前置詞，接続詞，助動詞，冠詞，代名詞，関係詞などは機能語 (function word) あるいは文法語 (grammatical word) と呼ばれ，語彙としては閉じた類 (closed class) を形成すると言われる．一方，名詞，動詞，形容詞，副詞は内容語 (content word) と呼ばれ，開いた類 (open class) を形成する．
理論上，閉じた類とは，そこに含まれる語の数が有限であり，新たな語彙項目が追加されることがなく，したがって網羅的な一覧を作ることができることを含意するが，実際には閉じた類へ新しい語彙項目が追加されるということはある．例えば，前置詞は，閉じた類の1つではあるが，含まれている語の数が比較的多く，なおかつその多くは歴史の過程でリストに加えられてきた語彙項目である．複合や他品詞からの派生により形成された前置詞も少なくない．
以下は，Quirk et al. (Sections 9.7--9.8, 9.10--9.11) に挙げられている独自の分類による前置詞の一覧を，整理したものである．英語にこれほど前置詞があったのかと驚くばかりだ．
1. Simple prepositions
(a) Monosyllabic prepositions
as, at, but, by, down, for, from, in, like, near (to), of, off, on, out, past, per, pro, qua, re, round, sans, since, than, through (thru), till, to, up, via, while, with
(b) Polysyllabic prepositions
about, above, across, after, against, agin, along, alongside, amid(st), among(st), anti, around, atop, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, besides, between (tween, twixt), beyond, circa, despite, during, except, inside, into, notwithstanding, onto, opposite, outside, outwith, over, pace, pending, throughout, toward(s), under, underneath, unlike, until, unto, upon, versus (v, vs), vis-à-vis, within, without
2. Marginal prepositions
bar, barring, excepting, excluding; save
concerning, considering, regarding, respecting, touching
failing, wanting
following, pending
given, granted, including
less, minus, plus, times, over
worth
3. Complex prepositions
(a) Two-word sequences
up against, as per
as for, but for, except for
apart from, aside from, away from, as from
ahead of, as of, back of, because of, devoid of, exclusive of, inside of, instead of, irrespective of, off of, out of, outside of, regardless of, upwards of, void of
according to, as to, close to, contrary to, due to, near(er) (to), next to, on to, owing to, preliminary to, preparatory to, previous to, prior to, pursuant to, subsequent to, thanks to, up to
along with, together with
à la, apropos (of)
(b) Three-word sequences
in aid of, (in) back of, in behalf of, in cause of, in charge of, in consequence of, in (the) face of, in favour of, in front of, in (the) light of, in lieu of, in need of, in place of, in (the) process of, in quest of, in respect of, in search of, (in) spite of, in view of
in accordance with, in common with, in comparison with, in compliance with, in conformity with, in contact with, in line with
by dint of, (by) means of, by virtue of, (by) way of
on account of, on behalf of, on (the) ground(s) of, on the matter of, (on) pain of, on the part of, on the strength of, on top of
as far as, at variance with, at the expense of, at the hands of, (for) (the) sake of, for/from want of, in exchange for, in return for, in addition to, in relation to, with/in regard to, with/in reference to, with/in respect to, with the exception of
この一覧には頻度，用法，使用域などの限られているものも含まれているが，異形を除くと194個の（群）前置詞が挙げられていることになる．閉じた類とはいえ，なかなか豊かな語類だ．
・ Quirk, Randolph, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech, and Jan Svartvik. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. London: Longman, 1985.
英語では，前置詞の後には名詞相当語句が来るというのが原則である．しかし，少数の例外があり，歴史的に説明されなければならない．例外の1つが標題の「for + （分詞を含め）形容詞」というつながりである．以下に例を挙げる．
- She seemed to take it for granted that I would go with her to New York.
- The soldier was given up for dead.
- I really want to go and see the film, but I don't think I'd pass for 18.
これは for の資格・特性の用法と呼べるものだが，機能としては as に近い．as が現在分詞を含め形容詞を目的語としてとる例は珍しくないので，for を理解するのに参考になる．
- I accepted the report as trustworthy.
- We regarded the document as belonging to her brother.
上に挙げた for に後続する形容詞は，[2011-05-07-1]の記事「熟語における形容詞の名詞用法」で触れたような形容詞の名詞用法ではなく，独立した確固たる形容詞と考えるべきであり，区別を要する．
Mustanoja が "equivalence" (379--80) と呼んだこの for の用法は，中英語にも見られ，現代の for certain, for sure, forsooth, for real などの慣用表現にもつながっている．
・ Mustanoja, T. F. A Middle English Syntax. Helsinki: Société Néophilologique, 1960.
古英語では，前置詞のあとに来る名詞は格変化をする．どの格が来るかは前置詞によって決まっており，与格となることが多いが，中には対格や属格を要求する前置詞もある．現代英語とは異なる意味で使われる前置詞も多いので，要求される格と古英語での意味を以下にまとめる (Mitchell 110) ．
複数の格が示されているものはいずれもあり得るということを示し，かっこが付されているもの頻度が比較的ひくいとことを示す．
| PREPOSITION | CASE | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| æfter | dat. (acc.) | after, along, according to |
| ǣr | dat. (acc.) | before |
| æt | dat. | at, from, by |
| æt | acc. | as far as, until |
| be | dat. (acc.) | by, along, alongside, about |
| beforan | dat. acc. | before, in front of |
| betweox | dat. acc. | among, between |
| binnan | * dat./acc. | within, into |
| bufan | * dat./acc. | above, upon |
| būtan | dat. acc. | except, outside, without |
| ēac | dat. | besides, in addition to |
| for | dat. acc. | before (of place), in front of, because of |
| fram | dat. | from, by (of agent) |
| ġeond | acc. (dat.) | throughout |
| in | * dat./acc. | in, into |
| innan | * dat./acc. (occasinally gen.) | in, within |
| mid | dat. acc. | among, with, by means of |
| of | dat. | from, of |
| ofer | * dat./acc. | above, over, on |
| on | * dat./acc. | in, into, on |
| on-ġēan | dat. acc. | agaianst, towards |
| oþ | acc. (dat.) | up to, until |
| tō | gen. | at, for, to such an extent, so |
| tō | dat. | towards, to, at, near |
| tō | acc. | towards |
| tō-ġēanes | dat. | against, towards |
| þurh | acc. (dat. gen.) | through, throughout, by means of |
| under | * dat./acc. | under, beneath |
| wiþ | acc. gen. dat. | towards, opposite, against, along, in exchange for |
| ymb(e) | acc. (dat.) | after, about or concerning |
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