Schoolhouse Rock!

"Busy Prepositions"

Original Air Date

1993

A horde of working ants called "The Busy P's" teach about prepositions while on the job.

Lyrics to "Busy Prepositions"

Like a butterfly, or a like bee

Like an ant, as busy as can be

These little words we call the "busy P's"

Prepositions

Nine or ten of them

Do most all of the work

Of, on, to, with, in, from

By, for, at, over, across

And many others do their jobs

Which is simply to connect

Their noun or pronoun object

To some other word in the sentence

Busy P's

If you please

"On the top is where you are!"

Top relates to where you are

"With a friend you'll travel far!"

With a friend you'll go

"If you try you know that you can fly

Over the rainbow!"

Over the rainbow is where you can fly

Busy prepositions

Always on the go

Like a bunch of busy bees

Floating pollen on the breeze

Buzzing over the meadows

Beyond the forest

Through the trees

In to the beehive

Busy, busy P's

In, to, beyond, over, on, through!

Busy prepositions always out in front

On the edges, in the crack

Around the corner, from the back

In between the action

Stating clearly to your satisfaction

The location and direction

Prepositions give specific information

Though little words they are

They never stand alone

Gathering words behind them

You soon will see how they have grown

Into a parade; a prepositional phrase

With a noun, or at least a pronoun, bringing up the rear

A little phrase of two or three or four or more words

Prepositions! Attention! Forward, march!

Busy prepositions

Always on the march

Like a horde of solider ants

Inching bravely forward on the slimmest chance

That they might better their positions

Busy, busy prepositions

In the air, on the ground, everywhere

The sun sank lower in the west

"In the west it sank"

And it will rise in the morning

And will bring the light of day

We say the sun comes up in the east every day!

"In the east it rises"

Busy prepositions

Busy, busy, busy!

On the top is where you are!

On the top

If you try you know that you can fly!

Fly where?

Over the rainbow