3rd grade identifying prepositions worksheets
A preposition connects a noun to the rest of the sentence, usually telling where, when, or how: across the field, during recess, with a flashlight. Third graders find prepositions and start noticing the whole phrase that follows.
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.4.1.e.
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The kind of sentences you'll get
Underline every preposition in each sentence.
-
The rangers have rescued a tangled heron from the netting.
Answer: from
- Uncle Theo fixed the wobbly chair for us.
- The blankets feel cozy in winter.
Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Identify. Underline every preposition in each sentence. 12 questions per page.
- Multiple choice. Circle the letter of the word that is a preposition. 10 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Have students find the preposition, then bracket the whole phrase to its end: "across [the muddy field]." Seeing the phrase keeps them from tagging random small words, because a real preposition always has a partner noun. Time words (during, after, before) deserve a day of their own; kids find place words first and stall on time words.
Watch for: Many prepositions are tiny words (in, on, at, of), so students read past them. Small doesn't mean unimportant. A preposition always has a partner noun after it: under the porch, with my friend. If there's no partner, it's working as a different part of speech.
Common questions about identifying prepositions
- How do I explain a prepositional phrase?
- The preposition plus its partner words: "under the old bridge" is a prepositional phrase made of the preposition "under" and the noun part "the old bridge." Have your student bracket the whole phrase. It makes the grammar visible instead of abstract.
- Is "to" always a preposition?
- No. In "we walked to school," it's a preposition. In "we like to read," it's part of the verb. The test: a preposition's partner is a noun (to school), while the verb form pairs with an action word (to read). Third graders can handle this once they've bracketed phrases.
Related worksheets
- 1st grade identifying prepositions A step easier, same skill
- 2nd grade identifying prepositions A step easier, same skill
- 4th grade identifying prepositions A step harder, same skill
- 3rd grade adverbs of how, when, and where Same grade, nearby skill
- 3rd grade articles (a, an, the) Same grade, nearby skill
- 3rd grade collective nouns Same grade, nearby skill
- Identifying prepositions, all grades The full progression
- All 3rd grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 3rd grade worksheets Everything at this level
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Aligned to Common Core L.4.1.e. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.
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