This is a list of English prepositions. Prototypical prepositions The following are single-word prepositions that can take a noun phrase complement following the preposition. Prepositions in this section may also take other kinds of complements in addition to noun phrase complements. Prepositions marked with an asterisk can be used transitively or intransitively; that is, they can take noun phrase complements (e.g., he was in the house) or not (e.g., he was in). a aboard* about* abt. (written abbreviation) above* abreast absent across* after* against* along* aloft* alongside* amid amidst mid midst among amongst anti apropos* around* round* as aslant astride at @ (written alternative) atop ontop (nonstandard) bar barring before* B4 (written abbreviation) behind* below* beneath* neath beside besides* between* 'tween beyond* but by* chez circa c., ca. (abbreviations) come concerning contra counting cum despite spite (abbreviation) down* during effective ere except excepting excluding failing following for 4 (abbreviation) from in* including inside* into less like minus modulo mod (abbreviation) near* nearer (comparative) nearest (superlative) next notwithstanding* (also postpositional) of o' (written alternative; informal) off* offshore on* onto opposite out outside* over* o'er pace past* pending per plus post pre pro qua re regarding respecting sans save saving short since* sub than through* thru (informal) throughout* thruout (simplified spelling) till times to* t' (abbreviation) 2 (abbreviation) touching (archaic) toward, towards under* underneath* unlike until unto (poetic) up* upon versus vs., v. (abbreviations) via vice (formal) vis-à-vis (formal) wanting with w/, w. (abbreviation) c̄ (abbreviation in prescriptions) within* w/i (abbreviation) without* 'thout w/o (abbreviation) Intransitive prepositions The following are single-word intransitive prepositions. This portion of the list includes only prepositions that are always intransitive; prepositions that can occur with or without noun phrase complements (that is, transitively or intransitively) are listed with the prototypical prepositions. Note that dictionaries and grammars informed by concepts from traditional grammar may categorize these intransitive prepositions as adverbs. abroad adrift aft afterward(s) ahead apart ashore aside away back backward(s) beforehand downhill downstage downstairs downstream downward(s) downwind east eastward(s) forth forward(s) heavenward(s) hence henceforth here hereby herein hereof hereto herewith home homeward(s) indoors inward(s) leftward(s) north northeast northward(s) northwest now onward(s) outdoors outward(s) overboard overhead overland overseas rightward(s) seaward(s) skyward(s) south southeast southward(s) southwest then thence thenceforth there thereby therein thereof thereto therewith together underfoot underground uphill upstage upstairs upstream upward(s) upwind west westward(s) when whence where whereby wherein whereto wherewith Conjunctive prepositions The following are single-word