Complex Prepositions

Listed below are complex prepositions, which contain more than one word. Let us memorize the following:

according to
across from
alongside of
along with
apart from
aside from
away from
because of
by means of
down from
except for
from among
from between
from under
in addition to

in behalf of
in front of
in place of
in regard to
in spite of
inside of
next to
on account of
on behalf of
on top of
outside of
over to
owing to
prior to
round about

Examples 1

Underline each complex preposition in sentences a-d.

  1. According to Mrs. Haroon, the neighbor who lived next to her mansion moved away from Smudgeville because of the smog.
  2. On behalf of the PTA, Mrs. Haroon stood next to the podium in front of the crowd in place of the president and presented me my plaque along with a trophy on account of all my hard work.
  3. According to Article II of the Constitution, and prior to the Twenty-second Amendment, the President had no term limits.
  4. The Electoral College elects the President on behalf of the American people.

Solutions

  1. According to Mrs. Haroon, the neighbor who lived next to her mansion moved away from Smudgeville because of the smog.
  2. On behalf of the PTA, Mrs. Haroon stood next to the podium in front of the crowd in place of the president and presented me my plaque along with a trophy on account of all my hard work.
  3. According to Article II of the Constitution, and prior to the Twenty-second Amendment, the President had no term limits.
  4. The Electoral College elects the President on behalf of the American people.

Examples 2

Write each complex preposition from the sentences below.

  1. Prior to Matt's departure, he sang a solo in front of everybody.
  2. Along with several dust balls, a mouse appeared from under the sofa.
  3. It ran away from me, but I captured it by means of a pillowcase.
  4. On account of the mice, Mom wants a cat in spite of her allergies.
  5. Izzy has a cat in addition to her three dogs.
  6. Because of the rain, my neighbor put a blue tarp on top of his roof.

Solutions

  1. Prior to, in front of
  2. Along with, from under
  3. away from, by means of
  4. On account of, in spite of
  5. in addition to
  6. Because of, on top of