Prepositional phrase definition and examples

In grammar, a "prepositional phrase" refers to a preposition, its object, and any modifiers. Here in this article, we’ll answer the basic questions people most often have about prepositional phrases, such as "What is a prepositional phrase?" and "How do I use a prepositional phrase?" We will also provide plenty of prepositional phrase examples for you to practice with.

What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a part of a sentence that consists of one preposition and the object it affects.

The object of a prepositional phrase can be either a noun, gerund, or clause.

Here’s an example of a prepositional phrase (in italics):

She caught the bus on time.

"On time" is the prepositional phrase. It consists of a preposition ("on") and a noun ("time").

Here’s another example of a prepositional phrase at work:

Mark is going out with that beautiful woman.

In this example, the prepositional phrase is "with that beautiful woman." The preposition is "with," while the object it affects is "woman."

As shown in this example, prepositional phrases ca