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.