Department of EnglishDepartment of EnglishCourse Name: Elementary English Course Name: Elementary English GrammarGrammarTopic: PrepositionTopic: Preposition

Course Code: ENG111Course Code: ENG111

Semester: Summer’12Semester: Summer’12

Course Teacher: Antara BasakCourse Teacher: Antara Basak

PrepositionsPrepositions

A prepositionA preposition links nouns, pronouns and links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. The word phrases to other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.called the object of the preposition.

A preposition usually indicates the temporal, A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence as in the following rest of the sentence as in the following examples:examples:

• The book is The book is onon the table. the table. • The book is The book is beneathbeneath the table. the table. • The book is leaning The book is leaning againstagainst the table. the table. • The book is The book is besidebeside the table. the table. • She held the book She held the book overover the table. the table. • She read the book She read the book duringduring class. class.

In each of the preceding sentences, a In each of the preceding sentences, a preposition locates the noun "book" in space preposition locates the noun "book" in space or in time.or in time.

Common use of Prepositions:Common use of Prepositions:

AboutAbout: Approximation & usually is used to : Approximation & usually is used to describe things that cannot be seen.describe things that cannot be seen.

Ex. It’s Ex. It’s aboutabout 5 o’clock. 5 o’clock.

The book is The book is aboutabout a voyage. a voyage.

AgainstAgainst: an object is parallel to another object : an object is parallel to another object and touching. Or, one object is in and touching. Or, one object is in contradiction to another.contradiction to another.

Ex. Put the chair Ex. Put the chair againstagainst the table. the table.

I am I am againstagainst all the political fanatics. all the political fanatics.

AlongAlong: one object is in motion with another : one object is in motion with another or moving in same direction with another or moving in same direction with another non-moving object. non-moving object.

Ex. He went Ex. He went alongalong with her to the museum. with her to the museum.

He walked along the road.He walked along the road.

AmongAmong: Out of many, a few or one.: Out of many, a few or one.

Ex. They are Ex. They are amongamong the few survivals. the few survivals.

Divide the mangoes among the boys.Divide the mangoes among the boys.

AroundAround: Approximation of location or time.: Approximation of location or time.

Ex. He is Ex. He is aroundaround here some where. here some where.

I will be there I will be there aroundaround 5 o’clock. 5 o’clock.

AtAt: Exact location; immediacy.: Exact location; immediacy.

Ex. She is Ex. She is atat her room. her room.

AtAt once, let’s jump all together. once, let’s jump all together.

BetweenBetween: An object is in the middle of two : An object is in the middle of two objects.objects.

Ex. The books are Ex. The books are betweenbetween the file cabinet and the file cabinet and the desk.the desk.

ByBy: an object is located near another object or : an object is located near another object or will pass near the object.will pass near the object.

Ex. The ball went Ex. The ball went byby the batsman. the batsman.

The tea stall is The tea stall is byby the road. the road.

DuringDuring: one activity being performed at the : one activity being performed at the same time when another activity is going same time when another activity is going on.on.

Ex. Ex. DuringDuring the cricket match, players were the cricket match, players were shouting at each other.shouting at each other.

ForFor: an object is intended for another : an object is intended for another object.object.

Ex. The gift is Ex. The gift is forfor my brother. my brother.

I will learn this lesson I will learn this lesson forfor my teacher. my teacher.

FromFrom: Expressing distance between two : Expressing distance between two objects.objects.

Ex. She is Ex. She is fromfrom Canada. Canada.

A tsunami came A tsunami came fromfrom the deep of the the deep of the ocean.ocean.

InIn: an object is inside or surrounded by another : an object is inside or surrounded by another object.object.

Ex. I am Ex. I am inin class right now. class right now.

InIn the evening, I usually read. the evening, I usually read.

IntoInto: object is in motion and heading towards : object is in motion and heading towards the inside of another object.the inside of another object.

Ex. Let’s go Ex. Let’s go into into the store and see what is the store and see what is there.there.

keep my book keep my book intointo my bag. my bag.

OfOf: one object is part of the whole of another : one object is part of the whole of another object.object.

Ex. We enjoyed the whole view Ex. We enjoyed the whole view ofof the the mountain.mountain.

I can see you from the window I can see you from the window ofof my room. my room.

OnOn: over the surface of something.: over the surface of something.

Ex. I am Ex. I am onon the roof. the roof.

SinceSince: cause of inability of something; : cause of inability of something; starting of time.starting of time.

Ex. I couldn’t come Ex. I couldn’t come sincesince I was ill. I was ill.

He has been teaching He has been teaching sincesince 2006. 2006.

ThroughThrough: activity of an action which is in : activity of an action which is in motion.motion.

Ex. They both went Ex. They both went throughthrough the town. the town.

ThroughoutThroughout: used for continuous activity.: used for continuous activity.

Ex. He used to speak the truth Ex. He used to speak the truth throughoutthroughout his his life.life.

WithWith: one object is somehow related to other.: one object is somehow related to other.

Ex: We like milk Ex: We like milk withwith tea. tea.

WithinWithin: When an object is present with some : When an object is present with some type of limitation.type of limitation.

Ex. He wants me to be back Ex. He wants me to be back withinwithin 5 minutes 5 minutes

You should be You should be withinwithin 5 km from here. 5 km from here.

WithoutWithout: about a missing object; it’s direct : about a missing object; it’s direct opposite of with.opposite of with.

Ex. Ex. WithoutWithout a ball we cannot play cricket. a ball we cannot play cricket.

Prepositions of Time: Prepositions of Time: at, onat, on, and , and inin

• We use We use atat to designate specific times. to designate specific times.The train is due at 12:15 p.m.The train is due at 12:15 p.m.

• We use We use onon to designate days and dates. to designate days and dates.My brother is coming on Monday.My brother is coming on Monday.We're having a party on the Fourth of July.We're having a party on the Fourth of July.

• We use We use inin for nonspecific times during a for nonspecific times during a day, a month, a season, or a year.day, a month, a season, or a year.

She likes to jog in the morning.She likes to jog in the morning.It's too cold in winter to run outside.It's too cold in winter to run outside.He started the job in 1971.He started the job in 1971.He's going to quit in August.He's going to quit in August.

Prepositions of Place: Prepositions of Place: at, onat, on, and , and inin

• We use We use atat for specific addresses. for specific addresses.Grammar English lives at 55 Boretz Road in Grammar English lives at 55 Boretz Road in Durham.Durham.

• We use We use onon to designate names of streets, to designate names of streets, avenues, etc.avenues, etc.Her house is on Boretz Road.Her house is on Boretz Road.

• And we use And we use inin for the names of land-areas for the names of land-areas (towns, counties, states, countries, and (towns, counties, states, countries, and continents).continents).

She lives in Durham.She lives in Durham.Durham is in Windham County.Durham is in Windham County.Windham County is in Connecticut.Windham County is in Connecticut.

Prepositions of Movement: Prepositions of Movement: toto and and No No PrepositionPreposition

• We use We use toto in order to express movement in order to express movement toward a place.toward a place.

They were driving to work together.They were driving to work together.She's going to the dentist's office this morning.She's going to the dentist's office this morning.

• TowardToward and and towardstowards are also helpful are also helpful prepositions to express movement. These are prepositions to express movement. These are simply variant spellings of the same word; use simply variant spellings of the same word; use whichever sounds better to you.whichever sounds better to you.

We're moving toward the light.We're moving toward the light.This is a big step towards the project's This is a big step towards the project's completion.completion.

With the words With the words home, downtown, uptown, home, downtown, uptown, inside, outside, downstairs, upstairsinside, outside, downstairs, upstairs, we , we use no preposition.use no preposition.

Grandma went upstairsGrandma went upstairsGrandpa went home.Grandpa went home.They both went outside.They both went outside.

Prepositions of Time: Prepositions of Time: forfor and and sincesince

• We use We use forfor when we measure time when we measure time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years).years).

He held his breath for seven minutes.He held his breath for seven minutes.She's lived there for seven years.She's lived there for seven years.The British and Irish have been quarreling The British and Irish have been quarreling for seven centuries.for seven centuries.

• We use We use sincesince with a specific date or time. with a specific date or time.

He's worked here since 1970.He's worked here since 1970.She's been sitting in the waiting room She's been sitting in the waiting room since two-thirty. since two-thirty.

Prepositions with Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs.Prepositions with Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs.

• Prepositions are sometimes so firmly wedded to Prepositions are sometimes so firmly wedded to other words that they have practically become one other words that they have practically become one word. This occurs in three categories: nouns, word. This occurs in three categories: nouns, adjectives, and verbs.adjectives, and verbs.

•

• NOUNS and PREPOSITIONSNOUNS and PREPOSITIONS

approval ofapproval of fondness forfondness for need for need for awareness of awareness of grasp ofgrasp of hope for hope for belief in belief in participation in participation in love of love of reason for reason for hatred ofhatred of desire for desire for concern for concern for respect for respect for confusion about confusion about interest ininterest in success in success in understanding ofunderstanding of

• ADJECTIVES and PREPOSITIONSADJECTIVES and PREPOSITIONS

afraid ofafraid of fond offond of proud of proud of angry at angry at happy abouthappy about similar to similar to aware of aware of interested in interested in sorry for sorry for

capable of capable of jealous ofjealous of sure of sure of careless about careless about made of made of tired of tired of familiar with married to familiar with married to

worried aboutworried about

• VERBS and PREPOSITIONSVERBS and PREPOSITIONS

apologize forapologize for give up give up prepare for prepare for ask aboutask about grow grow up up study for study for ask for ask for look for look for talk about talk about belong tobelong to look forward to look forward to think about think about bring upbring up look up look up trust in trust in

care forcare formake up make up work for work for find outfind out pay forpay for worry worry aboutabout

Thank YouThank You