Printable List of Prepositions

Updated May 31, 2019
Girl Writing

A printable list of prepositions is a useful tool for kids in elementary grades two and up who are learning the basics of grammar in the English language. A preposition is one of the eight parts of speech that links nouns or pronouns with verbs or adjectives to show their relationship.

Printable Single-Word Preposition List

Click on the image of the document to view, download, or print an alphabetical list of 85 common single-word prepositions. While this is not an exhaustive list of all prepositions, it is comprehensive enough for most grammar lessons on prepositions. Teachers and students can use a single-word preposition list for assignments, lessons, and even games.

Single-Word Preposition List
Single-Word Preposition List

Ideas for Using a Printable Preposition List

Explaining prepositions to kids can be challenging, but listing examples helps make the concept more concrete. English grammar lesson plans are an important part of homeschool English grammar and can take on many forms. Using elementary grammar activities makes preposition lessons more exciting and memorable for young children. Free grammar worksheets for kids are another tool you can use in these lessons and preposition games.

  • Laminate a copy of the list to hang on the wall or a bulletin board so your children can check it as needed.
  • Help your child write their own book then have them use the list as a checklist where they can cross off the prepositions they used.
  • Ask your child to memorize the printable list of prepositions so she will immediately recognize prepositions when she encounters them in a sentence.
  • Work with your child or have all your kids work together on a serial story where each kid writes one sentence using a different preposition from the list.
  • Grab an action figure or toy animal and a square object like a block then ask your child to show some prepositions from the list using the two toys.

Take Caution With Prepositions

Note that some common prepositions can also function as other parts of speech, depending on their use in the sentence. For instance, in the sentence "I have known the news since yesterday," "since" is part of the prepositional phrase "since yesterday." However, in the sentence, "Since I heard the news, I haven't been able to sleep," "since" functions as a conjunction. Although a list of prepositions is a handy tool, it is also important that children can follow the rules for using prepositions and recognize the relationship of words within a specific sentence.

Grammar Tools for Kids

Helping your child learn grammar is an integral part of any homeschool curriculum. Learning to write in proper English will help kids convey their own thoughts, beliefs, and ideas in a way others can easily understand. The importance of writing in elementary school can't be understated as it's the main way people communicate today.

Printable List of Prepositions