Free Language Stuff

Preposition List

Basic Location

up, down, beside, above, at, behind, below, beside, by, in, in front of, off, on, out, outside, over, to, under

Later Developing Location

aboard, across, against, ahead of, along, among, around, beneath, between, beyond, into, near, onto, past, through, throughout, toward, underneath, upon, within

Relation

about, as, but, by, from, despite, except, for, like, of, to, with, without

Time

after, at, before, during, since, throughout, till, until, while

Basic Preposition Worksheets and Activities

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(1) (2)  (3) (4)(5) (6) (7)(8)

(1) Choose the Correct Prep Sentence 1 Doc PDF;     (2) Choose the Correct Prep Sentence 2 Doc PDF;     (3) Basic Preposition Worksheet 1 Doc PDF;     (4) Basic Preposition Worksheet 2 Doc PDF ;     (5) Preposition Pictures DocPDF;     (6) Sentence Search 1 Doc PDF;     (7) Sentence Search 2 Doc PDF; (8)Preposition Sentence Drop 1  Doc PDF

Preposition Bingo – Basic

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(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

(1) Basic Preposition Bingo Card 1 doc odt pdf ;     (2) Basic Preposition Bingo Card 2 doc odt pdf;     (3) Basic Preposition Bingo Card 3 doc odt pdf;     (4) Basic Preposition Bingo Card 4 doc odt pdf;     (5) Basic Preposition Pix 1 doc odt pdf;     (6) Basic Preposition Pix 2 doc odt pdf;     (7) Basic Preposition Pix 3 doc odt pdf

Preposition Bingo – Later Developing Prepositions

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(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)

(1) Later Developing Prepositions Bingo Card 1 doc odt pdf;     (2) Later Developing Prepositions Bingo Card 2 doc odt pdf;     (3) Later Developing Prepositions Bingo Card 3 doc odt pdf;     (4) Later Developing Prepositions Bingo Card 4 doc odt pdf;     (5) Later Developing Preposition Pix 1 doc odt pdf;     (6) Later Developing Preposition Pix 2 doc odt pdf;     (7) Later Developing Preposition Pix 3 doc odt pdf;     (8) Later Developing Preposition Pix 4 doc odt pdf

Contrast Cards

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(1)(2)(3)(4)

(1) Prepositions Above Below Doc PDF;     (2) Prepositions Around To Between From Doc PDF;     (3) Prepositions Behind In Front Doc PDF;     (4) Prepositions In On Doc

Prepositions Cards

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(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)

(1) Cards 1 Doc PDF;     (2) Cards 2 Doc PDF;     (3) Sentences 1 Doc PDF;     (4) Sentences 2 Doc PDF;     (5) Sentences 3 Doc PDF;     (6) Backs Doc PDF

Comprehension Strips

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(1)  (2) (3) (4) 

(1) Comprehension Strips – Basic Prepositions 1 Doc PDF;     (2) Comprehension Strips  – Basic Prepositions 2 Doc PDF;     (3) Comprehension Strips – Later Developing Prepositions 1 Doc PDF ;     (4) Comprehension Strips – Later Developing Prepositions 2 Doc PDF

Functional and other Preposition Activities

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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)(6) (7) (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)

(1) Battleshapes/Choices (2 pages) Doc PDF;     (2) Preposition Pictures/ Simon Says Doc PDF;     (3) Following Directions Doc PDF;      (4) Functional/Misc Activities Doc PDF;     (5) Scripts /Drill Doc PDF;     (6) Sentence Search Doc PDF; (7) Sentence Maze 1 Doc PDF;     (8) Sentence Maze 2 Doc PDF; (9) Sentence Maze 3 Doc PDF;      (10) Preposition Bullseye 1 Doc PDF; (11) Preposition Bullseye 2 Doc PDF; (12) Preposition Sentence Drop Doc PDF; (13) United States Prepositions Doc PDF

Background Information

Prepositions express relationships between two parts of a sentence. Some prepositions consist of more than one word. The words in these prepositions are typically inflexible, for example in spite of can’t be changed to “out spite of” (Crystal, 1995) Much of what is currently categorized under “basic concepts,” such as on the Bracken and CASL tests, actually are prepositions and adjectives.

Prepositions, and location prepositions in particular, have been studied somewhat extensively (Owens, 1996). From these studies, many presumptions about acquisition have been made. These include:

• Children often respond to the objects mentioned before the preposition used

• Interpretation of more difficult prepositions requires being able to adopt the perspective of the speaker.
• Terms that signal movement toward the speaker should be easier than their opposites.

Certain prepositions can be used to achieve similar, yet distinct, functions. At can be used for time (“Meet me at 3 o’clock.”), or location (“Meet me at the store.”). Studies with brain injured patients have indicated that these functions are performed in different areas of the brain (Kemmerer, 2005).

Much of the difficulty in learning any new word or linguistic concept is determined by two factors: 1) complexity of the relationship the word symbolizes, and 2) frequency of exposure. Prepositions provide a perfect example of how this is true. Between usually develops later than under, because it describes relationships among three items rather than two. Through develops later than above because it occurs less frequently in typical language.

Tests that assess prepositions include the SPELT-3, CELF-P2, TACL, Bracken, CASL, and the OWLS.

Elicitation Ideas

Preposition Goal Suggestions

George will identify objects and pictures upon hearing basic location prepositions; for example, “What is behind the tree?”

John will answer questions requiring varied location, relation, or time prepositions; for example, “Where is the rope?” or “When do you eat dessert?”

Thomas will use varied location, relation, or time prepositions in sentences; for example, “Use the word ‘without’ in a sentence.”