---
title: preposition — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «preposition» in the school dictionary: A preposition is a small word that shows how a noun or pronoun is linked to other words, often telling where, when or how: in, on, under, behind, after, with, by, to, from. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# preposition

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** preposition, small word, this, Under, We, book · **What happens:** be, show, link, tell after, mean, put forward · **To what, where:** small word, noun, idea, proposition, preposition, bed · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«preposition» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [preposition in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/preposition.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A preposition is a small word that shows how a noun or pronoun is linked to other words, often telling where, when or how: in, on, under, behind, after, with, by, to, from.

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:m1:1
# text = A preposition is a small word that shows how a noun or pronoun is linked to other words, often telling where, when or how: in, on, under, behind, after, with, by, to, from.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	preposition	preposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	pronoun	pronoun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	linked	link	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	ccomp	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
22	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	28	advmod	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
26	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	28	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	28	punct	_	_
28	in	in	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	34	punct	_	_
30	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	34	mark	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
32	under	under	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	34	punct	_	_
34	behind	behind	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
36	after	after	ADP	IN	_	21	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	38	punct	_	_
38	with	with	ADP	IN	_	21	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	38	punct	_	_
40	by	by	ADP	IN	_	38	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	42	punct	_	_
42	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
44	from	from	ADP	IN	_	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a preposition | a small word |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **show** | present | a small word |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **link** | present · passive |  | a noun or pronoun |  |  |  | to other words | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: subject=Patient to word=Co-Patient |
| 4 | **tell after** *speech: assert* | gerund | a small word *not said here* |  |  |  |  | behind, often *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal, rare — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A preposition can also mean an idea put forward, but this is very rare; usually «proposition» is used.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:m2:1
# text = A preposition can also mean an idea put forward, but this is very rare; usually «proposition» is used.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	preposition	preposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	forward	forward	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	15	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	very	very	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	rare	rare	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
17	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	_
21	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | a preposition | a idea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **put forward** | participle |  | a idea *not said here* |  |  |  | forward *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | this |  |  |  |  | rare *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **use** | present · passive |  | proposition |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Under» is a preposition in «under the bed».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x1:1
# text = «Under» is a preposition in «under the bed».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Under	under	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	preposition	preposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	under	under	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Under | a preposition |  | the bed |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Circle all the prepositions in the sentence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x2:1
# text = Circle all the prepositions in the sentence.
1	Circle	circle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	4	det:predet	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	prepositions	preposition	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ball rolled behind the sofa.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x3:1
# text = The ball rolled behind the sofa.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	rolled	roll	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sofa	sofa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll** | participle |  | the ball *not said here* |  | the sofa |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme behind sofa=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We have PE after lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x4:1
# text = We have PE after lunch.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	PE	pe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | We | PE |  |  | after lunch |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pe=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«In», «on» and «at» are tricky prepositions of time.

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x5:1
# text = «In», «on» and «at» are tricky prepositions of time.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	In	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	prepositions	preposition	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  | tricky prepositions | time |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The book is between the two boxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x6:1
# text = The book is between the two boxes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	boxes	box	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the book |  |  |  |  | between the two boxes | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use a preposition to say where the treasure is hidden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x7:1
# text = Use a preposition to say where the treasure is hidden.
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	preposition	preposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	treasure	treasure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	hidden	hide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | a preposition |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent preposition=Patient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **hide** | present · passive |  | the treasure |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She walked across the bridge.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preposition:x8:1
# text = She walked across the bridge.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	across	across	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | past | She |  |  | the bridge |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across bridge=Trajectory |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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