UNITED STATES 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
Washington, D.C. 20549 
  
FORM N-Q 
  
QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED 
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES 
  
Investment Company Act file number 811- 21131 
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund 
 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter) 
601 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210 
  
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) 
Alfred E. Ouellette, Senior Counsel and Assistant Secretary 
  
601 Congress Street 
Boston, Massachusetts 02210 
 
(Name and address of agent for service) 
 
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 617-663-4324 
 
Date of fiscal year end July 31
 
 
Date of reporting period:  October 31, 2008 

ITEM 1. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS




John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
Securities owned by the Fund on
October 31, 2008 (Unaudited)

  Interest  Maturity  Credit  Par value   
Issuer, description  rate  date  rating (A)  (000)  Value 
 
Bonds 10.28%            $35,732,200 
(Cost $42,727,822)           
 
Diversified Banks 1.30%          4,500,000 
Lloyds TSB Bank PLC,           
   Sub Note  6.900%  11/29/49  A+  $7,500  4,500,000 
 
Electric Utilities 7.41%            25,773,393 
DPL Capital Trust II (Z)  8.125  09/01/31  BB+  24,000  22,286,088 
Entergy Gulf States, Inc.,           
   1st Mtg Bond (Z)  6.200  07/01/33  BBB+  5,000  3,487,305 
 
Gas Utilities 1.57%            5,458,807 
Southern Union Co.,           
   Jr Sub Note, Ser A (7.200% to 11-1-11 then         
   variable) (P)(Z)  7.200  11/01/66  BB  8,800  5,458,807 
 
Issuer        Shares  Value 
 
Common stocks 1.11%            $3,855,200 
(Cost $3,693,680)           
 
Electric Utilities 0.40%            1,397,725 
American Electric Power Co., Inc.      17,500  571,025 
FPL Group, Inc.        17,500  826,700 
 
Gas Utilities 0.14%            478,500 
ONEOK, Inc.        15,000  478,500 
 
Integrated Oil & Gas 0.21%          745,500 
BP PLC, SADR        15,000  745,500 
 
Integrated Telecommunication Services 0.08%          267,700 
AT&T, Inc.        10,000  267,700 
 
Multi-Utilities 0.17%            579,175 
Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.      17,500  492,625 
TECO Energy, Inc.        7,500  86,550 
 
Oil & Gas Storage & Transportation 0.11%          386,600 
Spectra Energy Corp.        20,000  386,600 
 
    Credit       
Issuer, description    rating (A)    Shares  Value 
 
Preferred Stocks 135.97%          $472,794,682 
(Cost $667,211,582)           
 
Agricultural Products 3.60%          12,512,500 
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., 6.250%, Ser A (B)(S)(Z)  BBB-    143,000  12,512,500 
 
Broadcasting & Cable TV 5.78%          20,095,138 
CBS Corp., 6.750% (Z)    BBB    188,600  2,778,078 
Comcast Corp., 7.000% (Z)  BBB+    227,000  4,599,020 
Comcast Corp., 7.000% Ser B (Z)  BBB+    634,000  12,718,040 

Page 1 


John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
Securities owned by the Fund on
October 31, 2008 (Unaudited)

  Credit     
Issuer, description  rating (A)  Shares  Value 
 
Consumer Finance 7.02%      $24,397,927 
HSBC Finance Corp., 6.875% (Z)  AA-  400,000  8,424,000 
HSBC Finance Corp., 6.000% (Z)  AA-  134,200  2,457,202 
HSBC Finance Corp., 6.360%, Depositary Shares, Ser B (Z)  A  297,000  5,467,770 
HSBC Holdings PLC, 6.200%, Ser A (Z)  A  161,000  2,849,700 
SLM Corp., 6.970%, Ser A (Z)  BB  147,391  3,095,211 
SLM Corp., 6.000% (Z)  BBB-  194,100  2,104,044 
 
Diversified Banks 15.78%      54,854,199 
Bank of America Corp., 6.204%, Depositary Shares, Ser D (Z)  A  265,000  4,793,850 
Bank of America Corp., 8.200% (Z)  A1  260,000  5,980,000 
Fleet Capital Trust VIII, 7.200% (Z)  A  480,000  9,120,000 
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, 7.250%, Ser T (Z)  BBB+  59,000  701,510 
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, 6.350%, Ser N (Z)  BBB+  25,000  290,500 
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, 5.750%, Ser L (Z)  BBB+  550,900  5,784,450 
Santander Finance Preferred SA, Unipersonal, 6.410%, Ser 1 (Z)  A+  225,000  4,884,750 
USB Capital VIII, 6.350%, Ser 1 (Z)  A+  179,800  3,687,698 
USB Capital X, 6.500% (Z)  A+  45,000  945,000 
Wachovia Corp., 8.000% (Z)  A-  659,100  12,951,315 
Wachovia Preferred Funding Corp., 7.250%, Ser A (Z)  A-  185,000  3,071,000 
Wells Fargo Capital Trust IV, 7.000% (Z)  AA-  108,100  2,644,126 
 
Diversified Financial Services 14.71%      51,160,365 
ABN AMRO Capital Funding Trust V, 5.900% (Z)  A-  619,967  7,718,589 
ABN AMRO Capital Funding Trust VII, 6.080% (Z)  A-  183,000  2,228,940 
BAC Capital Trust IV, 5.875% (Z)  A  30,000  523,200 
Citigroup Capital VII, 7.125% (Z)  A  171,000  2,949,750 
Citigroup Capital VIII, 6.950% (Z)  A  654,000  11,346,900 
Citigroup Capital X, 6.100% (Z)  A  40,000  592,000 
Citigroup Capital XI, 6.000% (Z)  A  25,000  369,250 
ING Groep NV, 7.050% (Z)  A  755,100  10,314,666 
ING Groep NV, 7.200% (Z)  A  100,000  1,372,000 
ING Groep NV, 6.125% (Z)  A  61,500  761,370 
JPMorgan Chase Capital X, 7.000%, Ser J (Z)  A  565,000  12,983,700 
 
Diversified Metals & Mining 0.24%      853,650 
Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., 6.750%  BB  17,500  853,650 
 
Electric Utilities 31.49%      109,486,944 
Duquesne Light Co., 6.500% (Z)  BB  73,650  3,367,190 
Entergy Mississippi, Inc., 7.250% (Z)  A-  361,950  8,317,611 
FPC Capital I, 7.100%, Ser A (Z)  BBB-  897,000  19,949,280 
FPL Group Capital Trust I, 5.875% (Z)  BBB+  300,000  6,825,000 
Georgia Power Capital Trust VII, 5.875% (Z)  BBB+  250,600  5,450,550 
Georgia Power Co., 6.000%, Ser R (Z)  A  365,000  7,993,500 
HECO Capital Trust III, 6.500% (Z)  BB+  370,000  7,677,500 
Interstate Power & Light Co., 8.375%, Ser B (Z)  Baa2  699,350  17,658,587 
NSTAR Electric Co., 4.780% (Z)  A-  15,143  1,268,226 
PPL Electric Utilities Corp., 6.250%, Depositary Shares (Z)  BBB  230,000  5,462,500 
PPL Energy Supply, LLC, 7.000% (Z)  BBB  554,610  13,532,484 
Southern California Edison Co., 6.125% (Z)  BBB-  119,000  10,077,813 
Westar Energy, Inc., 6.100% (Z)  BBB  100,300  1,906,703 

Page 2 


John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
Securities owned by the Fund on
October 31, 2008 (Unaudited)

  Credit     
Issuer, description  rating (A)  Shares  Value 
  
Gas Utilities 2.64%      $9,187,875 
Southwest Gas Capital II, 7.700% (Z)  BB  408,350  9,187,875 
 
Investment Banking & Brokerage 9.60%      33,368,329 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 6.200%, Ser B (Z)  A  230,000  4,772,500 
Lehman Brothers Holdings Capital Trust III, 6.375%, Ser K (Z)  Caa2  150,000  1,500 
Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., 5.940%, Depositary Shares, Ser C (Z)  Caa2  175,600  88 
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., 8.625%, Ser MER (Z)  BBB+  95,000  1,951,300 
Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust III, 7.000% (Z)  BBB+  366,400  6,107,888 
Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust IV, 7.120% (Z)  BBB+  278,752  4,685,821 
Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust V, 7.280% (Z)  BBB+  367,000  6,205,970 
Morgan Stanley Capital Trust III, 6.250% (Z)  A-  182,400  2,723,232 
Morgan Stanley Capital Trust IV, 6.250% (Z)  A-  57,000  831,630 
Morgan Stanley Capital Trust V, 5.750% (Z)  A2  349,500  4,613,400 
Morgan Stanley Capital Trust VI, 6.600% (Z)  A-  100,000  1,475,000 
 
Life & Health Insurance 7.86%      27,336,624 
Aegon NV, 6.375% (Z)  A-  444,900  4,449,000 
Aegon NV, 6.500% (Z)  A-  116,100  1,149,390 
Lincoln National Capital VI, 6.750%, Ser F (Z)  A-  175,800  2,756,544 
MetLife, Inc., 6.500%, Ser B (Z)  BBB  721,500  11,847,030 
PLC Capital Trust IV, 7.250% (Z)  BBB+  224,600  2,582,900 
PLC Capital Trust V, 6.125% (Z)  BBB+  256,000  2,887,680 
Prudential PLC, 6.500% (Z)  A-  122,000  1,664,080 
 
Movies & Entertainment 4.89%      17,021,923 
Viacom, Inc., 6.850% (Z)  BBB  985,065  17,021,923 
 
Multi-Utilities 7.35%      25,558,384 
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., 6.990%, Ser 1995 (Z)  Ba1  40,000  4,103,752 
BGE Capital Trust II, 6.200% (Z)  BB+  636,825  12,099,675 
DTE Energy Trust I, 7.800% (Z)  BB+  98,800  2,154,828 
Public Service Electric & Gas Co., 4.180%, Ser B (Z)  BB+  4,805  333,804 
Xcel Energy, Inc., 7.600% (Z)  BBB-  288,017  6,866,325 
 
Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 6.82%      23,714,320 
Nexen, Inc., 7.350% (Z)  BB+  1,316,000  23,714,320 
 
Real Estate Investment Trusts 3.96%      13,782,476 
Duke Realty Corp., 6.600%, Depositary Shares, Ser L (Z)  BBB-  109,840  1,208,240 
Duke Realty Corp., 6.625%, Depositary Shares, Ser J (Z)  BBB-  66,525  781,669 
Duke Realty Corp., 6.500%, Depositary Shares, Ser K (Z)  BBB-  110,000  1,203,400 
Public Storage, Inc., 6.450%, Depositary Shares, Ser X (Z)  BBB  25,000  437,250 
Public Storage, Inc., 7.500%, Depositary Shares, Ser V (Z)  BBB  497,643  10,151,917 
 
Regional Banks 4.31%      15,001,920 
KeyCorp Capital VI, 6.125% (Z)  BBB  25,900  435,120 
PFGI Capital Corp., 7.750% (B)(Z)  BBB+  796,000  14,566,800 
 
Reinsurance 0.60%      2,084,175 
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., 6.080%, Ser C (Z)  BBB+  147,500  2,084,175 

Page 3 


John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
Securities owned by the Fund on
October 31, 2008 (Unaudited)

  Credit     
Issuer, description  rating (A)  Shares  Value 
 
Specialized Finance 0.97%      $3,358,090 
CIT Group, Inc., 6.350%, Ser A (Z)  BBB-  145,000  1,247,000 
Repsol International Capital Ltd., 7.450%, Ser A (Z)  BB+  111,110  2,111,090 
 
Thrift & Mortgage Finance 1.17%      4,074,427 
Sovereign Bancorp, 7.300%, Depositary Shares, Ser C  BB+  5,067  79,552 
Sovereign Capital Trust V, 7.750% (Z)  BB+  238,500  3,994,875 
 
U.S. Government Agency 0.05%      168,000 
Federal National Mortgage Assn., (8.250% to 12-31-10 then variable) (P)(Z)  C  80,000  168,000 
 
Wireless Telecommunication Services 7.13%      24,777,416 
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 7.600% (Z)  BBB-  816,553  12,370,778 
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 6.625% (Z)  BBB-  233,000  3,495,000 
United States Cellular Corp., 7.500% (Z)  BBB-  582,460  8,911,638 
 
Total investments (Cost $713,633,084)† 147.36%      $512,382,082 
 
Other assets and liabilities, net (47.36%)      ($164,662,868) 
 
Total net assets 100.00%      $347,719,214 

The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of that category as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets.

SADR Sponsored American Depositary Receipt

(A) Credit ratings are unaudited and are rated by Moody's Investors Service where Standard & Poor's ratings are not available unless indicated otherwise.

(B) These securities are fair valued in good faith under procedures established by the Board of Trustees. These security amounted $27,079,300 or 7.79% of the Fund's net assets as of October 31, 2008 (P) Variable rate obligation. The coupon rate shown represents the rate at period end.

(S) This security is exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The security may be resold, normally to qualified institutional buyers, in transactions exempt from registration.

(Z) All or a portion of this security is segregated as collateral for the Committed Facility Agreement. Total collateral value at October 31, 2008 was $503,088,227.

† At October 31, 2008, the aggregate cost of investment securities for federal income tax purposes was $713,666,824. Net unrealized depreciation aggregated $201,284,742, of which $2,143,151 related to appreciated investment securities and $203,427,893 related to depreciated investment securities.

The Fund had the following interest rate swap contracts open on October 31, 2008:

  FIXED  VARIABLE       
  PAYMENTS  PAYMENTS         
NOTIONAL  MADE BY  RECEIVED BY  TERMINATION    UNREALIZED   
AMOUNT  FUND  FUND  DATE  COUNTERPARTY  DEPRECIATION   
$70,000,000  4.37%  3-month LIBOR  Nov 2010  Bank of America  ($3,229,809)   
 70,000,000  3.79%  3-month LIBOR  Jan 2011  Morgan Stanley  (1,924,790)   
Total          ($5,154,599)   

Page 4 


Notes to portfolio of investments

Security valuation

The net asset value of the Fund is determined daily as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), normally at 4:00 P.M., Eastern Time. Short-term debt investments that have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, and thereafter assume a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, which approximates market value. All other securities held by the Fund are valued at the last sale price or official closing price (closing bid price or last evaluated quote if no sale has occurred) as of the close of business on the principal securities exchange (domestic or foreign) on which they trade or, lacking any sales, at the closing bid price. Securities traded only in the over-the-counter market are valued at the last bid price quoted by brokers making markets in the securities at the close of trading. Securities for which there are no such quotations, principally debt securities, are valued based on the evaluated prices provided by an independent pricing service, which utilizes both dealer-supplied and electronic data processing techniques, which take into account factors such as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other market data. In periods of decreasing liquidity such securities may also be fair valued.

Other portfolio securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Trust’s Pricing Committee in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. Generally, trading in non-U.S. securities is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the net asset value of the Fund’s shares are generally determined as of such times. Occasionally, significant events that affect the values of such securities may occur between the times at which such values are generally determined and the close of the NYSE. Upon such an occurrence, these securities will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith under consistently applied procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees.

Valuations change in response to many factors including the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer, the value of the issuer’s assets, general economic conditions, interest rates, investor perceptions and market liquidity.

The Fund adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 (FAS 157), Fair Value Measurements, effective with the beginning of the Fund’s fiscal year. FAS 157 established a three-tier hierarchy to prioritize the assumptions, referred to as inputs, used in valuation techniques to measure fair value. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

Level 2 – Prices determined using other significant observable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that other market participants would use in pricing a security. These may include quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk and others.

Level 3 – Prices determined using significant unobservable inputs. In situations where quoted prices or observable inputs are unavailable, such as when there is little or no market activity for an investment, unobservable inputs may be used. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s own assumptions about the factors that market participants would use in pricing an investment and would be based on the best information available.

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.


The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s net assets as of October 31, 2008:

  Investments in  Other Financial 
Valuation Inputs       Securities  Instruments* 
 
Level 1 – Quoted Prices  $424,957,298  - 
Level 2 – Other Significant Observable Inputs  60,345,484  ($5,154,599) 
Level 3 – Significant Unobservable Inputs  27,079,300  - 
Total  $512,382,082  ($5,154,599) 

* Other financial instruments are derivative instruments not reflected in the Portfolio of Investments, such as futures, forwards and swap contracts, which are valued at the unrealized appreciation/depreciation on the instrument.

The following is a reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value:

  Investments in  Other Financial 
  Securities  Instruments 
Balance as of July 31, 2008  -  - 
Accrued discounts/premiums  -  - 
Realized gain (loss)  -  - 
Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)  ($6,221,466)  - 
Net purchases (sales)  -  - 
Transfers in and/or out of Level 3  33,300,766  - 
Balance as of October 31, 2008  $27,079,300  - 

Foreign currency translation

The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Investment securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency are translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rates at period end. Purchases and sales of investment securities, income and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rates on the respective dates of the transactions.

Net realized and unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions represent net gains and losses between trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, the disposition of forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currencies, and the difference between the amount of net investment income accrued and the U.S. dollar amount actually received. That portion of both realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments that results from fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates is not separately disclosed but is included with net realized and unrealized gain/appreciation and loss/depreciation on investments.

Swap contracts

The Fund may enter into swap transactions in order to hedge the value of the Fund’s portfolio against interest rate fluctuations or to enhance the Fund’s income or to manage the Fund’s exposure to credit or market risk. A swap is an exchange of cash payments between the Fund and another party. Net cash payments are exchanged at specified intervals and are recorded as a realized gain or loss in the Statements of Operations. Cash payments may include upfront cash payments made by or to the fund. The upfront payments are amortized or accreted for financial reporting purposes, with the unamortized/unaccreted portion included in values recorded on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. The value of the swap is adjusted daily and the change in value, including accruals of periodic amounts of interest to be paid or received, is recorded as swap contracts at value in Statements of Assets and Liabilities and as unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the Statements of Operations. A liquidation payment received or made upon early termination is recorded as a realized gain or loss in the Statements of Operations. Upfront


payments made and/or received by the Fund are recorded as an asset and/or liability on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities and are recorded as a realized gain or loss on the termination date. Swap contracts are subject to risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform under the contract, and may decline in value if the counterparty’s creditworthiness deteriorates. The risks may arise from unanticipated movement in interest rates. The Fund may also suffer losses if it is unable to terminate outstanding swap contracts or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions.

Interest rate swaps represent an agreement between two counterparties to exchange cash flows based on the difference in the two interest rates, applied to the notional principal amount for a specified period. The payment flows are usually netted against each other, with the difference being paid by one party to the other. The Fund settles accrued net receivable or payable under the swap contracts on a periodic basis.

Risks and uncertainties
Fixed income risk

Fixed income securities are subject to credit and interest rate risk and involve some risk of default in connection with principal and interest payments.

Risk associated with foreign investments

Investing in securities issued by companies whose principal business activities are outside the United States may involve significant risks not present in domestic investments. For example, there is generally less information available about foreign companies, particularly those not subject to the disclosure and reporting requirements of the U.S. securities laws. Foreign issuers are generally not bound by uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting requirements and standards of practice comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. Investments in foreign securities also involve the risk of possible adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitation on the removal of funds or other assets of the Fund, political or financial instability or diplomatic and other developments which could affect such investments. Foreign stock markets, while growing in volume and sophistication, are generally not as developed as those in the United States, and securities of some foreign issuers (particularly those located in developing countries) may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. In general, there is less overall governmental supervision and regulation of foreign securities markets, broker-dealers and issuers than in the United States.

Leverage

The Fund utilizes a credit facility to increase its assets available for investment. The Fund has a Credit Facility Agreement (CFA) with a third party commercial bank that allows it to borrow up to an initial limit of $255 million and to invest the borrowings in accordance with its investment practices. Borrowings under the CFA are secured by the assets of the Fund.




ITEM 2. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

(a) Based upon their evaluation of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as conducted within 90 days of the filing date of this Form N-Q, the registrant's principal executive officer and principal accounting officer have concluded that those disclosure controls and procedures provide reasonable assurance that the material information required to be disclosed by the registrant on this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms.

(b) There were no changes in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 3. EXHIBITS.

Separate certifications for the registrant's principal executive officer and principal accounting officer, as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached.


SIGNATURES 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund

By: /s/ Keith F. Hartstein
-------------------------------------
Keith F. Hartstein
President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: December 16, 2008

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By: /s/ Keith F. Hartstein
-------------------------------------
Keith F. Hartstein
President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: December 16, 2008

By: /s/ Charles A. Rizzo
-------------------------------------
Charles A. Rizzo
Chief Financial Officer

Date: December 16, 2008