Why do we have prepositions in the English language?

Prepositions are relationship words. They give clues and guidance regarding how the remainder of the sentence fits together. There are several important rules when using prepositions in the context of a sentence. These rules relate to how prepositions can be used, which prepositions can be used when, and where prepositions have to go in the sentence.

I am sure you have heard the word before and you will probably be able to give some examples of prepositions in English. But could you tell precisely what they actually are? And if so could you tell whether before is one or not? If not you will be able after you’ve finished this article. We will look at their function, their shared characteristics, we will compare German and English prepositions a bit and we will of course see why knowing about prepositions can be helpful. So let’s dive right in.

Anyway. What are prepositions? The word itself suggests that it is something standing in front of something… PRE-positions… and yes: prepositions do that. But so do adjectives and articles in English and German.

Prepositions are actually just one subgroup of the so called adpositions. Those would be things that stand in front of and or behind stuff (if you wanne know more.. here is the Wikipedia-article but you MUST speak jargon for that one). So apparently the position is not the defining factor…. what all prepositions, postpositions, circumpositions, ontopoffositions and makesomemoreupositions have in common is: their function. On a side-note… I will continue to speak about PRE-positions but it is also valid for the “other-positions”.

Often prepositions work together with the verb to convey whatever you are trying to say. In those cases it might not be immediately obvious that the relations between things or persons is expressed… but in a way it is.

I go to the theater.

I go behind the theater.

I go around the theater.

My location relative to the theater is not fixed here but the preposition still gives you the idea how I am moving by relating the movement to go to theater.

Of course there are not only local prepositions. Another preposition-heavy domain is time.

Thomas will stay till midnight.

Maria has been waiting for an hour for him to leave.

I admit it is not very obvious which relations are expressed here. The actions are related to a point in time or a duration by the preposition. Different prepositions express different relation of an event or action in relation to time.

I will go to London in 3 days.

I will go to London for 3 days.

I will go to London after 3 days.

Here we have the duration 3 days, and the prepositions relate my action to go to that duration. Now what about this one:

Before I go to bed, I (usually) brush my teeth.

Seemingly before is relating something here and would thus be considered a preposition BUT …. I’ll pause to build some gravity…. BUT in this example before is relating 2 actions. We have 2 life action verbs here to go and to brush, 2 full sentences.

I go to bed.

I usually brush my teeth.

If 2 sentences are related and joined this is done by conjunctions. So the before in that example is NO preposition. A preposition is always followed by a thing or a person it refers to.

Besides time and place prepositions are used in … any other situation pretty much, basically whenever a relation of entities (persons or things) has to be expressed. Here are some more abstract examples.

I am against this plan.

Grammar is boring to a lot of people.

Thomas had an argument with his girlfriend.

Thomas had an argument about his girlfriend.

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