PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

• File banner | Credit Glennium

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

Prepositional phrases usually tell when or where, as exemplified below.

• “in ten minutes,”
• “under the moon,”
• “in the gym,”
• “against the tree,” etc.

TYPES OF PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

In English, prepositional phrases are sub-divided into the following types:

ADJECTIVAL PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

NOUNAL PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

A prepositional phrase may occasionally be used as a nounOpens in new window.

Examples include:

• In the box was a surprise present.
  (used as subject)
• The best time to visit would be after lunch.
  (used as predicate nominative)
• The most logical place, in his desk, was the last place he looked for a pen.
  (used as appositive)

Some Commonly Used Prepositional Phrases

Within the remainder of this entry, we'll take a close look at other prepositional phrases of a different kind, such phrases like:

• “because of,”
• “on account of,”
• “owing to,”
• “for the sake of,”
• “in spite of,”
• “in the event of,” etc.

Each of these group of words cited above is by itself a prepositional phrase, that is, a group of words doing the work of a preposition.

These phrases are followed by nouns or noun–equivalents like gerunds. These prepositional phrases are different in a way: they are like adverb clauses in meaning.

They all feature in the following examples:

1. Prepositional Phrase	because of
   Sense/Relationship	reason for result
   Example
   Because of his arrogance and high–handed manner, he became most unpopular with his staff.

2. Prepositional Phrase	owing to
   Sense/Relationship	reason for result
   Example
   Whole villages were cut off from the rest of the country owing to heavy floods.

3. Prepositional Phrase	on account of
   Sense/Relationship	reason for result
   Example
   On account of his arrogance and high–handed manner, he became most unpopular with his staff.

4. Prepositional Phrase	as a result of
   Sense/Relationship	reason for result
   Example
   As a result of the pointsman’s mistake, the train was derailed.

5. Prepositional Phrase	for want of
   Sense/Relationship	Negative reason
   Example
   The army lost the battle for want of timely supplies.

6. Prepositional Phrase	for lack of
   Sense/Relationship	Negative reason
   Example
   The army lost the battle for lack of timely supplies.

The table below shows the prepositional phrase construction which occured in the preceding examples:

If you observe carefully, you will notice that the prepositional phrases in the examples above may be replaced by adverb clauses of reason or result:

1. Prepositional Phrase	because of his arrogance…manner
   Equivalent Adverb Clause	because he was arrogant and high–handed in manner
   Example
   He was so arrogant and high–handed in manner that he became most unpopular with the staff.


• Immerse in sound, unbound. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) redefine wireless audio. Seamless connectivity, adaptive EQ, and a sleek design make these earbuds the perfect companions for your on-the-go lifestyle.

2. Prepositional Phrase	owing to heavy floods
   Equivalent Adverb Clause	because they were heavily flooded
   Example
   Owing to heavy floods, the town's infrastructure suffered extensive damage, disrupting daily life for its residents. The roads were impassable because they were heavily flooded, causing commuters to seek alternative routes.

3. Prepositional Phrase	for want of timely supplies
   Equivalent Adverb Clause	because it did not receive timely supplies

4. Prepositional Phrase	as a result… mistake
   Equivalent Adverb Clause	because the pointsman made a mistake

Since reason is always followed by result, the above prepositional phrases express in effect a reason–and–result relationship: