The List of Adjectives is Something of Wonder

The list of adjectives is something of wonder. Behold the modest adjective. It can leap tall buildings in a single bound. It makes the average citizen smarter and kinder. It keeps you in the cleanest car on the block. Such potent words should be used wisely. Read on and learn how to use your adjective powers for good.

An adjective's job is to modify a noun or pronoun. They are always near the noun or pronoun they are describing. Be careful how you use adjectives such as interesting, beautiful, great, wonderful, or exciting. Many adjectives like these are overused and add little definition to a sentence. Instead, show your reader or listener what you are talking about by using verbs and nouns creatively. Sprinkle fewer well-chosen adjectives for interest.

Adjectives are often used to describe the degree of modification.

The adjective forms are positive, comparative, and superlative.

This tree is tall. (positive)That tree is taller. (comparative)The last tree in the row is the tallest. (superlative)

A handful of adjectives have irregular forms of positive, comparative, and superlative usage.

These include good/better/best, bad/worse/worst, little/less/least, much-many-some/more/most, far/further/furthest.

My lunch was good, hers was better, and yours was the best.

Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns. They commonly describe something in terms of nationality, religious affiliation, or culture. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives have their first letter capitalized. Some examples of proper adjectives include:

AmericanFrenchJapaneseLatinoAsianAustralianCatholicLutheranJewish

The following lists are just a sampling of adjectives in the English language. They are categorized by the type of attribute they describe. Use your dictionary or thesaurus to add to each list or use the complete list below this one.

Appearance Adjectives

adorable

Color Adjectives

redorange

Condition Adjectives

alive

Feelings (Bad) Adjectives

angry

beautifulcleandrabelegantfancyglamoroushandsomelongmagnificentold-fashionedplainquaintsparklingugliestunsightlywide-eyed

yellowgreenbluepurplegrayblackwhite

bettercarefulcleverdeadeasyfamousgiftedhelpfulimportantinexpensivemushyoddpowerfulrichshytenderuninterestedvastwrong.

bewilderedclumsydefeatedembarrassedfiercegrumpyhelplessitchyjealouslazymysteriousnervousobnoxiouspanickyrepulsivescarythoughtlessuptightworried

Feelings (Good) Adjectives

agreeablebravecalmdelightfuleagerfaithfulgentlehappyjollykindlivelyniceobedientproudrelievedsillythankfulvictoriouswittyzealous

Shape Adjectives

broadchubbycrookedcurveddeepflathighhollowlownarrowroundshallowskinnysquaresteepstraightwide.

Size Adjectives

bigcolossalfatgiganticgreathugeimmenselargelittlemammothmassiveminiaturepetitepunyscrawnyshortsmalltallteenyteeny-tinytiny

Sound Adjectives

cooingdeafeningfainthissingloudmelodicnoisypurringquietraspyscreechingthunderingvoicelesswhispering

Time Adjectives

ancient

Taste/Touch Adjectives

Touch Adjectives

Quantity Adjectives

briefearlyfastlatelongmodernoldold-fashionedquickrapidshortslowswiftyoung

bitterdeliciousfreshgreasyjuicyhoticyloosemeltednutritiouspricklyrainyrottensaltystickystrongsweettarttastelessunevenweakwetwoodenyummy

boilingbreezebrokenbumpychillycoldcoolcreepycrookedcuddlycurlydamageddampdirtydrydustyfilthyflakyfluffyfreezinghotwarmwet

abundantemptyfewfullheavylightmanynumeroussparsesubstantial

Why do you need a list of adjectives? Adjectives can turn the ordinary in to the extraordinary. When used properly, they can add vivid interest to your conversation or written communication. However, there can be too much of a good thing. Please keep your adjectives effective by choosing them wisely.

Comprehensive List of Adjectives

A

aback abaft abandoned abashed aberrant abhorrent abiding

B

bad barbarous bashful bawdy beautiful befitting belligerent

C

cageycalculatingcallous calm capable capricious careful

D

daffy daily damaged damaging damp dangerous dapper

E

eager earlyearsplitting earthy easy eatable economic

abject ablaze ableabnormal aboard aboriginal abortive abounding abrasive abrupt absent absorbed absorbing abstracted absurd abundantabusive acceptable accessible accidental accurate acidacidicacoustic acrid actually ad hoc adamant adaptable addicted adhesive adjoining adorable adventurousafraid aggressiveagonizing agreeable ahead ajaralcoholic alert alike alive alleged alluring aloof amazingambiguous

beneficialbentberserk bestbetterbewildered bigbillowy bite-sizedbitterbizarre blackblack-and-whitebloody blueblue-eyed blushing boiling boorish bored boring bouncyboundless brainy brash brave brawny breakable breezy briefbright bright broad broken brownbumpy burly bustlingbusy

carelesscaringcautious ceaseless certainchangeable charming cheapcheerful chemicalchiefchildlike chilly chivalrous chubby chunky clammy classy clean clear clever cloistered cloudy closedclumsyclutteredcoherent cold colorful colossal combative comfortable commoncompletecomplexconcerned condemned confused consciouscooing cool cooperative coordinatedcourageous cowardly crabby craven crazy creepy

dark dashing dazzlingdead deadpan deafening deardebonair decisive decorous deep deeply defeated defective defiant delicatedeliciousdelightful demonic deliriousdependentdepressed deranged descriptivedeserteddetailed determined devilish didactic different difficult diligent direful dirty disagreeable disastrousdiscreet disgusted disgustingdisillusioned dispensable distinct disturbed divergent dizzydomineering doubtful drab draconian

educated efficacious efficient eight elasticelated elderlyelectricelegant elfin elite embarrassed eminent emptyenchantedenchanting encouraging endurable energetic enormous entertaining enthusiastic envious equable equalerect erratic ethereal evanescent evasive evenexcellentexcited excitingexclusive exotic expensive extra-largeextra-smallexuberant exultant

ambitious amuck amusedamusingancient angry animated annoyed annoyinganxious apathetic aquatic aromatic arrogant ashamedaspiring assorted astonishing attractiveauspicious automaticavailable average awakeaware awesomeawful axiomatic

crooked crowded cruel cuddly cultured cumbersomecurious curly curved curvycutcute cutecynical

dramatic drearydrunk dry dull dusty dustydynamic dysfunctional

F

fabulous faded faintfair faithful fallacious falsefamiliarfamous fanatical fancy fantastic farfar-flungfascinated

G

gabby gainful gamy gaping garrulous gaudy generalgentle giant giddy giftedgigantic glamorous gleaming glib

H

habitual half hallowed halting handsome handsomely handyhanginghapless happy hardhard-to-findharmonious harsh hateful

I

icky icyidiotic ignorantill illegal ill-fatedill-informedillustrious imaginary immenseimminent impartial imperfect impolite

J

jaded jagged jazzy jealous jittery jobless jolly joyous judicious juicyjumbled jumpyjuvenile

fast fatfaulty fearfulfearless feeblefeigned femalefertile festive fewfierce filthy fine finicky firstfivefixedflagrant flaky flashy flat flawless flimsyflippant flowery fluffy flutteringfoamy foolish foregoing forgetful fortunate fourfrail fragile frantic freefreezingfrequentfreshfretful friendly frightenedfrighteningfullfumblingfunctional funny

glisteningglorious glossy godly good goofy gorgeous graceful grandiose gratefulgratis graygreasygreat greedy greengreygrieving groovy grotesque grouchy grubbygruesome grumpy guarded guiltless gulliblegusty guttural

heady healthy heartbreaking

heavenlyheavyhellish helpful helpless hesitant hideoushigh highfalutin high-pitched hilarious hissing historical holistic hollow homeless homely honorable horrible hospitable hothuge hulking humdrum humorous hungry hurried hurt hushed husky hypnotic hysterical

important imported impossible incandescent incompetent inconclusive industrious incredibleinexpensiveinfamousinnate innocent inquisitive insidiousinstinctive intelligentinterestinginternal invincible irate irritatingitchy

furryfurtive futurefuturistic fuzzy

K

kaput keenkind kindhearted kindlyknotty knowing knowledgeable known

L

labored lackadaisical lacking lamelamentable languid largelastlatelaughable lavish lazyleanlearned leftlegal lethal level lewd light likelikeable limpingliterate little lively lively livinglonely longlonging long-termlooselopsided loud loutish lovely loving

M

macabre macho maddening madly magentamagical magnificentmajestic makeshift malemalicious mammoth maniacal manymarked massive marriedmarvelousmaterialmaterialistic mature mean measly meatymedicalmeekmellowmelodic meltedmerciful mere messymightymilitarymilkymindless miniature minor

N

naive nappy narrow nasty naturalnaughty nauseating nearneatnebulous necessaryneedless needy neighborly nervous new nextnicenifty nimbleninenippynoiseless noisy nonchalant nondescript nonstop normalnostalgic nosynoxious null numberless numerousnutritious nutty

O

oafish obedient obeisant obeseobnoxious obscene obsequious observant obsolete obtainable oceanic oddoffbeat oldold-fashionedomniscient one onerous open oppositeoptimal orangeordinaryorganic ossified outgoingoutrageous outstanding oval overconfident overjoyed overrated overt overwrought

low lowly lucky ludicrous lumpylush luxuriant lying lyrical

miscreant misty mixedmoaning modern moldy momentous motionless mountainousmuddled mundanemurkymushymute mysterious

P

painful painstaking palepaltrypanicky panoramic parallelparched parsimonious pastpastoral pathetic peaceful penitent perfect periodic permissible perpetual petite petite phobic physicalpicayunepink piquant placid

Q

quack quaint quarrelsome questionable quickquickestquietquirkyquixotic quizzical

R

rabid racial ragged rainyrambunctious

rampant rapidrareraspy ratty readyreal rebel receptive recondite redredundant reflective regularrelieved remarkablereminiscent repulsive resolute resonant

S

sable sadsafesaltysamesassy satisfying savory scandalous scarce scaredscary scatteredscientific scintillating scrawnyscreeching secondsecond-handsecretsecretive sedate seemly selective selfish separate

T

taboo tacit tacky talentedtalltame tantangible tangy tarttasteful tastelesstastytawdry tearful tediousteenyteeny-tinytelling temporary ten tendertense tensetenuous terrible

plain plant plasticplausible pleasant plucky pointless poised politepolitical poorpossessive possiblepowerfulprecious premium presentpretty previouspriceyprickly privateprobable productive profuse protective proud psychedelic psychotic publicpuffy pumped puny purple purring pushypuzzledpuzzling

responsiblerhetorical richrightrighteous rightful rigidriperitzy roasted robust romantic roomy rottenroughround royal ruddy ruderural rustic ruthless

seriousshaggyshakyshallow sharpshinyshiveringshocking short shrill shutshy sicksilent silentsilkysilly simplesimplisticsincere six skillful skinny sleepy slimslimyslipperysloppy slowsmallsmartsmelly smiling smoggy smoothsneaky snobbish snotty soft soggy solidsomber sophisticatedsordid sore soresoursparkling special

terrifictested testythankfultherapeutic thickthinthinkable thirdthirstythirstythoughtful thoughtless threateningthree thundering tidytight tightfisted tinytired tiresome toothsome torpid toughtowering tranquil trashy tremendoustrickytrite troubled truculent truetruthfultwotypical

spectacular spicyspiffyspikyspiritual spitefulsplendid spooky spotless spottedspottyspurious squalid square squealing squeamish staking stalestanding statuesque steadfast steadysteep stereotyped stickystiffstimulating stingystormystraight strange stripedstrongstupendousstupid sturdysubdued subsequent substantialsuccessful succinct suddensulky super superbsuperficialsupreme swanky sweet

sweltering swiftsymptomatic synonymous

U

ubiquitous ugliestugly ultra unable unaccountable unadvised unarmed unbecoming unbiased uncovered understood undesirable unequalunequaled unevenunhealthyuninterested uniqueunkemptunknownunnaturalunrulyunsightly unsuitable untidyunusedunusual unwieldyunwrittenupbeat uppity upset uptight used usefuluselessutopian

V

vacuous vagabond vague valuablevarious vastvengeful venomous verdant versed victorious vigorous violentvioletvivacious voiceless volatile voracious vulgar

W

wacky waggish waitingwakeful wandering wanting warlike warmwary wasteful wateryweakwealthyweary well-groomedwell-madewell-offwell-to-dowetwhimsical whispering whitewholewholesale wicked wide wide-eyedwigglywild willing windywiry wise wistful witty woebegone womanly wonderful

Y

yellow yielding youngyouthful yummy

Z

zany zealous zestyzippy zonked

utter uttermost

woodenwoozy workable worried worthless wrathful wretched wrongwry

List of Nouns

Using a list of nouns when children are beginning to read is helpful in making teaching easier. Nouns are one of the first parts of speech that children learn when they begin to read. Use the following list of nouns for each age group to help your child learn about the ideas things, people and places that surround them.

Kinds of Nouns in the English LanguageNouns have different types or classes. There are proper and common nouns, noncount and count nounts, collective nouns, and concrete and abstract nouns.

Even though there are different kinds of nouns, a noun can fall into more than one class.

An example of this would be: Kathleen dated three different Davids in college. Davids in that sentence would fall into the classes of proper, count and concrete.

To further explain the kinds of nouns, you can use this guide and remember that the lists of nouns below contain all of these types :

KINDS OF NOUNS

Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

Proper nouns are nouns that represent a unique entity (like a specific person or a specific place).

Common nouns which describe an entire group of entities (examples would be the nouns village or women).

Proper nouns as a general rule are capitalized in the English language. Common nouns as a general rule are not capitalized.

Sometimes the same word can function as both a common noun and a proper noun, where one such entity is special. For example the common noun god refers to all deities, while the proper noun God specifically refers to the monotheistic God.

Countable and Uncountable or Noncount Nouns

Countable nouns are common nouns that can become a plural. They can combine with exact numbers (even one, as a singular) or indefinite numbers (like "a" or "an").

Uncountable (or noncount) nouns are different from by the simple fact that  they can't become plural or combine with number words. Examples from English include "indigestion" and "furniture".

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns name groups consisting of more than one individual or entity. The group is a single unit, but it has more than one member. Examples include "family", "committee", "corporation","faculty", "army", and "school".

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns

Concrete nouns refer to their ability to register on your five senses. If you can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel the item, it's a concrete noun.

Abstract nouns on the other hand refer to abstract objects such as ideas or concepts, like the nouns "politeness" or "hatefulness".

Possessive Nouns

A possessive noun is a noun that names who or what has something. The possessive form is used with nouns referring to people, groups of people, countries, and animals.

It also refers to where someone works or plays or spends their time.

Add an apostrophe and s ('s) to form the possessive of most singular nouns (ex. Bob's jacket, the cat's tail, Steven King's books).

Add an apostrophe (') to form the possessive of plural nouns that end with s (ex. retailers' stores, soldiers' weapons, Americans' banks).

Add an apostrophe and s ('s) to form the possessive of plural nouns that do not end with s (ex. geese's nest, children's toys, women's dresses).

Common Nouns by Grade Level

Kindergarten

ballbatbedbookboybuncancakecapcarcatcowcubcupdaddaydogdolldustfanfeetgirlgunhallhathenjarkitemanmapmenmompanpetpiepigpotratsonsuntoe

1st Grade

applearmbananabikebirdbookchinclamclasscloverclubcorncrayoncrowcrowncrowdcribdeskdimedirtdressfang fieldflagflowerfoggameheathillhomehornhosejokejuicekitelakemaidmaskmicemilkmint

2nd Grade

alarmanimalauntbaitballoonbathbeadbeambeanbedroombootbreadbrickbrothercampchickenchildrencrookdeerdockdoctordowntowndrumdusteyefamilyfatherfightfleshfoodfroggoosegradegrandfathergrandmothergrapegrasshookhorsejailjam

3rd Grade

actorairplaneairportarmybaseballbeefbirthdayboybrushbushesbutter castcavecentcherriescherrycobwebcoilcrackerdinnereggnogelbowfacefiremanflavorgateglovegluegoldfishgoosegrainhairhaircuthobbiesholidayhotjellyfishladybugmailboxnumberoatmeal

4th Grade

adviceangeranswerapplearithmeticbadgebasketbasketballbattlebeastbeetlebeggarbrainbranchbubblebucketcactuscannoncattlecelerycellarclothcoachcoastcratecreamdaughterdonkeydrugearthquakefeastfifthfingerflockframefurnituregeeseghostgiraffegovernorhoney

5th Grade

ableachieveacousticsactionactivityaftermathafternoonafterthoughtapparelappliancebeginnerbelievebombborderboundarybreakfastcabbagecablecalculatorcalendarcaptioncarpentercemeterychannelcirclecreatorcreatureeducationfaucetfeatherfrictionfruitfuelgalleyguideguitarhealthheartideakittenlaborer

tubvan

mealmeatmoonmothermorningnamenestnosepearpenpencilplantrainriverroadrockroomroseseedshapeshoeshopshowsinksnailsnakesnowsodasofastarstepstewstovestrawstringsummerswingtabletankteamtenttesttoestreevestwaterwingwinter

kisskittenlightloaflocklunchlunchroommealmothernotebookowlpailparentparkplotrabbitrakerobinsacksailscaleseasistersoapsongsparkspacespoonspotspysummertigertoadtowntrailtramptraytricktripunclevasewinterwaterweekwheelwishwoolyard

pailpancakepearpestpopcornqueenquicksandquietquiltrainstormscarecrowscarfstreamstreetsugarthronetoothpastetwigvolleyballwoodwrench

hopehydranticicleincomeislandjeansjudgelacelamplettucemarblemonthnorthoceanpatchplaneplaygroundpoisonriddleriflescaleseashoresheetsidewalkskateslavesleetsmokestagestationthrillthroatthronetitletoothbrushturkeyunderwearvacationvegetablevisitorvoyageyear

languagelawyerlinenlocketlumbermagicministermittenmoneymountainmusicpartnerpassengerpicklepictureplantationplasticpleasurepocketpolicepollutionrailwayrecessrewardroutescenescentsquirrelstrangersuitsweatertemperterritorytexturethreadtreatmentveilveinvolcanowealthweatherwildernesswrenwristwriter

womanwomen

zebra

List of Common Nouns for Various Ages

A

accountachieveracousticsactactionactivityactoradditionadjustmentadvertisementadviceaftermathafternoonafterthoughtagreementairairplaneairportalarmamountamusementangerangleanimal answerantants apparatusapparelappleapples appliance

B

babies baby backbadgebagbaitbalanceballballoonballs bananabandbasebaseballbasinbasketbasketballbatbathbattlebeadbeambeanbearbears beastbedbedroombeds beebeefbeetle

C

cabbagecablecactuscakecakes calculatorcalendarcameracampcancannoncanvascapcaptioncar cardcarecarpentercarriagecars cartcastcatcats cattlecausecavecelerycellarcemeterycentchain

D

daddaughterdaydeathdebtdecisiondeerdegreedesigndesiredeskdestructiondetaildevelopmentdigestiondimedinnerdinosaurs directiondirtdiscoverydiscussiondiseasedisgustdistancedistributiondivisiondockdoctordogdogs doll

E

earearthearthquakeedgeeducationeffecteggeggnogeggs elbowendengineerroreventexampleexchangeexistenceexpansionexperienceexperteyeeyes

approvalarchargumentarithmeticarmarmyartattackattemptattentionattractionauntauthority

beggarbeginnerbehaviorbeliefbelievebellbells berrybikebikes birdbirds birthbirthdaybitbitebladebloodblowboardboatboats bodybombbonebookbooks bootborderbottleboundaryboxboyboys brainbrakebranchbrassbreadbreakfastbreathbrickbridgebrother

chair chairs chalkchancechangechannelcheesecherriescherrychesschicken chickens childrenchinchurchcircleclamclassclockclocks clothcloudclouds cloverclubcoachcoalcoastcoatcobwebcoilcollarcolorcombcomfortcommitteecompanycomparisoncompetitionconditionconnectioncontrolcookcopper

dolls donkeydoordowntowndraindrawerdressdrinkdrivingdropdrugdrumduck ducks dust

brothers brushbubblebucketbuildingbulbbunburnburstbushesbusinessbutterbutton

copycordcorkcorn coughcountrycovercowcows crackcrackercratecrayoncreamcreatorcreaturecreditcribcrimecrookcrowcrowdcrowncrushcrycubcupcurrentcurtaincurvecushion

F

facefactfairies fallfamilyfanfang farmfarmer father

G

alleygamegardengategeeseghostgiants giraffegirlgirls

H

hairhaircuthallhammerhandhands harborharmonyhathate

I

iceicicleideaimpulseincomeincreaseindustryinkinsectinstrument

J

jailjamjarjeansjellyjellyfishjeweljoinjokejourney

fatherfaucetfearfeastfeatherfeelingfeetfictionfieldfifthfightfingerfingerfire firemanfishflagflameflavorfleshflightflockfloorflowerflowers flyfogfoldfoodfootforceforkformfowlframefrictionfriendfriends frogfrogs frontfruitfuelfurniture

glassglovegluegoatgoldgoldfishgood-bye goosegovernmentgovernorgradegraingrandfathergrandmothergrapegrassgripgroundgroupgrowthguideguitargun

headhealthhearingheartheathelphenhill historyhobbiesholeholidayhome honeyhookhopehornhorsehorses hosehospitalhothourhousehouses humorhydrant

insuranceinterestinventionironisland

judgejuicejump

K

kettlekeykickkisskitekittenkittens kitty kneeknifeknotknowledge

L

laborerlaceladybuglakelamplandlanguagelaughlawyerleadleaflearningleatherleg legsletterletters lettucelevellibraryliftlightlimitlinelinenlipliquidlistlizards loaflocklocketlooklosslovelowlumberlunchlunchroom

M

machinemagicmaidmailboxmanmanagermapmarblemarkmarketmaskmassmatchmealmeasuremeatmeetingmemorymenmetalmice middlemilkmindmineministermintminutemistmittenmommoneymonkeymonthmoonmorningmothermotionmountainmouthmovemuscle

N

nailnamenationneckneedneedlenervenest netnewsnightnoisenorthnosenotenotebooknumbernut

O

oatmealobservationoceanofferofficeoiloperationopinionorangeoranges orderorganizationornamentovenowlowner

music

P

pagepailpainpaintpanpancakepaperparcelparentparkpartpartnerpartypassengerpastepatchpaymentpeacepearpenpencilpersonpestpetpets picklepicturepiepies pigpigs pinpipepizzas placeplaneplanes plantplantationplants

Q

quarterquartzqueenquestionquicksandquietquillquiltquincequiver

R

rabbit rabbits railrailwayrainrainstormrakerangeratraterayreactionreadingreasonreceiptrecessrecordregretrelationreligionrepresentativerequestrespectrestrewardrhythmriceriddlerifleringrings riverroadrobin rockrodrollroofroomroot

S

sacksailsaltsandscalescarecrowscarfscenescentschoolsciencescissorsscrewseaseashoreseatsecretaryseedselectionselfsenseservantshadeshakeshameshapesheepsheetshelfshipshirtshockshoeshoes shopshowsidesidewalksignsilk

T

tabletailtalktanktastetaxteachingteamteeth tempertendencytentterritorytesttexturetheorythingthings thoughtthreadthrillthroatthronethumbthundertickettigertimetintitletoadtoetoestomatoes tonguetoothtoothbrushtoothpastetop touch

plasticplateplayplaygroundpleasureplotploughpocketpointpoisonpolicepolishpollutionpopcornporterpositionpotpotatopowderpowerpriceprintprisonprocessproduceprofitpropertyproseprotestpullpumppunishmentpurposepush

roserouterubrulerun

silversinksistersisters sizeskateskinskirtskyslavesleepsleetslipslopesmashsmellsmilesmokesnailsnails snakesnakes sneezesnowsoapsocietysocksodasofasonsongsongs sortsoundsoupspacespadesparkspiders spongespoonspotspringspysquare

towntoy toys tradetrailtraintrains tramptransporttraytreatmenttreetrees tricktriptroubletrouserstrucktrucks tubturkeyturntwigtwist

squirrelstagestampstarstartstatementstationsteamsteelstemstepstewsticksticks stitchstockingstomachstonestopstorestorystovestrangerstrawstreamstreetstretchstringstructuresubstancesugarsuggestionsuitsummersunsupportsurprisesweaterswimswingsystem

U

umbrellauncleunderwearunituse

V

vacationvaluevanvasevegetableveilveinversevesselvestviewvisitorvoicevolcanovolleyballvoyage

W

walkwallwarwashwastewatchwaterwavewaves waxwaywealthweatherweekweightwheelwhipwhistlewildernesswind window winewingwinterwirewishwomanwomenwoodwoolwordworkwormwoundwrenwrenchwristwriterwriting

Y

yakyamyardyarnyearyoke

Z

zebra zephyrzinczipperzoo

List of Prepositions

You think you don't need a list of prepositions? Would you know a preposition if you met one?

Click here for our "huge list of prepositions".

English speakers use prepositions in both formal and everyday communication. Without them, the English language would sound short and choppy. If you have a child starting grammar lessons, read through the list of prepositions and take a quick refresher class on prepositions.

Prepositions connect nouns, pronouns, and phrases with other words in a sentence. It gives information about location, direction, space, or time. Prepositions are usually part of a phrase because they often have a noun or pronoun after them. Here are two examples of prepositions in sentences.

The dog jumped over the fence. I will go to the doctor.

The main job of prepositions is to create relationships between words. How is the dog related to the fence? It jumped over the fence. How am I related to the doctor? I am going to the doctor

Prepositional phrases can also act like adverbs or adjectives. Remember that adverbs describe verbs (actions and being), and adjectives describe nouns and pronouns (ideas, people, places, and things).

As an adverb - The children crossed the street with caution.The prepositional phrase "with caution" describes the way the children crossed the street.

As an adjective - He lives in the house with the red roof.The prepositional phrase "with the red roof" describes the house in a specific way.

Children will see prepositions in their early reader books. In Kindergarten and first grade, children are focused on word recognition and reading skills. Basic sentence structure is taught, but it is too early for children that young to learn parts of speech. Below is a list of prepositions new readers can recognize easily:

List of Basic Prepositions asat

butby

downfor

fromin

intolikenearnextofoffon

ontooutoverpastplus

minussincethantoup

with

As children develop their reading skills, they will learn the spelling and definitions of more complex words. They are introduced to prepositions and other parts of speech between the second and fourth grade. The following list shows some more advanced prepositions:

List of Advanced Prepositionsaboardaboutaboveacrossafter

againstalong

aroundbeforebehindbelow

beneathbeside

betweenbeyondduringexcept

followinginsideminus

ontooppositeoutsideroundsince

throughtowardunder

underneathunlikeuntilupon

without

Older elementary and middle school students are exposed to a variety of prepositions. This includes compound words and single words used in complex sentences.

according toalong withalongside

amongapart from

as foratop

because ofby means ofconcerning

despiteexcept for

in addition toin back ofin case ofin front ofin place ofin spite ofinstead ofon top of

out ofregarding

throughouttill

up tovia

withinworth

Of course, the English language is full of exceptions. Some prepositions seem to break the rules, yet make sense in everyday language. These are called idioms. A few common examples include the following:

List of Idiomsaccording tocapable offamiliar withimpatient withrewarded forsuperior to

Prepositions are not always easy to identify in spoken and written language. However, they play a big part in making the English language colorful and interesting. Use this list of prepositions as a quick guide to help your student learn about prepositions.

List of the Most Common Prepositions

A through D  

aboardaboutaboveabsentacrossafter

againstalong

alongsideamid

amidstamonganti

aroundasat

atop

beforebehindbelow

beneathbeside

besides

E through M 

exceptexceptingexcluding

followingfor

from

inin front of

insideinstead of

into

like

midminus

N through R

nearnext

ofoffon

on top of onto

oppositeout of outside

over

pastper plus

regardinground

S through W

savesince

thanthrough

tilltimes

totowardtowards

underunderneath

unlike untilup

upon

versus

betweenbeyond

but by

concerning considering

despitedown during

via

withwithinwithout