Prepositions
Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They show relationships between the object of the preposition and another word in the sentence.
Functions of Prepositions:
1.Indicating Place or Position:
Example: "The cat is on the table,"
"He lives in the city."
2. Indicating Time:
Example: "We will meet at 5 PM," "She has been here since Monday."
3. Indicating Direction or Movement:
Example: "She walked to the park,"
"He ran towards the finish line."
4. Indicating Manner, Means, or Agent:
Example: "She wrote with a pen," "The book was written by an author."
5. Indicating Cause, Reason, or Purpose:
Example: "He was fined for speeding," "We study to learn."
Common Prepositions:
-Place: at, in, on, under, over, above, below, behind, between, among, near, next to, beside, under, beneath, alongside, against, within, outside, inside.
Time: at, on, in, before, after, during, until, since, by.
Direction/Movement: to, towards, into, through, across, over, from, out of, down, up, along, past.
Manner/Means: by, with, in, via, through.
Cause/Purpose: for, because of, due to, owing to.
Usage Rules:
1. Prepositions are followed by a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition):
Example: "She sat beside her friend," "The book is on the shelf."
2. Prepositions are not followed by a verb directly:
- Example: Correct: "She is interested in learning."
Incorrect: "She is interested inlearn."
3. Prepositional Phrases:
A prepositional phrase includes the preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object.
Example: "The book on the table is mine."
Special Considerations:
1. Prepositions in Questions and Relative Clauses:
- Example: "What are you talking about?" "The person to whom I spoke."
2. Prepositions with Verbs (Phrasal Verbs):
Some verbs are often combined with specific prepositions to create a unique meaning.
Example: "Look after (take care of),"
"Give up (quit)."
3. Idiomatic Prepositions:
Certain expressions and idioms use specific prepositions that may not follow general rules.
Example: "Afraid of," "Good at," "Interested in,"
Common Errors:
1. Using incorrect prepositions:
Example: Incorrect: "He is good in math."
Correct: "He is good at math."
2. Ending sentences with prepositions (acceptable in informal speech, but often avoided in formal writing):
Example: Informal: "Who are you talking to?"
Formal: "To whom are you talking?"
3. Omitting necessary prepositions:
Incorrect: "She is married with a doctor."
Correct: "She is married to a doctor."
Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions:
1. She arrived ___ the airport ___ 5 PM.
2. The cat is hiding ___ the bed.
3. We walked ___ the park and then went ___ the café.
4. He has been working here ___ 2010.
5. She wrote the letter ___ a fountain pen.
Exercise 2: Identify the Prepositions
Identify and underline the prepositions in the following sentences:
1. The book on the table belongs to John.
2. She has been living in Paris since last year.
3. They walked through the forest to reach the cabin.
4. The meeting will start at 9 AM and end by noon.
5. The painting was created by an unknown artist.
Exercise 3: Correct the Errors
Correct the errors in the following sentences:
1. He is interested for learning new languages.
2. She sat beside to her friend during the movie.
3. The report was written by the researcher for a clear manner.
4. We will meet on the office at 3 PM.
5. She is afraid from spiders.
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