Prepositional Phrases in English: Definition, List & Examples

Prepositional phrases are groups of words that begin with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. They function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence, modifying nouns or verbs. This article explains what a prepositional phrase is, presents a structured phrase list, and provides clear examples in English.

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. The object of the preposition is the noun or pronoun that the preposition introduces. Prepositional phrases function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence, modifying nouns or verbs.

For example:

• The book on the table is mine. (The prepositional phrase “on the table” modifies the noun “book.” It tells us where the book is.)
• She is running around the block. (The prepositional phrase “around the block” modifies the verb “running.” It tells us where she is running.)

Prepositional phrases can also include additional modifying words. For example:

• The cat with the fluffy tail is mine. (The prepositional phrase “with the fluffy tail” modifies the noun “cat.” It tells us which cat is being referred to.)

Prepositional phrases can be short or long. They can consist of just a preposition and its object, or include other modifiers as well. Some prepositions are made up of more than one word, such as because of or in spite of. Prepositional phrases are an important part of English grammar and help show relationships between words in a sentence.

Here are some basic examples:

• at school
• in town
• on the table
• off the sidewalk
• to the beach
• up the road
• with Steven
• by law
• in good condition

Some items often seen in lists (e.g., on balance, by heart, at a loss) are common fixed expressions that use prepositions. They are still useful, but they are not the best “first examples” for learning structure, so we label them clearly below.

Prepositional Phrase List

Every prepositional phrase is a series of words made up of a preposition and its object. The object may be a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause. A prepositional phrase functions as an adjective or adverb.

AT

Common prepositional phrases with AT include:

• at high speed
• at risk
• at one’s side
• at a fraction of
• at the outset
• at the end
• at sight
• at the double
• at one time
• at a discount
• at a distance
• at a glance
• at a guess
• at a loose end
• at a loss (fixed expression)
• at a low ebb
• at a price
• at a rate of
• at a speed of
• at a standstill
• at all costs
• at all events
• at issue
• at large
• at least
• at length
• at liberty
• at most
• at night
• at noon
• at one’s leisure
• at one’s request
• at peace
• at war

OUT

List of some common prepositional phrases with OUT in English.

• out of fashion
• out of print
• out of step
• out of breath
• out of context
• out of control
• out of curiosity
• out of jealousy
• out of date
• out of doors
• out of duty
• out of hand
• out of ideas
• out of one’s mind
• out of order
• out of pity
• out of place
• out of practice
• out of reach
• out of respect for
• out of sight
• out of spite
• out of stock
• out of the ordinary
• out of the question
• out of work

IN

Prepositional phrases with IN include:

• in time
• in demand
• in focus / out of focus
• in an uproar
• in answer to
• in anticipation of
• in arrears
• in danger
• in debt
• in decline
• in defense of
• in detail
• in disgrace
• in disguise
• in fact
• in fairness to
• in favor of
• in fear of
• in flames
• in flower
• in full
• in future
• in gear
• in general
• in good condition
• in good faith
• in hand
• in harmony (with)
• in haste
• in hiding
• in high spirits
• in honor of
• in horror
• in ink

BY

• by chance
• by the name of
• by luck
• by accident
• by air
• by sea
• by land
• by all accounts
• by all means
• by any standard
• by appointment
• by birth
• by check
• by coincidence
• by courtesy of
• by definition
• by degrees
• by design
• by dint of
• by far
• by force
• by hand
• by heart (fixed expression)
• by law
• by marriage
• by means of
• by mistake
• by my watch
• by nature
• by no means
• by request
• by rights
• by sight

ON

• on watch
• on schedule
• on the record
• on the road
• on oath
• on pain of
• on the air
• on balance (fixed expression)
• on a diet
• on a journey
• on a trip
• on a large scale
• on a small scale
• on a pension
• on a regular basis
• on a spree
• on account of
• on an expedition
• on an island
• on approval
• on average
• on bail
• on behalf of
• on board
• on business
• on order
• on remand
• on show
• on strike
• on suspicion of
• on the agenda
• on the brink of
• on the dot
• on the edge of

Types of Prepositional Phrases

Adjective Prepositional Phrases

Adjective prepositional phrases modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. They act as adjectives in a sentence. These phrases answer the questions “which one?” or “what kind?”

Examples:

• The book on the shelf is mine.
• The girl in the red dress is my sister.
• The house with the blue door is for sale.

The prepositional phrases “on the shelf,” “in the red dress,” and “with the blue door” modify the nouns “book,” “girl,” and “house.”

Adverb Prepositional Phrases

Adverb prepositional phrases modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. They act as adverbs in a sentence. These phrases answer the questions “how?”, “when?”, “where?”, “why?”, or “to what extent?”

Examples:

• She walked to the store.
• He was happy with his new car.
• The dog barked at the mailman.

Functions of Prepositional Phrases

Direction and Location

Prepositional phrases can indicate direction and location. In “She walked to the park,” the phrase shows direction. Prepositions that often show direction or location include at, in, on, under, beside, over, and through.

Time

Prepositional phrases can also indicate time. In this example, “I will meet you after class,” the phrase shows when something happens. Common time prepositions include before, after, during, since, and until.

Means and Agency

Prepositional phrases can indicate means and agency. In the sentence “The book was written by a famous author,” the phrase shows who did the action. Prepositions that often show means/agency include by, with, and through.

Reason and Purpose

Prepositional phrases can indicate reason and purpose. In “He went to the gym for his health,” the phrase shows purpose. Common prepositions include for, because of, and due to.

Examples of Prepositional Phrases

Adverbial Prepositional Phrases (modify verbs: how/when/where/why)

• We went to the beach during the summer.
• She sings with great passion.
• He ran away from the dog.

Adjectival Prepositional Phrases (modify nouns: which one/what kind)

• The book on the shelf is mine.
• The girl with the red hat is my sister.
• The man in the black suit is the CEO.

Compound Prepositions

Some prepositions are made up of two or more words. These are called compound prepositions (not “compound prepositional phrases”).

Examples of compound prepositions:

• in front of — The car is parked in front of the house.
• because of — We stayed home because of the rain.
• in spite of — He went out in spite of the storm.
• according to — According to the schedule, the class starts at 9.

A sentence can contain two separate prepositional phrases. For example: He drove through the tunnel under the river.

Common Mistakes with Prepositional Phrases

Using the Wrong Preposition

One of the most common mistakes is choosing the wrong preposition. Some prepositions are used for time (e.g., at, in, on), while others are used for location (e.g., under, above, beside). Natural usage varies by context and common patterns.

Using Too Many Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases add useful details, but too many can make a sentence hard to read. Prepositional phrases are most effective when they add clear information.

Misplacing Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase should be placed close to the word it modifies. In “The book on the shelf is mine,” the phrase should be right after book.

Confusing Prepositions with Conjunctions

Prepositions and conjunctions serve different grammatical functions. Coordinating conjunctions such as and join ideas or clauses, while prepositions introduce an object and do not perform the same linking role.

Last Updated on January 15, 2026