Prepositional phrases are common in everyday English. Expressions such as under the stairs, before the meeting, and with great care help explain where something is, when it happens, or how people and things are connected.
The following list contains 50 prepositional phrases with example sentences, grouped by meaning. It includes expressions for place, movement, time, and manner, along with familiar idioms that have figurative meanings.
A prepositional phrase is built around a preposition and usually has a noun phrase or pronoun as its complement.
For example:
The bookstore is across the street from the train station.
The phrase across the street describes the bookstore’s location.
Prepositional Phrases of Place and Position
These phrases describe where someone or something is located, often in relation to another person, place, or object.
| No. | Prepositional Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | under the staircase | While searching for a spare key, Hannah found an old suitcase under the staircase. |
| 2 | beside the river | A row of small cottages stands beside the river. |
| 3 | behind the curtain | The stage manager waited behind the curtain for the opening cue. |
| 4 | near the entrance | The information desk near the entrance opens at eight. |
| 5 | between the buildings | A narrow walkway runs between the buildings. |
| 6 | above the fireplace | A painting of the old harbor hangs above the fireplace. |
| 7 | inside the cabinet | Rachel kept the spare batteries inside the cabinet. |
| 8 | among the trees | The children spotted a wooden treehouse among the trees. |
| 9 | below the surface | Small cracks were discovered below the surface of the concrete. |
| 10 | in front of the theater | A crowd had gathered in front of the theater before the doors opened. |
Prepositional Phrases of Movement and Direction
These expressions describe movement along a route, toward a destination, or in relation to a particular place.
| No. | Prepositional Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | across the courtyard | Nina hurried across the courtyard when the first drops of rain began to fall. |
| 12 | through the tunnel | The train passed through the tunnel before reaching the valley. |
| 13 | along the coastline | We followed a narrow walking trail along the coastline. |
| 14 | toward the exit | Visitors moved toward the exit when the announcement ended. |
| 15 | over the bridge | The cyclists rode over the bridge and continued toward the old market. |
| 16 | into the auditorium | The students filed into the auditorium for the award ceremony. |
| 17 | out of the driveway | A delivery van slowly backed out of the driveway. |
| 18 | around the corner | Daniel walked around the corner and spotted the café his friend had recommended. |
| 19 | past the bookstore | Walk past the bookstore to reach the second entrance. |
| 20 | from the station | A shuttle bus takes visitors from the station to the exhibition center. |
A small change in the preposition can change the meaning of the movement.
Compare:
The dog ran toward the open gate.
The dog ran through the open gate.
The first sentence describes the dog’s direction without confirming that it reached the gate. The second tells us it passed through the opening.
Prepositional Phrases of Time and Duration
These phrases identify when something happens, how long it continues, or the period within which an event takes place.
| No. | Prepositional Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | before sunrise | The fishing boats had already left the harbor before sunrise. |
| 22 | after the ceremony | Families gathered for photographs after the ceremony. |
| 23 | during the interview | Emma was asked about her previous experience during the interview. |
| 24 | throughout the evening | Soft music played throughout the evening. |
| 25 | until closing time | The volunteers remained at the community center until closing time. |
| 26 | within three days | The replacement part should arrive within three days. |
| 27 | for several hours | The children worked on their model airplane for several hours. |
| 28 | at the beginning of the semester | Students received their reading lists at the beginning of the semester. |
| 29 | since last Monday | The library’s online catalog has been unavailable since last Monday. |
| 30 | by the end of the week | The contractor expects to complete the repairs by the end of the week. |
Time expressions sometimes look similar but communicate different relationships.
Compare:
The repairs continued for three days.
The repairs will be completed within three days.
For three days describes the duration of the work. Within three days establishes the period by the end of which the work is expected to be completed.
Prepositional Phrases of Manner, Means, and Relationships
Prepositional phrases can also explain how something is done, the means used, the reason for an event, or the relationship between people and ideas.
| No. | Prepositional Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | with great care | Emma unfolded the fragile letter with great care. |
| 32 | without hesitation | Leah accepted the invitation without hesitation. |
| 33 | by electronic transfer | The customer paid the remaining balance by electronic transfer. |
| 34 | in complete silence | The audience watched the final scene in complete silence. |
| 35 | with a close friend | Olivia traveled to the music festival with a close friend. |
| 36 | for future reference | Keep a copy of the confirmation email for future reference. |
| 37 | about the new policy | The questions about the new policy were addressed at the staff meeting. |
| 38 | because of the delay | Several passengers missed their connections because of the delay. |
| 39 | according to the instructions | The shelves must be assembled according to the instructions. |
| 40 | in addition to the entrance fee | Visitors must pay a small equipment charge in addition to the entrance fee. |
These expressions do not all perform the same grammatical function. For example, with great care describes how an action is performed, while about the new policy identifies the subject of the questions.
Figurative and Idiomatic Prepositional Phrases
Some prepositional phrases are used as idioms or familiar figurative expressions. Their meanings may be different from what their individual words suggest.
| No. | Prepositional Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | over the moon | Extremely happy | Maya was over the moon when she received the scholarship offer. |
| 42 | under the weather | Feeling unwell or mildly ill | James stayed home because he was feeling under the weather. |
| 43 | behind the scenes | Away from public view | A technical team worked behind the scenes to prepare the live broadcast. |
| 44 | with flying colors | Very successfully | Elena passed her certification exam with flying colors. |
| 45 | between a rock and a hard place | Facing a difficult choice between unfavorable options | The shop owner was between a rock and a hard place when both suppliers raised their prices. |
| 46 | beside the point | Irrelevant to the main issue | Whether the package looked attractive was beside the point; the contents were damaged. |
| 47 | against all odds | Despite serious difficulties | The small rescue team completed the mission against all odds. |
| 48 | with open arms | Warmly and willingly | The neighborhood welcomed the new family with open arms. |
| 49 | behind closed doors | Privately, away from public attention | The two organizations held further discussions behind closed doors. |
| 50 | in the nick of time | Just before it would have been too late | The replacement battery arrived in the nick of time for the presentation. |
Context helps determine whether an expression is literal or figurative.
For instance, behind closed doors can describe a physical location, but it often suggests that a discussion or decision took place privately.
Understanding the intended meaning is more useful than trying to interpret each word separately.
How the Same Prepositional Phrase Can Work Differently
A prepositional phrase can perform different grammatical functions depending on where it appears and what it relates to.
Compare:
The bench near the fountain needs repairs.
The tourists rested near the fountain.
The phrase near the fountain has the same structure in both sentences.
In the first, it modifies bench, identifying which bench needs repairs. In the second, it tells us where the tourists rested, so it functions adverbially.
A sentence may also contain prepositional phrases with different functions.
The painting above the cabinet was moved during the renovation.
Above the cabinet helps identify the painting, while during the renovation explains when it was moved.
For a closer look at phrases that describe actions and events, see prepositional phrases as adverbials.
Practice: Choose and Identify Prepositional Phrases
Try these four questions to check how the expressions work in different contexts.
1. Choose the phrase that best completes the sentence.
The museum remained open ______ so visitors could see the special exhibition.
Options: throughout the evening, beside the river, with open arms
2. Identify the complete prepositional phrase.
The registration forms were placed inside the wooden cabinet near the reception desk.
Which phrase begins with inside? Does it contain a smaller prepositional phrase?
3. Explain the figurative meaning.
Nina was caught between a rock and a hard place when she had to choose between two equally unsuitable apartments.
What does between a rock and a hard place mean in this sentence?
4. Identify two different functions.
The notice on the classroom door was replaced before the inspection.
Which prepositional phrase identifies the notice, and which one provides time information?
Answers and Explanations
1. Throughout the evening
The completed sentence is:
The museum remained open throughout the evening so visitors could see the special exhibition.
The phrase expresses duration and fits the intended meaning.
2. Inside the wooden cabinet near the reception desk
The complete phrase is inside the wooden cabinet near the reception desk.
Its complement is the noun phrase the wooden cabinet near the reception desk. Within that noun phrase, near the reception desk identifies the cabinet.
3. Facing two difficult choices
Between a rock and a hard place describes a situation in which neither available option is desirable.
Nina is choosing between two unsuitable apartments, not describing a literal position between physical objects.
4. On the classroom door; before the inspection
On the classroom door modifies notice, identifying which notice was replaced.
Before the inspection tells us when the replacement happened.
Both are prepositional phrases, but they perform different grammatical functions.
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