What are Prepositional Verbs: Definition, Examples, Exercise

Prepositional verbs combine a verb with a preposition to create a unique meaning that often differs from the verb alone. These combinations are common in everyday English and are essential for clear, effective communication. Understanding how prepositional verbs work, along with examples and practice, can significantly enhance your grammar skills and boost your overall English language proficiency.

Definition of Prepositional Verbs

Prepositional verbs are a component of speech. In simple words, a verb + preposition, where the preposition is essential to the meaning of the verb. It is always followed by a noun or a pronoun object. 

In simple words, a prepositional verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition. When they are together, they have a different meaning.

(Structure= Verb+ Preposition + Object)

Also Read: All about Regular and Irregular Verbs

List of Some Common Prepositional Verbs 

Prepositional verbs are useful to try to remember because we use them frequently. Here are some common prepositions and verbs with their example and meanings: 

Prepositional Verbs	Examples
Believe in	She believes in hard work
Look at	He looked at the painting.
Listen to	Please listen to the teacher.
Laugh at	Don’t laugh at others.
Depend on	Success depends on effort.
Wait for	We are waiting for the bus.
Agree with	I agree with your opinion.
Care of	She cares for everybody.
Get on	Get on! The train is about to leave.
Pay for	Who will pay for the damage?
Rely on	You can rely on me.
Suffer from	He suffers from asthma.

Classification of Prepositional Verbs 

The prepositional verbs are divided into four categories. Note that each of these four categories applies to all of the cases. They are: 

1. Intransitive Prepositional Verbs: In this case, the verb does not require an object to complete its meaning. Even without an object, the sentence makes complete sense.

Structure: Verb + preposition ( no object) 

Example: ‘The old man passed away,’ in this sentence, ‘passed away’  is a prepositional verb, and the sentence is complete without an object.

2. Transitive Prepositional Verb: In this case, the verbs must be followed by an object. The sentence will be incomplete and unclear without an object.

Structure: Verb + Preposition + object

Example: ‘I was brought up by my grandparents.’ In this sentence, if you remove ‘grandparents.’ The sentence will be incomplete and unclear. ‘I was brought by…..’

3. Separable Prepositional Verbs: In this case, the verb and prepositions can be separated in a sentence, especially when a pronoun or object is involved. The meaning remains intact even when separated. 

Structure: Verb + Object + Preposition

Example: ‘Always put lights off when leave a room.’ In this sentence, you can also say ‘put off the lights’.  The verb (put) and preposition (off) are separable. 

4. Inseparable Prepositional Verbs: In this classification, the verbs and prepositions can not be separated. If you were to separate the sentence would be incomplete and meaningless. 

Structure: Verb + Preposition + Object ( Always together)

Example: ‘They all wake up at 5 am every morning.’ ‘Wake up’ cannot be separated like ‘wake the kids up’ (in that case, it would be a phrasal verb). 

Also Read: Types of Verbs: Definition, Examples, Verb Conjugation

How to Use Prepositional Verbs

To use a prepositional verb correctly, you must first learn the correct verb-preposition pair, for example, listen to, believe in, wait for, or apologise. After the prepositions, include the appropriate object. For example: ‘She listens to music’. In this sentence, ‘listen to’ is the prepositional verb, and ‘music’ is the object. 

Prepositions Verb	Object	Sentence example
listen to	music	She listens to music.

What is a Phrasal Verb

A phrasal verb is a completely new verbal phrase that is formed by combining a regular verb with an adverb or a preposition, known as the phrasal verb’s particle. Example: Give up, Turn on, Look after, etc. 

Structure: Verb + Adverb + Prepositions

Difference Between Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

Phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs both involve a verb filled by another word (often a preposition or adverb), but they differ in structure, meaning, and how they are used in a sentence. 

In simple terms, phrasal verbs often change the meaning of the main verb, while prepositional verbs maintain a clearer relationship between the verb and its object. 

Below is a clear structure that helps you to understand:

• Phrasal verb: Verb + Adverb or preposition ( Sometimes both)
• Prepositional verb: Verb + Preposition + Object.

Example:

Type	Verb Phrase	Meaning	Example
Phrasal Verb	Give Up	Quit	He gave up smoking.
Prepositional Verb	Listen to	Hear Attentively	I listen to music every day.

Also Read: 500+ Common Verbs in English That You Must Know!

Prepositional Verbs Exercise: Free Worksheet

Strengthen your grammar skills with this free prepositional verbs worksheet. Practice verb + preposition combinations through engaging exercises with answers included.

Part A: Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition

Choose from: at, in, for, on, to, about, with, of

1. He applied ___ a job at the bank.
2. We are waiting ___ the bus.
3. She is afraid ___ spiders.
4. I believe ___ hard work.
5. They complained ___ the noisy neighbors.
6. He succeeded ___ getting the promotion.
7. Please listen ___ the teacher.
8. She’s good ___ solving problems.

Answers:

1. for
2. for
3. of
4. in
5. about
6. in
7. to
8. at

FAQs 

Related Reads 

Verb Forms v1 v2 v3 v4 v5: Meaning, Examples	Verb Cheat Sheet: Types of Verbs Explained in Detail
Verb Exercise with Answers (Download Free PDF)	Regular and Irregular Verbs Exercises with Answers
Singular and Plural Verbs: Definition, Examples, Chart	Singular and Plural Verbs: Definition, Examples, Chart

We hope this blog on ‘What are Prepositional Verbs’  helped you improve your English skills. You can also follow the Learn English page of Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs related to English grammar and the English language.