你的问题包多个方面，分述如下：

▲介词短语可以用作宾语，但主要是用作某些介词的宾语。如：
We went nowhere except to school. 除了学校，我们哪儿也没有去。
The buses run until after twelve. 公共汽车一直行驶到午夜以后。
I looked everywhere except in the bedroom. 除了卧室我哪儿都找过了。
They waved at us from across the room. 他们从房间那一头向我们招手。
Following the roar, out rushed a tiger from among the bushes. 一声吼叫，呼地从丛林中冲出一只老虎。
What’s the story on this man? Is he from around here? 这名男子是怎么回事？他是这儿附近的吗？
The phrase has been in wide use from before 1950's. 这个词组从五十年代前起就被广泛运用了。
She had no sooner opened the door than a cat jumped out from behind the door. 她刚刚门打开，一只猫就从门后跳了出来。
A leak from inside the government spread the news of the President’s decision. 政府内部有人泄露机密，致使总统的决定不胫而走。
He moved out from beneath an awning, reaching for something inside the breast of his overcoat. 他离开遮阳篷，手伸进大衣前胸部找东西。
‍▲介词短语偶尔可用作动词的宾语，但很少见。如：
‍It took Louis until Easter to coax a grudging consent from the French King. 路易斯连哄带骗，直到复活节才勉强得到法国国王的许可。（句中的介词短语 until Easter 可视为动词took的直接宾语）
‍▲介词短语用作宾语补足语是比较常见的用法。如：
‍She regarded him as a hero. 她把他看成英雄。
They recognised him as a genius. 他们承认他是一个天才。
He woke up and found himself in hospital. 他醒来发现自己在医院里。
Doctors will keep her in hospital for at least another week. 医生会让她再住至少一个星期的院。

‍▲你问：是不是可以通过动词后的介词短语来判断实意动词的及物与不及物。

大致原则是：及物动词后接宾语时，不用介词；不及动词后接宾语时，需先接适合的介词，再接宾语（当然不及物动词不接宾语时，自然就不能用介词）。