Is about a preposition word

Both prepositions and conjunctions are seemingly insignificant parts of a sentence. Yet without them, a sentence can be either incorrect or incomplete. Some words can act as a few different parts of speech, and “about” is one of them.  

The word “about” is not a conjunction. It can be a preposition, an adverb, and even an adjective. As a preposition, “about” shows the subject of or connection with an idea. As an adverb, it shows an approximation of time, number, or quantity. And, as an adjective, “about” can tell you more about a noun or pronoun.

Keep reading to understand more about using the word “about” correctly as a preposition (the most common way), as an adverb, and as an adjective. 

“About”: A Preposition, Adverb, and Adjective

There are many ways that you can use the word “about” in your writing — it is a word that can function as three different parts of speech: a preposition, an adverb, and sometimes, even as an adjective.

The most common way to use “about” is as a preposition, so we will cover that first. But remember that it is sometimes difficult to identify the exact usage or part of speech, especially with words like “about.” 

What matters more is that you understand the nuances in meaning and how to use the word correctly in your writing. 

Grammar: Understanding “About” as a Preposition 

We won’t focus on the various prepositions and what they all mean here. Still, it would be best if you first understood their role in a complete sentence. 

A preposition is a word you can use in connection with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to describe a relationship between other words in your sentence (source). 

Many times, people refer to prepositions as “connector” words, and because of this, they are easy to confuse with conjunctions since conjunctions also connect ideas and words within a sentence. But their role is quite different.  

The most common conjunctions include “and,” “or,” and “but.” You’ll often use these words to connect related ideas, such as in “I’m going to get ice cream and cookies after dinner.”

On the other hand, you would use a preposition before a noun to show direction, time, place, to introduce an object, or to identify a spatial relationship. A preposition essentially connects a noun to a larger idea. Here is an example:

1. I am going to go home.

In the above sentence, the preposition “to” connects or shows the relationship between the subject (I) and where they are going (home). 

There are quite a few prepositions in English — about 150 or so, to be exact. If you’d like to learn more about prepositions, take a look at the article, “In the Website or on the Website: Using the Right Preposition.”

Is “About” a Preposition?

As we’ve stated, the word “about” is indeed a preposition. As a preposition, “about” can indicate the movement of a noun to a specific (or general) location, or it can show the subject of something when you are writing or speaking.

As a preposition, “about” can have four distinct meanings (source):

• To be positioned around a location without any particular order
• To be in a specific place
• To indicate movement within a particular area
• To be on the subject of or connected with

Examples and Usage: When “About” Is a Preposition

Let’s go through some examples that show how you can use “about” as a preposition in your writing. Remember that this is the most common way you will see (and use) the word.

• Her belongings were strewn about her room, even though I asked her to clean up. 

In the sentence above, “about” indicates that the subject’s belongings were positioned in her bedroom in a disordered manner, or rather, all over the place. 

Here’s another example where you can use “about” to show a more specific location or place:

• Do you have an extra piece of gum about you? 

Similar to the first sentence, here, the word “about” indicates location. But in this sense, it is a very particular place — on you/your person or body. 

One thing to note with this use is that it is not at all common, and very rarely will you hear this phrasing in American English.

You may hear and use this more frequently with British English, but in the United States, you will more likely simply say, “Do you have an extra piece of gum?” or “Do you have an extra piece of gum on you?” Note that the word “on” is also a preposition.

Here’s another example:

• She looked about the crowded room for her sister

In this example, “about” shows where the subject is looking — it indicates movement (looking) and the location of the movement.  

In each of the three above sentences, “about” is a preposition showing a position, place, or movement. 

But the most common way you will use the word as a preposition is to indicate a subject or connection with an idea, like this: 

• I’m not sure what the movie is about, but I’m happy to go see it with you.  
• “I am worried about starting middle school this year,” the little girl told her mom.

These final two examples indicate “a connection with” an idea — in the first sentence, the movie, and in the second, starting middle school. Again, this is the most common way you will use the word, so keep that in mind.  

Grammar: Understanding “About” as an Adverb

In addition to being a preposition, “about” can also be an adverb. An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, another adverb, or adjective and most often expresses some relationship to manner or quality, time or place, and/or degree or number (source). 

In essence, adverbs answer common questions, including:

1. When?
2. Where?
3. How?
4. How much?
5. How long?
6. How often?

We can easily detect many adverbs because they end in the suffix “ly,” but not all of them.  

Is the Word “About” an Adverb? 

You can use “about” as an adverb in your writing. If you are using it as a modifying word to explain a verb, another adverb, or an adjective more specifically, you are using it as an adverb.  

Similarly, there are multiple definitions and/or meanings for “about” when you use it in this way:

• To show a little more or less than a stated number
• To indicate almost, soon, or nearly
• To indicate many different directions
• To indicate a position or movement around a place or in or near a place

You’ll notice that some of these definitions are quite close to when you use “about” as a preposition. Just remember that knowing exactly which part of speech it is in your sentence matters less than understanding if you are using it correctly to communicate your intended meaning.

There is some overlap in meaning, so just remember that adverbs are modifying words, meaning that they add to or change the meaning of a verb, adverb, or adjective; prepositions show the relationship between words. 

Examples and Usage: When “About” Is an Adverb

Let’s look at some examples of how you can use “about” as an adverb.

• My husband is just about six feet tall, but not quite.  

In the example above, “about” indicates that the subject’s husband is a little less than six feet tall. Remember that as an adverb, “about” can show more or less than a particular number.

• I am about ready to go, but I need a few more minutes.

Here, “about” shows that the subject is nearly or almost ready to go, but not quite.

• My sister looked like she was about to cry. 

In the sentence above, “about” combined with the be-verb “was” modifies the infinitive verb “to cry,” indicating that the person’s sister was on the verge of crying.

Grammar: Understanding “About” as an Adjective

Similar to adverbs, adjectives are describing words. They differ, though, because they describe nouns and often answer questions like “what kind” or “how many,” whereas adverbs describe more about verbs or adverbs or adjectives.

Most adjectives are pretty easy to spot since we know that they often provide visual detail in some capacity, such as a “yellow flower” or “six boxes.” 

Using “about” as an adjective is probably the least common way you will see it, but it is correct, and you can certainly use it in this way.

Is “About” an Adjective?

“About” can be an adjective. If “about” tells your reader something more regarding a noun or pronoun, then you are using it as an adjective. Remember that adjectives can only modify nouns or pronouns.

But, do remember that “about” as an adjective has very few uses, and you will rarely see it in this way with the exception of a few common phrases, such as “out and about” or “up and about.”

Examples and Usage: When “About” is an Adjective

You might also say, “My mom is up and about at 4:00 a.m. every morning.” This is one common way that you may see “about” as an adjective. To be “up and about” means that you are awake and moving around or doing something. To say you are “out and about” is quite similar. You may see a sentence like this:

• I was out and about today, shopping for my sister’s birthday present.

The phrase “out and about” means that you are doing one thing or another. The reason we would classify this use of “about” as an adjective is because it provides more detail to the subject of the sentence or noun, in this case, “I.” 

Understanding “about” as an adjective can be tricky, given that it is not as easily detectable as such. We more often think of adjectives as simple descriptive words like “happy” or “vanilla” or “blue.” 

Again, don’t forget that identifying the particular part of speech is not always easy, especially with words like “about,” given it has multiple meanings and a lot of overlap when it comes to the particular part of speech. 

Tips to Remember: Identifying the Correct Part of Speech for “About”

There are some simple points you can remember to correctly identify what part of speech you are using when writing the word “about.” First, remember that it will most often be a preposition, but it can also be either an adverb or an adjective.

While adjectives and adverbs are describing words, remember that prepositions are different in that they show a relationship to time or space. So, differentiating between these uses is pretty easy in that sense if you are trying to identify which part of speech “about” is in your sentence. This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.

1. Prepositions show a relationship between words — time, location, or space.
2. Adverbs are words that describe verbs or other adverbs.
3. Adjectives only describe nouns.

About as a Preposition	-Shows a position around a location without any particular order -Shows a specific place -Shows movement within a particular area -Shows the subject of or connection with something
About as an Adverb	-Shows a little more or less than a stated number -Shows that something is almost, soon, or nearly going to happen -Shows many different directions -Shows a position or movement around a place or in or near a place
About as an Adjective	-Modifies or describes a noun -Commonly seen in phrases like “up and about” or “out and about”

Final Thoughts

There are some words in English that you will see quite often, and many of them can be more than one particular part of speech, depending on how you use the word. “About” is only one example.  

Remember, the most common way you will use “about” is as a preposition and, in this way, as a word that communicates a subject or idea or a connection with a subject or idea. You will likely structure most sentences in this way, such as “What is your book about?” or “I was thinking about you today.”

And finally, remember that identifying the particular part of speech, while valuable, is not the most important point — it is always better to understand the meaning and how to use the word correctly. The more detailed aspects of grammar will come with time and practice. 

Some verbs need prepositions like for, to, about, of, and from to connect to the objects of sentences. These combinations are called prepositional verbs.

Check out this list of verbs with prepositions in the English language with sentence examples. Then answer the worksheet provided to check your understanding.

What Is a Prepositional Verb?

Prepositional verbs are exactly how they sound. These words are verbs with prepositions beside them to be connected to the object of the sentence. That means prepositional verbs are transitive verbs. For example:

• She doesn’t believe in luck.

In luck looks like a prepositional phrase in this sentence. However, believe in is the prepositional verb in the sentence, while luck is the object of the sentence.

Here are more sentence examples with the prepositional verbs in italic and their objects underlined.

• She is trying to cope with her sickness.
• I want to listen to my favorite song.

But some verbs use direct objects after the verb followed by a prepositional phrase. For example:

• He reminds me of a man I met.

Reminds of is a prepositional verb, while the me in between them is the direct object.

Here are more sentence examples.

• We should protect our kids from predators.
• I would like to thank you for supporting me in all my dreams.

Whereas idiomatic phrasal verbs have figurative meanings, prepositional verbs take on the literal meanings of verbs. Remember that prepositions can be divided into mobile and static prepositions. Mobile prepositions imply movement, while static prepositions are stationary.

List of Verbs With Preposition: FOR

Another word used for the verb and preposition combination is for.

• Admire for
• Apologize for
• Apply for
• Ask for
• Blame for
• Care for
• Pay for
• Pray for
• Prepare for
• Head for
• Long for
• Scold for
• Search for
• Excuse for
• Vote for
• Wait for
• Wish for
• Work for

List of Verbs With Preposition: FROM

Here’s a list of common verbs with the preposition from.

• Abstain from
• Borrow from
• Escape from
• Graduate from
• Hide from
• Infer from
• Recover from
• Rescue from
• Resign from
• Retire from
• Prevent from
• Protect from
• Prohibit from

List of Verbs With Preposition: ABOUT

The preposition about can be used with a variety of verbs.

• Be about
• Boast about
• Argue at
• Decide about
• Dream about
• Care about
• Concern about
• Ask about
• Forget about
• Think about
• Worry about
• Know about
• Laugh about
• Protest about

List of Verbs With Preposition: OF

Below is a list of verb and preposition combinations with of.

• Accuse of
• Approve of
• Aware of
• Bilk out of
• Get rid of
• Get tired of
• Hear of
• Hope of
• Conceive of
• Consist of
• Convict of
• Convince of
• Composed of
• Cure of
• Deprived of
• Despair of
• Devoid of
• Disapprove of
• Dream of
• Fond of
• Irrespective of
• Remind of
• Suspect of
• Think of

List of Verbs With Preposition: WITH

Here are the most frequently used verbs with the preposition with.

• Acquaint with
• Charge with
• Clutter with
• Coincide with
• Collide with
• Agree with
• Associate with
• Compare with
• Cover with
• Cram with
• Deal with
• Discuss with
• Help with
• Comply with
• Confront with
• Confuse with
• Tamper with
• Trust with

List of Verbs With Preposition: AT

The preposition at can be used with a variety of verbs.

• Aim at
• Laugh at
• Look at
• Marvel at
• Arrive at
• Hint at
• Glance at
• Guess at
• Peer at
• Point at
• Smile at
• Stare at
• Wink at

List of Verbs With Preposition: ON

Here are the most common verb preposition combinations with the preposition on.

• Agree on
• Be on
• Base on
• Blame on
• Comment on
• Concentrate on
• Congratulate on
• Count on
• Depend on
• Elaborate on
• Impose on
• Insist on
• Play on
• Pride on
• Rely on
• Work on

List of Verbs With Prepositions: TO

• Adapt to
• Agree to
• Apologize to
• Belong to
• Add to
• Devote to
• Consent to
• Happen to
• Object to
• React to
• Refer to
• Reply to
• Lead to
• Listen to
• Speak to
• Talk to
• Turn to

List of Verbs With Preposition: IN

Here are some useful verbs with the preposition in.

• Absorb in
• Arrive in
• Implicate in
• Involve in
• Participate in
• Be engrossed in
• Believe in
• Confide in
• Result in
• Specialize in
• Succeed in
• Trust in

Prepositions With Verbs in Sentences

Here are some examples of prepositional verbs in a sentence.

For

• I apologize for the delay in shipping caused by the storm.
• She forgave me for eating her leftover snacks.
• We are all hoping for a miracle.
• The whole class thanked the teacher for his dedication and support.
• We voted for Jeremy to be class president.

From

• I am abstaining from meat products and by-products this month for a detox.
• We should prevent students from roaming around the halls during class time.
• She is finally graduating from college this month.
• The organization rescues homeless and abandoned dogs from abusive homes.
• Patricia is planning to resign from the 9-5 work soon.

About

• Don’t forget about the friendship we made in college.
• I am thinking about establishing a new massage business this year.
• Leila always worries about her little sister in boarding school.
• I write about politics, business, social sciences, law, and literature.
• The customer is in the office complaining about a failed transaction.

Of

• The man told everyone he had been deprived of his freedom and other rights.
• We need to get rid of this trash before our parents come home.
• I am always thinking of my grandparents on the other side of the world.
• I will never get tired of watching the view every morning.
• I have always been enthusiastically fond of mountain hiking.

With

• I agree with Johnson. We should read more books in our free time.
• Rey likes to argue with everyone on the internet.
• She is currently discussing summer plans with her husband.
• My sister will help me with my project.
• We are faced with different challenges every day.

At

• We have arrived at our destination already.
• My daughter has been excelling at science and math since she was six.
• Look at the computer screen.
• Don’t make strangers uncomfortable by staring at them.
• She smiles at me every time we see each other at school.

On

• We both agree on this matter.
• Myla comments on Karen’s new hair color.
• Do not rely your self-worth on other people but yourself.
• Parents’ decisions depend on what everyone in the family would do.
• I’d like to congratulate you both on your new business.
• I haven’t talked to Paula and Mary since I last saw them at the party.
• Please respond to my email as soon as you read it.
• She dedicated her performance to her mother.
• I am traveling to South Africa this summer with my cousins.
• What can I contribute to the project?

In

• Many TED talk speakers believe in the power of influence when establishing a new business.
• The doctor specializes in orthopedic surgery.
• I hope we all succeed in life.
• Fill in the provided blanks with the correct word that will complete the sentence.
• We will participate in the year’s anniversary party.

What Are Phrasal-Prepositional Verbs?

Phrasal-prepositional verbs are verbs with three parts: a verb, a particle, and a preposition. We often use them in informal contexts. Here’s a list of phrasal-prepositional verbs.

• Catch up with
• Come up against
• Cut down on
• Do away with
• Face up to
• Get away with
• Get on with
• Listen out for
• Look down on
• Look forward to
• Look in on
• Look out for
• Look up to
• Put up with
• Watch out for

Here are some sentence examples.

• We need to cut down on the budget.
• Everyone came up with their own idea on how to build a boat.
• Many people look up to him.
• Do your best to put up with the new employee.

Prepositions With Verbs Summary

Some multi-word verbs consist of a verb and a preposition, and they are called prepositional verbs. Some examples include agree with, care for, depend on, and remind of.

Remember that all prepositional verbs are transitive because they always have direct objects. Answer the worksheet below to check your understanding of the topic!