Introduction: Preposition

• Prepositions are short words that are normally placed either before or after a Noun to indicate the location or position of a Noun.
• It shows the relation of a Noun/Pronoun to something else (Noun/Verb/adverb).

For Example:

• The bird is on the tree. (Relation between two Nouns), In this example the Preposition, “on” is showing the relation between the two Nouns bird and tree.
• “The dog is sitting on the table.” (Relation between a Verb and a Noun), Here the word, “on” is a Preposition because it describes the position of the “dog” who is sitting on a “table”. It is showing the relation between the dog and the table and at the same time it is showing the relation between a Verb (sitting) and a Noun (table).
• “The dog is sitting under the table.”
• He is climbing upthe staircase. (Relation between a Verb and a Noun).
• The girls were dressed in red.

Types of Prepositions

Simple Preposition

• It involve the following words: In, on, at, about, over, under, off, of, for, to, by, from, up, till, out, with , through, etc.

For Example:

• He sat “on” the chair.
• She jumped “off” the chair.
• The dos was sitting under the table.

Compound Preposition

• Compound Prepositions are the Prepositions formed by prefixing the Preposition to a Noun, an Adjective or an Adverb.
• Compound Prepositions involve the following words- Without (with + out), within (with + in), inside (in + side), outside (out + side), into (in + to), below (be + low), behind (be + hind), between, along, around, across, beyond, about, etc.
• Distribute the chocolates “among” your friends.
• She was standing “behind” the books. 
• The dog is sitting “beside” the chair.
• There is nothing “inside” the basket.
• She swimmed “across” the river.

Participle Preposition

• Participle Prepositions are the present participles of Verbs that behave like Prepositions.
• These Prepositions are formed by suffixing a Verb with -ed or –ing.
• Participle Prepositions involve the following words- Assuming, barring, considering, during, given, notwithstanding, provided, regarding, and respected.

For Example:

• Regarding your queries, please consult the respective department ;I am not getting any other reference  concerning this topic.

Phrase Preposition

• Phrase Prepositions are group of words that behave like Prepositions.
• Phrase Prepositions involve the following phrases:
  On behalf of, instead of, because of, by means of, with regard to, on behalf of, instead of, on account of, in opposition to, for the sake of etc.

For Example:

• You should study “instead of” wasting time watching T.V.
• You should stay “away from” strangers.

Adverb vs Preposition

• Many a time same words are used as Prepositions and sometimes as Adverbs as well.

Object of Preposition

• The words that come after the Preposition are act as object to the Preposition.

For Example:

• The bird is “on” the tree. The object for a Preposition could be a Noun, pronoun, clause or an Adverb.

• Example of Noun as an object of Preposition:

1. The book is “on” the table.
2. The cat was sitting “under” the bed.

• Example of Pronoun as an object of Preposition:

1. The professor looked “at” him angrily.     
2. He is sitting “in” the room.

• Clause is refers to a group of words having some meaning. It also has a subject and a predicate. Example of clause as an object of Preposition:

1. There is no use of paying attention “to” what she did.
2. You should be shameful “for” what you did.

• Example of Adverbs as an object of Preposition:

1. She must have met him “by”
2. Your negligence is going “to” pay you one day.