SHAFFAQ YOUSAFM.Ed1ST SEM

PREPOSITIONS

DEFINITION

• Preposition is a word that shows relation

between noun or pronoun and the other words in

sentence.

• "Prepositions are the spice of good conversation

and correct idiomatic writing". John O London.

• The word preposition means 'that which is

placed before'.

• A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phr

ases to other words in a sentence. The word

or phrase that the preposition introduces is

called the object of the preposition.

• A preposition usually indicates the

temporal, spatial or logical relationship of

its object to the rest of the sentence.

EXAMPLES

• Subject + Verb

Preposition Noun

The cat was sleeping on

table

He lives in

Paris

She looked at

Stranger.

He will come in

January.

KINDS OF PREPOSITIONS

• Simple prepositions

• Compound prepositions

• Double prepositions

• Participle Double prepositions

• Phrase prepositions

SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS

• Simple prepositions are words like in, on, at, about, over, under, off, of, for, to etc.

• Examples:He is going to the market.He fell off the ladder.There is some water in the bottle.The cat was hiding under the bed.

COMPOUND PREPOSITIONS

• Compound prepositions are words like without, within, inside, outside, into, beneath, below, behind, between etc.

• Examples:He fell into the river.He sat beside her.There is nothing inside the jar.The boy ran across the road

DOUBLE PREPOSITIONS

• Double prepositions are words like outside of, out of, from behind, from beneath etc.

• Examples:Suddenly he emerged from behind the curtain.He walked out of the compound.

PARTICIPLE PREPOSITIONS

• Participle prepositions are words like concerning, not withstanding, pending, considering etc.

• Examples:There was little chance of success, not withstanding they decided to go ahead.You did the job well, considering your age and inexperience.

PHRASE PREPOSITIONS

• Phrase prepositions are phrases like because of, by means of, with regard to, on behalf of, instead of, on account of, in opposition to, for the sake of etc.

• Examples:I am standing here on behalf of my friends and colleagues.The match was cancelled because of the rain.

Kinds of Phrases

•  An adjective phrase modifies a noun or pronoun. It always comes immediately after the noun or pronoun it modifies.

• Example:Ali is the student with the highest grade.

("with the highest grade" modifies "student.")

• An adverb phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb. It is used to tell when, where, how, or to what extent about the word it modifies:

• Example:Uzma put her bird in its cage.

("in its cage" modifies the verb "put.")

PREPOSITIONS AND ADVERBS

• There are some words which can be used both as prepositions and as adverbs.

• If a word is used as a preposition it will have a noun or pronoun as its object. Adverbs, on the other hand, do not have objects. They are used to modify a verb, adjective or another adverb.

Examples

• She sat in the armchair. (In – preposition; armchair – object)Please come in. (In – adverb; no object)

• He stood before me. (Before – preposition; object – me)I have seen him before. (Before – adverb; no object)

• She put the book on the table. (On – preposition; object – the table)Let’s move on. (On – adverb; no object)

PREPOSITIONS WITH NOUNS, ADJECTIVES, AND VERBS.

• Prepositions are sometimes so firmly

wedded to other words that they

have practically become one word.

This occurs in three categories:

nouns, adjectives, and verbs.

NOUNS and PREPOSITIONS

awareness of, belief in, concern for, desire for

fondness for, hatred of, hope for

need for, participation in, reason forrespect for

ADJECTIVES and PREPOSITIONS

afraid of, angry at, aware of, capable of

fond of, interested in, jealous of, made of

proud of, similar to, sorry for, tired of

VERBS and PREPOSITIONS

apologize for, belong to, bring up ,find

out

give up, grow up, look for, look up, pay

for

prepare for, study for, trust in

TYPES OF PREPOSITION

• Preposition for Time• Preposition for Place • Preposition for Direction• Preposition for Agent• Preposition for Instrument• Prepositional Phrase

PREPOSITIONS FOR TIME

(IN, ON, AT)• Prepositions used for time of different

natures are in, on at etc.

• On1. Day  e.g. on Monday 2. Date e.g. on 5th of March, March 5

• In1. Month or Year. e.g. in January, in 19852. Particular time of day or month or yeare.g. in morning, in evening, in first week of January, in summer, in winter3. Century or specific time in past etce.g. in 21st century, in stone age, in past, in future, in present

• At

1. Time of clock e.g. at 5 O’clock,

at 7:30 PM

2. Short and precise time  e.g. at

noon, at sunset, at lunch time, at bed

time, at the moment

• Examples.          He was born in 1945.          She will go to New York on 25th of March.

         He gets up early in the morning.

  She received a lot gifts on her birthday.          Where were you at the lunchtime?         I will call you at 12 A.M

PREPOSITION FOR PLACE

• (IN, ON, AT)Prepositions “in, on or at” are usually

used for different places.• “In” is usually used for place which

have some boundary (boundary may physical or virtual).

• “On” is  used for surface• “At” is used for specific place.

• InPlace having some boundary (physical or

virtual boundary) .In hall, In school, In a box, In a car, In garden

• OnSurface of something. 

On a table, On blackboard , On the wall, On the roof, On a map

• AtSpecific Place.

At the entrance, At the bottom of glass, At front of the chair, At bus stop

• Examples   Students study in library.

          The wedding ceremony will be held in the hall.          There are some books on the table.          The teacher wrote a sentence on blackboard.

   His house is at the end of street.

PREPOSITION FOR DIRECTION

(to, toward, through, into)Prepositions like to, towards, through,

into are used to describe the direction. • Examples.

         She went to the library.         He jumped into the river.         He ran away when he felt that someone was coming toward him.

PREPOSITION FOR AGENT

(BY) Preposition for agent is used for a thing which

is cause of another thing in the sentence. Such prepositions are by, with etc. 

• Examples.         This book is written by Shakespeare. 

    The room was decorated by her.         The tub is filled with water.

 

PREPOSITION FOR DEVICE, INSTRUMENT OR MACHINE

Different preposition are used by different devices, instruments or machines. e.g. by, with, on etc.

• Examples.         She comes by bus daily.         He opened the lock with key.

PREPOSITIONAL VERB

• A prepositional phrase is a

combination of a verb and a

preposition. It is just a verb followed

by a preposition.

Prepositional Phrase  =  Verb +

Preposition

• Some verbs need particular

prepositions to be used after them in

sentences having a direct object.

Such a verb with its required

preposition is called a prepositional

phrase.

Examples

• He knocks at the door.• She is listening to music.• She looked at the blackboard.• We believe in God.•  Do you agree with me?• Someone is knocking at the door.• You should not rely on her.

• Some of the frequently used

preposition verb are, laugh at,

knock at, listen to, look at, look

for, look after, wait for, agree to,

agree with, talk about, talked to.

REFERENCES

• http://www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/preposit.html

• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/prepositions.htm

• http://www.studyandexam.com/preposition3.html

• http://www.englishpractice.com/improve/kinds-prepositions/

• http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/prepphrases/

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