Advanced English Prepositions: 48 Essential Phrases with Examples
Prepositions are small words with a huge job: they connect nouns, pronouns, and phrases to reveal time, location, cause, and logical relationships. Advanced learners must go beyond "in, on, at" and master the multi-word phrases that make writing and speech sound natural. This guide covers 48 essential phrases across six categories. Search or filter below.
48 items · 6 topics
"at noon"
at exactly 12:00 midday
"The ceremony begins at noon sharp."
"on the eve of"
on the day or evening immediately before an event
"He resigned on the eve of the election."
"by the end of"
no later than the conclusion of a period
"Please submit the report by the end of the week."
"within three days"
before three days have passed
"The package will arrive within three days."
"in the course of"
during the process or progress of
"Several problems emerged in the course of the investigation."
"throughout the year"
during every part of the entire year
"The museum is open throughout the year."
"prior to departure"
before leaving
"All passengers must check in prior to departure."
"as of Monday"
starting from Monday and continuing forward
"As of Monday, the new policy will be in effect."
"adjacent to"
next to and sharing a boundary with
"The hotel is adjacent to the conference centre."
"in the vicinity of"
in the area surrounding; near
"There are several good restaurants in the vicinity of the station."
"on the outskirts of"
on the outer edge or border of a city or area
"They built a new factory on the outskirts of town."
"beneath the surface"
below the top layer or visible level
"Valuable minerals lie beneath the surface of the earth."
"across from"
directly on the other side from
"The café is directly across from the library."
"amid the crowd"
surrounded by or in the middle of a group
"She spotted her friend amid the crowd at the festival."
"beyond the border"
on the far side of the boundary
"Conditions beyond the border were difficult to assess."
"at the junction of"
at the point where two things meet or cross
"Turn left at the junction of Oak Street and Fifth Avenue."
"due to bad weather"
because of bad weather; caused by it
"The flight was cancelled due to bad weather."
"owing to the delay"
as a result of the delay
"Owing to the delay, we missed the connecting train."
"on account of"
because of; as a consequence of
"On account of his illness, he was absent from work."
"for the sake of"
in order to benefit or preserve something
"She held her tongue for the sake of family peace."
"in light of"
taking this information or situation into consideration
"In light of the new evidence, the verdict was overturned."
"out of curiosity"
motivated by a desire to know or learn
"Out of curiosity, she opened the old diary."
"by virtue of"
because of a particular quality, position, or achievement
"He gained entry by virtue of his diplomatic passport."
"as a result of"
because of; following directly from
"As a result of the merger, two hundred jobs were lost."
"by means of"
using something as a method or tool
"He escaped by means of a rope ladder."
"in accordance with"
following the rules, wishes, or instructions of
"The contract was drafted in accordance with local law."
"with great care"
using a high level of attention and precision
"She packed the paintings with great care."
"via satellite"
using a satellite as the medium of transmission
"The broadcast was transmitted via satellite."
"on foot"
by walking rather than using transport
"We explored the old town on foot."
"in writing"
expressed or communicated through written words
"All complaints must be submitted in writing."
"through negotiation"
by the process of discussing and reaching agreement
"The dispute was settled through negotiation."
"at a glance"
with a single quick look; immediately and easily
"You can see the key statistics at a glance."
"in terms of"
with regard to a particular aspect or quality
"In terms of cost, the second option is better."
"with respect to"
regarding; in relation to
"I have a question with respect to the deadline."
"apart from"
except for; in addition to
"Apart from a minor delay, the trip went smoothly."
"in spite of"
without being affected by; despite
"In spite of the rain, they continued the outdoor concert."
"regardless of"
without being influenced by; no matter what
"Regardless of the outcome, we gave our best effort."
"in favour of"
in support of; preferring
"The committee voted in favour of the proposal."
"in contrast to"
compared to something to highlight a difference
"In contrast to last year, profits have risen sharply."
"on behalf of"
as a representative of; in the interest of
"I am writing on behalf of the entire team."
"in the wake of"
as a consequence of; following closely after
"Security was tightened in the wake of the incident."
"at the expense of"
causing harm or loss to something else
"Speed was prioritised at the expense of quality."
"in exchange for"
as a trade or replacement for something
"She tutored him in exchange for free accommodation."
"on the verge of"
very close to doing or experiencing something
"The company is on the verge of bankruptcy."
"in the absence of"
when something or someone is not present or available
"In the absence of clear guidelines, confusion arose."
"at the mercy of"
having no power against; completely dependent on
"The small boat was at the mercy of the waves."
"in the midst of"
in the middle of; surrounded by
"He answered the phone in the midst of an argument."
"on the grounds of"
because of; citing as justification
"The case was dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence."
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a preposition "advanced" in English?
Basic prepositions (in, on, at, to, for) cover simple time and place. Advanced prepositions are multi-word phrases like "in the wake of", "on the grounds of", or "by virtue of" — they carry nuanced logical meanings and appear heavily in academic writing, journalism, and professional speech. Mastering them is the difference between sounding competent and sounding native.
What is the difference between "due to" and "owing to"?
Both express cause, but "due to" traditionally follows a linking verb and modifies a noun ("The delay was due to fog"). "Owing to" traditionally introduces an adverbial phrase modifying a verb ("Owing to fog, the flight was delayed"). In modern usage, many native speakers treat them as interchangeable, though formal writing still distinguishes them.
How do I learn prepositional phrases efficiently?
The most effective method is exposure through real input. Rather than memorising lists, read English newspapers and listen to podcasts, and notice how prepositional phrases cluster around specific nouns and verbs. For example, "on the verge of" almost always precedes a crisis, collapse, or breakthrough. Noticing these collocations accelerates retention far better than flashcards.
Why do native English speakers sometimes skip prepositions?
Informal English often drops prepositions in fixed expressions or uses them differently from formal rules. For instance, "I'll call you Monday" instead of "on Monday" is common in American English. "Where are you at?" replaces "Where are you?" in some dialects. These are natural reductions in casual speech, not errors — but they are context-specific and should not be used in formal writing.
Can a sentence end with a preposition?
Yes. The "rule" against ending a sentence with a preposition is a prescriptive myth that dates to 17th-century grammarians who modelled English on Latin. Native speakers naturally say "What are you looking for?" and "This is the hotel I stayed at." Forcing unnatural word orders like "For what are you looking?" sounds stilted and is considered poor style by most modern editors.
Listening to authentic English is the fastest way to make advanced prepositions feel instinctive.
Hear prepositions in real English conversations →