Are you ready to take your English language skills to the next level? Prepositional phrases are essential components of English grammar, adding depth and complexity to our everyday communication.
Whether you’re a native speaker looking to brush up on your knowledge or a non-native speaker striving for fluency, this comprehensive list of 100 prepositional phrases is an invaluable resource.
From above and beyond to with regard to, these versatile word combinations are used in countless contexts, making them crucial for effective writing and speaking.
What are Prepositional Phrases?
Prepositional phrases are grammatical structures consisting of a preposition and its object, which can be a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause. They provide additional information about time, location, direction, or method. For example, in “on the table,” “on” is the preposition, and “the table” is its object.
Examples:
Here is a quick list of Prepositional Phrases:
- by nature
- by sea
- in a pile
- in good faith
- at the end
- at all events
Download the complete list of prepositional phrases at the end of this lesson.
How to Identify Prepositional Phrases?
Identifying prepositional phrases in a sentence involves a few steps:
- Look for a Preposition: Prepositions are words that indicate relationships between other words, often showing location, direction, or time. Common prepositions include “in,” “on,” “at,” “by,” “for,” “with,” “about,” “over,” and “under.”
- Find the Object of the Preposition: The object of a preposition is the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition. This object, along with any words that modify it, forms the prepositional phrase. For example, in “with great enthusiasm,” “great enthusiasm” is the object of the preposition “with.”
- Look for Modifiers: Sometimes, a prepositional phrase includes modifiers that give more information about the object. In “under the old bridge,” “the old” are modifiers describing “bridge.”
- Check the Role in the Sentence: Prepositional phrases can act as adjectives, describing nouns (e.g., “The book on the table”), or as adverbs, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (e.g., “She sang beautifully in the choir”).
- Exclude the Verb: Ensure that the phrase you’re identifying does not include the main verb of the sentence. Prepositional phrases never contain the main verb.
Remember, a prepositional phrase always starts with a preposition and ends with the object of that preposition, including any modifiers of the object.
100 Prepositional Phrases List
Here is the list of the most useful and popular prepositional phrases:
Prepositional Phrases with ‘BY’
- by far
- by definition
- by any standard
- by nature
- by sea
- by means of
- by accident
- by law
- by sight
- by land
- by degrees
- by mistake
- by courtesy of
- by dint of
- by coincidence
- by design
- by all accounts
- by force
- by rights
- by air
- by luck
- by heart
- by hand
- by check
- by request
- by no means
- by the name of
- by all means
- by chance
- by marriage
- by birth
- by appointment
- by my watch
Prepositional Phrases with ‘IN’
- in comparison with
- in disgrace
- in of one’s element
- in abeyance
- in danger
- in a pile
- in good faith
- in accordance with
- in disgrace
- in fairness to
- in duplicate
- in future
- in arrears
- in compensation for
- in all likelihood
- in demand
- in excess of
- in haste
- in error
- in haste
- in defense of
- in good faith
- in of prison
- in honor of
- in a hurry
- in confidence
- in a mess
- in of use
- in abundance
- in flower
- in disguise
- in time
- in disguise
- in horror
- in connection with
- in doubt
- in a deep sleep
- in decline
- in of focus
- in gear
- in custody
- in hand
- in defense of
- in future
- in difficulty
- in fear of
- in good condition
- in demand
- in detail
- in confusion
- in convoy
- in of stock
- in high spirits
- in aid of
- in exchange for
- in conjunction with
- in fear of
- in of focus
- in decline
- in of touch
- in harmony (with)
- in charge of
- in fact
- in an uproar
- in blossom
- in flames
- in an instant
- in an uproar
- in fact
- in hiding
- in dispute
- in confinement
- in anticipation of
- in code
- in good condition
- in harmony (with)
- in the forefront of
- in sight (of)
- in control of
- in consequence of
- in existence
- in high spirits
- in favor of
- in bulk
- in arrears
- in agreement with
- in disorder
- in ink
- in advance
- in character
- in hiding
- in ink
- in essence
- in a sense
- in debt
- in cash
- in flower
- in of season
- in earnest
- in a temper
- in a heap
- in answer to
- in combination with
- in agony
- in comfort
- in command of
- in favor of
- in conclusion
- in fairness to
- in common
- in anticipation of
- in general
- in action
- in brief
- in distress
- in horror
- in danger
- in answer to
- in flames
- in general
- in honor of
- in hand
- in collaboration with
- in awe of
- in full
- in a flash
- in addition to
- in effect
- in detail
- in debt
- in gear
- in due course
- in full
- in contact with
- in contrast with
Related:
List of Prepositions in English
Examples of Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional Phrases with ‘OUT’
- out of jealousy
- out of ideas
- out of the ordinary
- out of date
- out of breath
- out of respect for
- out of order
- out of pity
- out of reach
- out of work
- out of doors
- out of control
- out of sight
- out of the question
- out of hand
- out of context
- out of stock
- out of curiosity
- out of practice
- out of place
- out of step
- out of one’s mind
- out of fashion
- out of print
- out of spite
- out of duty
Prepositional Phrases with ‘AT’
- at issue
- at all costs
- at noon
- at a price
- at a fraction of
- at the outset
- at risk
- at a guess
- at one’s leisure
- at the end
- at all events
- at high speed
- at a rate of
- at sight
- at war
- at a speed of
- at the double
- at peace
- at one time
- at large
- at a glance
- at one’s request
- at liberty
- at a distance
- at length
- at night
- at a loose and
- at a standstill
- at most
- at a low ebb
- at a loss
- at one’s side
- at least
- at a discount
Prepositional Phrases with ‘ON’
- on condition that
- on pain of
- on purpose
- on foot
- on the point of
- on impulse
- on the increase
- on bail
- on approval
- on a pension
- on the grounds of
- on strike
- on a small scale
- on horseback
- on order
- on bail
- on good terms
- on the dot
- on the part of
- on the dot
- on credit
- on display
- on second thoughts
- on parade
- on a regular basis
- on remand
- on fire
- on oath
- on balance
- on board
- on behalf of
- on the assumption
- on the agenda
- on a diet
- on file
- on an expedition
- on strike
- on the record
- on the off-chance
- on the edge of
- on suspicion of
- on the brink of
- on the strength of
- on loan
- on paper
- on account of
- on the brink of
- on a large scale
- on the move
- on an expedition
- on approval
- on one’s terms
- on an island
- on average
- on the outskirts
- on vacation
- on remand
- on leave
- on average
- on the hour
- on occasion
- on principle
- on the air
- on order
- on a spree
- on the road
- on edge
- on hand
- on business
- on an island
- on business
- on a trip
- on board
- on patrol
- on the run
- on sale
- on no account
- on the agenda
- on one’s own
- on end
- on suspicion of
- on the edge of
- on show
- on a journey
- on show
- on watch
- on guard
- on the eve of
- on the horizon
- on the job
- on reflection
- on behalf of
- on the phone
- on schedule
Related: Adjectives Followed by Preposition
Infographics (List of Popular Prepositional Phrases)
Download this lesson of popular prepositional Phrases in PDF (Download Here)