The paper intends to trace the four hundred years of the history of English grammar writing with special reference to English prepositions. It provides the reader with some of the most influential definitions of prepositions and scrutinizes approaches to their study as adopted in these grammars. It comes with a conclusion that, as far as prepositions are concerned, the history of English grammar writing can be seen as one of relative stagnation, only exceptionally interrupted by certain more influential authors like Bullokar, Miège, Maittaire, Brightland, Greenwood or Lowth.