Simple and Compound Prepositions
A simple preposition is a one-word preposition. A preposition can also come in a two-word or a three-word combination, which is called a compound preposition. A compound preposition functions as a single preposition. It consists of two words such as according to , because of , different from , due to , and instead of . Examples of three-word compound prepositions are as far as , in addition to , in front of , and in spite of .
There are words that are used only as prepositions as shown in the following table.
| against | concerning | onto |
| amid | despite | toward |
| among | during | toward |
| at | from | unto |
| bar | into | upon |
| beside | of | with |
One-word prepositions:
Examples:
- The children were against their mother riding a camel since she is allergic to camel’s hair.
- There was a single duck amid a brood of chickens.
- The mother called the three sons to divide the pizza among them.
- She began to think of getting married at the age of thirteen.
- Six cats slept atop a three-meter wall.
- She has eaten all my grapes, bar one. (bar = except for)
- She was sure someone stood beside her but didn’t appear on the photo.
- He went to catch crabs in the dark and despite the weather..
- He got into a fight with the coach driver during the trip.
- He began to sing aloud from an old songbook.
- Most of his personal belongings including his pet goose were destroyed in the fire.
- This is the third time my grandfather walked into me when he didn’t have his glasses on.
- Last night, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the roof..
- The dining hall opens onto a cemetery.
- The police had very little information regarding the policeman's disappearance.
- The train is now heading toward the tunnel..
- The prisoner threatened to fast unto death to get his alcoholic drinks.
- They look upon him as a role model of how to teach adults to behave like adults.
- She believes her weight increases with each passing day.
Two-word compound prepositions:
Examples:
- According to his mother, he often talked in his sleep.
- As of next week, all of you will eat less to lose weight.
- Her face was perfect aside from that one hairy mole.
- The bucks fought hard and it’s all because of a doe.
- We waste a lot of time arguing instead of agreeing.
- The detective didn’t know he was sitting next to a wanted man.
- Sometimes my grandfather cuts pictures out of my magazines.
Three-word compound prepositions
Examples:
- The explosion could be heard as far as five kilometers away.
- We keep five dogs in addition to two cats.
- It’s his habit to doze off in front of the television.
- They continued with their search and rescue mission in spite of the bad weather.
- He can’t sing any more on account of his failing health.
- The villagers carried pails of water on top of their heads.