

They consist of two or more words, one is a simple preposition and another is a word, so as to convey location.  They are also called complex prepositions such as in addition to, on behalf of, in the middle of. Some examples are:

1. We walked across the garden.
2. I have my singing class in addition to the dance class.
3. Annie attended the programme on behalf of her sister.
4. Jacky has to attend the call in the middle of his meeting.
5. Our dog is not so friendly so most of the time he remains inside our house.

 

1. Participle Prepositions

They have endings such as -ed and -ing like considering, during, provided, etc. Some examples are:

1. The dog kept following his master.
2. Considering his age, he performed extremely well.
3. The interviewer asked questions regarding child psychology.
4. She is interested in everything related to video games.
5. Every minute regarding the meeting was true as per my knowledge.

• Phrase Prepositions

They include a preposition, an object, and the object’s modifier like on time, at home, before class, on the floor. They are also called prepositional phrases. Some examples are:

1. The baby is crawling on the floor.
2. I reached the airport on time; thus, I was able to board my flight.
3. The cricket match was cancelled after the heavy rain in the city.
4. He found his water bottle under the bed.
5. The mother narrated the story about the princess to her daughter.

Preposition on the Basis of Functionality

The different types of prepositions on the basis of the functionality are:

• Preposition of Time

This type of preposition indicates the time factor in the sentence, pointing out an action which happened, happens or will happen in the future. Some examples are:

1. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru was born on 14th of November.
2. I will reach there after sunset.
3. Hope we can reach there before you leave.

• Preposition of Place

These kinds of prepositions are used to indicate a place, location, object position. Some examples are:

1. Lamp is kept on the table.
2. The books are kept in the cupboard.
3. We like various dresses at the mall.
   
   

• Preposition of Movement

This indicates the direction in which someone or something is moving. The most common preposition used is ‘to’. Some examples are:

1. We are going to the museum.
2. David went to the park every day for a morning walk.
3. He jumped into the well.
   
   

• Prepositions of Manner

These prepositions describe the manner in which certain things happen or are done. Some of the such prepositions are by, like, in with and on. Some examples are:

1. Children went on a picnic by bus.
2. We went to a movie in a car.
3. The boys played football like champions. 

Conclusion
A preposition is a word that shows direction, location, or time, or that introduces an object. They are typically followed by an object, which can be a noun (rabbit), a noun phrase (the window), or a pronoun (she). Ending a sentence with a preposition is not a grammatical error. However, one must be thorough with the rules of prepositions to avoid confusion while speaking or writing English.