4.1 Prep Phrases & Idiom
4.1 Prep Phrases & Idiom
4.1 Prep Phrases & Idiom
Prepositional Phrases
Most prepositions are direction/position words. Here's a list of common prepositions:
aboard about above across after against along amid among around
Now do you have to memorize these? Certainly not. Just familiarize yourself, especially with
the bolded ones. Some words are prepositions in some cases and something else in others.
Just remember that a preposition almost always has a noun following it. Take a look at
these two sentences:
Throughout the living room was the scent of fatty crabs that had expired weeks ago.
I put my sister on the diet after it worked so well for me.
The preposition + noun combinations are underlined. These preposition and noun
combinations are called prepositional phrases.
If you think a word is a preposition and there's a noun following it, chances are it's a
preposition. Even if it's not, don't worry about being 100% on which words are prepositions;
the SAT doesn't test you on them directly. For example, after it is not a prepositional phrase
in the second sentence because it's part of a larger phrase—after it worked so well. If the
sentence were After school, I put my sister on a diet, then After would act as a preposition.
But again, as long as you get the general idea, you'll be fine. This just helps you later when
you learn about subject verb agreement.
Here's the most important takeaway: prepositional phrases are not essential to the
sentence they're in. While they may supply important details, sentences can stand alone
grammatically without them (there will still be a subject and a verb).
Prepositions indicate position, either in terms of location or time. They are
always followed by nouns or pronouns.
In the above sentence, the phrase a familiarity always requires the preposition with;
any other preposition is incorrect.
A fixed phrase such as a familiarity with is known as an idiom. Idioms are not
correct or incorrect for any logical reason; they simply reflect the fact that certain
phrases have evolved to be considered standard usage.
On the SAT, a preposition may also The students have been criticizing
appear where none is necessary. about the administration’s decision to
Incorrect: begin classes half an hour earlier on
most days.
Correct: The students have been criticizing
the administration’s decision to begin
classes half an hour earlier on most
days.
In addition, when a sentence contains two verbs that require different prepositions, a
separate preposition must follow each verb. Very occasionally, the SAT will omit one of the
prepositions.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
Wrong: The company was accused to donate millions of dollars to the President's
campaign.
Correct: The company was accused of donating millions of dollars to the President's
campaign.
There's no rhyme or reason behind these phrases and the right preposition can
depend on the meaning of the sentence. Some are downright obvious because they
sound so unnatural but some can be tough to spot, especially if you haven't
encountered the idiom before. Practice will expose you to the most common ones,
but sometimes, you'll have no choice but to rely on your instincts. Fortunately, the
new SAT won't go out of its way to test you on obscure idioms.