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Compound Prepositions
Compound Prepositions
What is a compound preposition?
A compound preposition combines a non-prepositional word with two or more simple prepositions, usually before the noun, pronoun, adjective, or adverb.
How is a compound preposition formed?
You simply combine two or three words.
Two-word prepositions: an adjective, adverb, or pronoun followed by a simple preposition
Example: Her room was not tidy aside from the table.
You needed to go right instead of left at the fork in the road.
Three-word prepositions: a preposition, then a noun or article, then another simple preposition.
Example: As far as she could tell, she had painted the entire wall.
The dog sat in front of the cat.
What are common compound prepositions?
The following are the most common compound prepositions:
| Two-word Compound Prepositions | Three-word Compound Prepositions |
|---|---|
| according to | as far as |
| affection for | as well as |
| ahead of | by means of |
| along with | by virtue of |
| alternate with | by way of |
| apart from | during the course of |
| as for | in accordance with |
| as of | in addition to |
| as to | in case of |
| aside from | in conjunction with |
| because of | in excess of |
| contrary to | in favor of |
| due to | in front of |
| except for | in lieu of |
| in between | in line with |
| instead of | in order to |
| next to | in place of |
| out of | in receipt of |
| out from | in regards to |
| outside of | in relation to |
| owing to | in spite of |
| prior to | in terms of |
| pursuant to | on account of |
| rather than | on behalf of |
| regardless of | on top of |
| relating to | with respect to |
| similar to | with regard to |
| subsequent to | with reference to |
| with relation to |
TIP! Compound prepositions are often wordy and may sound outdated. It is often best to reword them to be more concise with your meaning and writing style.
