Chapter VII: Prepositions

+354.+ +A preposition is a word placed before a substantive to show its relation to some other word in the sentence.+

+The substantive which follows a preposition is called its object and is in the objective case.+

+A phrase consisting of a preposition and its object, with or without other words, is called a prepositional phrase.+

_On_ the floor lay a heap _of_ nuts.

He stood _behind_ the tree _for_ some time.

_From_ morning _till_ night he remained _at_ his post.

The fire destroyed everything _except_ a few articles _of_ furniture.

A +prepositional phrase+ may be either adjective or adverbial.

Thus, in the first example, _of nuts_ is an adjective phrase
modifying the noun _heap_, and _on the floor_ is an adverbial phrase
modifying the verb _lay_. In the second sentence, the verb _stood_ is
modified by two adverbial phrases, _behind the tree_ and _for some
time_.

+355.+ The following list includes most of the prepositions:

aboard
about
above
according to
across
after
against
along
along with
amid, amidst
among, amongst
apart from
around
as for, as to
at
athwart
barring
because of
before
behind
below
beneath
beside, besides
between
betwixt
beyond
but (= except)
by
by dint of
by means of
by reason of
by virtue of
by way of
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
ere
except, excepting
for
for the sake of
from
from among
from between
from under
in
in accordance with
in addition to
in case of
in compliance with
in consequence of
in consideration of
in front of
in lieu of
in opposition to
in place of
in preference to
in regard to
in spite of
inside (inside of)
instead of
into
notwithstanding
of
off
on
on account of
out of
outside (outside of)
over
over against
past
pending
regarding
respecting
round
round about
save, saving
since
through
throughout
to, unto
touching
toward, towards
under
underneath
until, till
up
upon
with
within
without
with reference to
with regard to
with respect to

NOTE. Such expressions as _by means of_, _in accordance with_, _in
spite of_, etc., are really phrases, but may be regarded as compound
prepositions.

Several participles like _concerning_, _considering_, _pending_, are
common in a prepositional use and are therefore included in the list
(§ 339).

For _a_ (a form of _on_) in _abed_, _asleep_, _afire_, _a-fishing_,
etc., see § 352.

_Per_ is confined to the strictly commercial style except in such
expressions as _perforce_, _per cent_, _per annum_ (§ 179).

+356.+ A preposition may stand at the end of a sentence or clause.

_Whom_ did you ask _for_? [Compare: _For whom_ did you ask?]

The box _which_ it came _in_ has been destroyed. [Compare: The box
_in which_ it came.]

NOTE. This order, though informal, is common in the best authors;
but, if carelessly used, it may result in awkwardness of style.
Sometimes a relative which is the object of the preposition is
omitted (see § 151). Thus, in the second sentence, _which_ might be
dropped, and the object of _in_ would then be “_which_, understood.”
For “He was laughed at,” and the like, see § 251.

In poetry a preposition sometimes follows its object directly:
as,--“Barefoot plod I the cold ground _upon_” (SHAKSPERE).

+357.+ Certain adverbial expressions like “on Sunday,” “on March first,” occur both with and without the preposition.

He came Sunday (_or_, on Sunday).

We sail March first (_or_, on March first).

NOTE. The forms without _on_ are good colloquial English, but are
avoided in the more formal style. No preposition need be supplied in
parsing. The noun is an adverbial objective (§ 109).

+358.+ Care is required in the use of +pronouns+ as the +objects of prepositions+.

{He has been very friendly | The old house will seem lonely | That
makes no difference} to you and _me_. [NOT: you and _I_.]

{Tom’s carelessness makes trouble | There are letters at the post
office} for you and _me_.

I have invitations for {you and _him_. | you and _her_.}

He will divide the reward between you and _me_.

{_Whom_ are you waiting for? | _Whom_ were you speaking to?} [NOT:
_who_.]

+359.+ Several words are used either as +adverbs+ or +prepositions+.

AS ADVERB AS PREPOSITION

I fell _down_. I fell _down_ the steps.
Stand _by_! He stood _by_ the window.
A big dog ran _behind_. A dog ran _behind_ the carriage.
Keep _off_! Keep _off_ the grass.

Other examples are:--aboard, above, after, along, before, below,
beneath, beside, between, beyond, ere, in, inside, on, outside, past,
round, since, under, up, within, without.

For words used either as prepositions or as conjunctions, see pp.
152–154.

+360.+ Prepositions show various distinctions in use and meaning which must be learned by practice and by the study of synonyms in a large dictionary.

The following groups afford opportunity for such study:--at, in;
in, into; between, among, amid; on, upon; from, off; round, around,
about; to, with; beside, besides; agree with, agree to; change for,
change with; disappoint in, of; differ with, from; confide in, to;
correspond with, to; part from, with; compare to, with; join with,
to; connect with, to; come up with, to; talk to, with; speak to,
with; hang on, from, to; live at, in, on; argue with, against;
contend with, against; depart from, for, at, on, in.