Prepositions

what is a preposition?

think about the name:

preposition

pre… position

pre… position

a placebefore

pre… position

a placebefore

I go to the cinema.

pre… position

a placebefore

I go to the cinema.

pre… position

a placebefore

I go to the cinema.

the preposition describes the relationship between the verb and the place

I go to the cinema.

I go

tointo

out ofpast

behindetc.

the cinema.

?preposition of movement

oradverb of direction

He goes into the office.

He goes in.

He goes into the office.

He goes in.

preposition

adverb

He goes out of the office.

He goes out.

He goes out of the office.

He goes out.

preposition

adverb

adverb

how to study prepositions

the smaller the wordthe less it translates

with prepositions(and articles)

DON’T translate

learn the rules for:

- prepositions of time- prepositions of place- prepositions of movement

BUT memorise:

- dependant prepositions- phrasal verbs- common errors

basic prepositions of time

exact time at3 o’clockmidnight

the moment

days and dates on

Monday4th July

my birthdayChristmas day

periods in

Marchsummer

1997the ’60s

the morning / afternoon / evening

exceptions atweekends / the weekend

Christmas / Easternight

I arrived __ 8 pm.What did you do __ Easter?__ summer they go to the sea.We saw him __ Thursday.Did you see her __ last week?It was __ the morning.They study __ night.We finished __ the same time.

prepositions of place and movement

verbs preposition + home

place be / stay / work at / in be at home

starting and stopping

leave - leave - home

arrive at / in / on arrive - home

movement go / drive / walk to go - home

We went __ home.She walked __ work.The bus left __ the station.She arrived __ Rome.We stayed __ a hotel.When do they arrive __ Italy?They came back __ home.Did you stay __ home?

on for technology&

in for paper

on the phoneon a computer

on the radioon the TVon an iPod

in a bookin a magazine

in the (news)paper

BUTon the page

dependent prepositionsafter verbs

depend onlisten towait for

increase / decrease by

dependent prepositionsafter adjectives

interested ingood / bad at

afraid ofangry with

angry aboutfed up withhappy withmarried tosimilar tosame as

nice / kind / rude of sb.(be) nice / kind / horrible to sb.

eg.It was nice of him to give you a lift.

He was horrible to his wife.

sorry about sth.sorry for doing sth.

eg.Sorry about the noise last night.

I’m sorry for not phoning you.

NB. Sorry I’m late.

dependent prepositionsafter nouns

opinion ofincrease / decrease in

possibility of

phrasal verbs

look atlook for

look after

get toget into / out ofget onto / off

get on with sb.get sb. down

get over sth./sb.get together

check the meaning of these verbs in the OALD or Grammar Reference

give sth. awaygive sth. back

give ingive sth. outgive sth. up

give up

check the meaning of these verbs in the OALD or Grammar Reference

!no preposition in Italian

listen to – ascoltarelook at – guardarelook for – cercare

search for – cercare wait for – aspettare

!no preposition in English

ask – chiedere aanswer – rispondere a

call / phone etc. – telefonare a

!some common errors

ask to sb.married with sb.

pay sth.on the newspaper

listen sth.good in sth.sorry for sth.

increase in sth.

exercise

find and correct the errors

He listens music in MTV.I paid a beer to him into the bar.She got married with an Indian on ’64.The article on the paper was from a leading journalist.We went at her home in Monday.Sorry for my late on the morning.I answer to the phone on weekends.

He listens _ music in MTV.I paid _ a beer to him into the bar.She got married with an Indian on ’64.The article on the paper was from a leading journalist.We went at her home in Monday.Sorry for my late on the morning.I answer to the phone on weekends.

He listens to music in MTV.I paid for a beer for him at/in the bar.She got married to an Indian in ’64.The article in the paper was by a leading journalist.We went to hers on Monday.Sorry I was late in the morning.I answer _ the phone at weekends.

translating

fino a

until [time]up to [number]

as far as [distance]

da

from [origin; starting point]

by [passive]

for / since [in Present Perfect]

at / to mine [= my house]

at / to Bob’s [= Bob’s house]

at / to the Chemist’s [= the Chemist’s shop]

homework

Module 6, parts 12, 13 & 16

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