Select the answer choice that identifies a preposition in each sentence.
1. Take the paper that I gave you and give it to Wally.
- The
- To
- That
- And
2. He invented a game using his toy, which he hid behind the sofa.
- Using
- His
- Which
- Behind
3. When the war had ended, there was rejoicing throughout the world.
- When
- Was
- Throughout
- Rejoicing
4. People had to ration their food supplies during wartime.
- During
- Their
- Food
- Wartime
5. It was reported that over half a million people attended the event.
- That
- Over
- Half
- The
6. Give me some more time to think about it.
- About
- Me
- More
- It
7. If you really don’t want to come, we’ll just go without you.
- Really
- Just
- Without
- You
8. When assembling this product, please refer to the diagram below.
- When
- This
- The
- Below
9. He will have to wait for a year before he can apply a second time.
- For
- Can
- Have
- Second
10. Please meet me there in an hour, and don’t be late.
- There
- In
- An
- Late
Answers – Identifying Prepositions
1. B: “To” is a preposition connecting “give it” (verb and object) with the indirect object “Wally.” Prepositions indicate relationships among words, such as direction. “The” is an article modifying the noun “paper.” “That” is a subordinating conjunction introducing the subordinate clause “that I gave you” that is dependent on the independent clause “Take the paper.” “And” is a conjunction connecting the two clauses.
2. D: “Behind” is a preposition indicating a relationship of place between the nouns “toy” and “sofa.” “Using” (A) is a verb (progressive participial form). “His” (B) is a possessive third-person singular pronoun modifying “toy.” “Which” (C) is a relative pronoun introducing the relative clause modifying “toy.”
3. C: “Throughout” is a preposition showing a relationship of place. In this sentence, it introduces the noun phrase “the world.” This prepositional phrase functions as an adverb telling where the rejoicing was. “When” is an adverb indicating time, used here as a subordinating conjunction introducing the dependent clause “When the war had ended.” “Was” is a verb (past tense). “Rejoicing” (D) is the gerund of a verb, functioning as a noun and the subject of the independent clause.
4. A: “During” is a preposition indicating a temporal relationship (when) between the verb “to ration” and the noun “wartime” (D). “Their” (B) is a possessive third-person plural pronoun modifying “supplies.” “Food” (C) is an adjective here, modifying the noun “supplies.”
5. B: “Over” is a preposition indicating a relationship of amount synonymous here with “more than.” “That” (A) is a pronoun used as a subordinating conjunction introducing the dependent clause. “Half” (C) is an adjective and a part of the adjective phrase, “half a million,” modifying the noun “people.” “The” (D) is a definite article modifying the noun “event.”
6. A: “About” is a preposition showing relationship between the verb “think” and its indirect object “it” (D), which is a pronoun. “Me” (B) is a pronoun. “More” (C) is an adjective modifying the noun “time.”
7. C: “Without” is a preposition indicating relationship between the verb “go” and its indirect object, the second instance of “you” (D), which is a second-person singular pronoun. The prepositional phrase “without you” functions as an adverb describing how we’ll go. “Really” (A) is an adverb modifying the verbal phrase “don’t want to come.” “Just” (B) is an adverb modifying the verb “go.”
8. D: “Below” is a preposition indicating location and modifying the noun “diagram.” “When” (A) is an adverb indicating time and modifying the verb “assembling.” “This” is an adjective modifying the noun “product.” “The” is a definite article and modifies the noun “diagram.”
9. A: “For” is a preposition of time introducing the phrase “for a year.” “Can” (B) is an auxiliary or “helping” verb with the verb “apply.” “Have” (C) is another auxiliary verb, helping the verb “to wait.” “Second” (D) is an adjective modifying the noun “time.”
10. B: “In” is a preposition, here indicating time in the prepositional phrase “in an hour.” “There” (A) is an adverb modifying the verb “meet” and indicating location. “An” (C) is an indefinite article modifying the noun “hour.” “Late” (D) is an adjective modifying the verb “be.”