Objects of Prepositions
Objects of prepositions are used when we know there must be an object after the prepositions.
What Are Objects of Prepositions?
The object of a preposition is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase or clause that immediately follows the preposition and forms a prepositional phrase with it.
Objects of Prepositions: Structures
The following is a list of word classes that can appear after a preposition and function as its object:
Nouns as Objects of Prepositions
The object of a preposition is most commonly a noun that forms a prepositional phrase with the preposition. For example:
Someone left a message for
She was sitting up in
Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions
Since the words that come after a preposition should function as an object, the pronoun used after a preposition must be an object pronoun. Therefore, pronouns such as 'he', 'she', and 'it' cannot be used as the object of a preposition.
Now check out the table of object pronouns:
He sat next to
They arrived after
Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions
Gerunds can function as objects of the preposition. Take a look at the examples below:
She busies herself with
Skills can be improved by
Noun Phrases as Objects of Prepositions
If there is a 'noun phrase' after a preposition, the whole phrase is considered the 'object of the preposition'. For example:
I will go to mom's house after
He did it with
Noun Clauses as Objects of Prepositions
If a noun clause follows a preposition, the whole noun clause is considered the object of the preposition. Pay attention to the examples:
One cannot cooperate with
I am not interested in
Asking Questions about Objects of Prepositions
When we want to ask about the object of a preposition, we use question words with prepositions. In these questions, the prepositions appear at the end of the sentence. Take a look at the examples:
Who did you play football
What are you talking
What factory are you working
Tip!
Although starting a question with a preposition is not grammatically correct, it is a common practice, and the correct alternative is not commonly used.
To
Instead of 'Whom did you give the keys to?'
With
'school' is the object of the preposition 'to'
Subject and Verb Agreement
The object of a preposition cannot be the subject of the verb. So keep in mind that the subject has to agree with the verb, not the object of the preposition.
Prepositional Phrase Modifiers
Adverb phrases, adjective clauses, and relative clauses can be used to modify a prepositional phrase. Check out the examples:
After nine,
Take me to the house
How to Find the Object of a Preposition
The object of preposition always follows a preposition. So any noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that follows a preposition is its object. Check out the examples.
His brother waited for
Look at
Review
'Objects of prepositions' are nouns, pronouns, gerunds, or noun phrases that are used after prepositions as their objects. To find an object of a preposition you only need to find the preposition, the noun or phrase after the preposition is the object.
Comments
Contents
- What Are Objects of Prepositions?
- Objects of Prepositions: Structures
- Nouns as Objects of Prepositions
- Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions
- Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions
- Noun Phrases as Objects of Prepositions
- Noun Clauses as Objects of Prepositions
- Asking Questions about Objects of Prepositions
- Prepositional Phrase Modifiers
- How to Find the Object of a Preposition
- Review
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Objects
Simply put, an object is a noun or pronoun representing the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. Here, we'll explain more.
Direct Objects
Generally, an object is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that usually comes after the verb. In this article we will talk about the direct objects.
Indirect Objects
As you know, there are three different groups of objects in English. This article is about indirect objects and their functions.
Adjuncts
'Adjunct' is a word from the Latin that means 'join'. They are any elements in the structure of a clause that is not part of its core. Let's learn about them!
