PREPOSITIONS

PREPOSITIONS PREPOSITION DEFINITION: Preposition gives context to nouns in relationship to other nouns or pronouns. Example: I am going to France. France is in Europe. Prepositions are mostly little words that are used before a Noun or Pronoun to show its relation to some other word in the sentence. In other words, prepositions link a noun or pronoun to another noun or pronoun in a sentence. Prepositions are used to show when something happens (prepositions of time), where something happens (prepositions of place) or where something is going (prepositions of direction). EXAMPLES: I shall meet you at 2 o'clock tomorrow. (indicates time: at 2 o'clock) The kettle is on the table. (indicates a place or position: on the table) We walked towards the cinema. (indicates direction: towards the cinema) There are many prepositions, some of which are as follow: about, after, along, among, before, behind, beside, between, by, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, over, to, since, through, under, with, within, without Prepositions are mostly little words that are used before a Noun or Pronoun to show its relation to some other word in the sentence. In other words, prepositions link a noun or pronoun to another noun or pronoun in a sentence. Prepositions are used to show when something happens, (prepositions of time), where something happens (prepositions of place) or where something is going (prepositions of direction). EXAMPLES: I shall meet you at 2 o’clock tomorrow. (indicates time: at 2 o’clock) The kettle is on the table. (indicates a place or position: on the table) We walked towards the cinema. (indicates direction: towards the cinema) There are many prepositions, some of which are as follow: about, after, along, among, before, behind, beside, between, by, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, over, to, since, through, under, with, within, without Let’s go step by step:

1. Prepositions of Time
2. Prepositions of Place
3. Prepositions of Direction
4. Compound prepositions
5. Proper usage of Prepositions
6. Prepositions + other parts of speech

1. Prepositions of Time

Prepositions can be used to convey time. EXAMPLES: He said he will be sleeping before five o'clock. Tommy will not be here for an hour yet. Their father will return within a year. Jane has been ill since last Sunday. She promises not to talk to me from tomorrow. Did Julia call you at lunchtime? The boss is always sleepy on Monday mornings. He often builds a snowman in the winter.

2. Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place tell us where someone or something is. EXAMPLES: I sat beside a snoring lady in the cinema. I think someone is hiding behind the door. The two thieves divided the loot between them. We have been living under one roof. We divided the pizza among us. How come my car keys are in your shirt pocket? The cow jumped over the moon. Don't go near her. She's got a bad cold.

3. Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions can be used to show movement, that is where someone or something is going. EXAMPLES: May is looking after her sick parrot. Mary came into my room when I was about to sleep. Shall we walk along the beach? The bird flew in through the window. I think she's gone to the loo. His uncle fell into the river. The baby is crawling towards me. All my marbles roll down the hill.

4. Compound Prepositions

Some prepositions are composed of more than one word and are called compound prepositions. EXAMPLES: according to, because of, in front of, instead of, in spite of, and next to. According to him, his wife is the most beautiful woman in town. He had to retire because of ill health. She parked her car right in front of mine. You should do something instead of talking about it all the time. They did not postpone the match in spite of the rain. The circus clown is sitting next to her.

5. Proper Usage of Prepositions

Prepositions are simple words but they are not as easy to use as they appear to be. Care should therefore be exercised in using them. If used wrongly, they become adverbs and conjunctions and convey different meanings as the following examples show: EXAMPLES: It was a kite that we looked above us. (adverb) I noticed an air plane above the cloud. (preposition) They waited outside the cinema for him. (adverb) The sheep are outside the fence. (preposition) We entered after her. (adverb) He arrived after we had left. (conjunction) I go jogging every day after work. (preposition)

6. Prepositions + Other Parts of Speech

Some nouns, adjectives and verbs can have a preposition after them. EXAMPLES: The hostages didn't give up hope of being released. (Noun + preposition) No one believed him guilty of this terrible crime. (Adjective + preposition) The audience laughed at her funny jokes. (Verb + preposition) LIST 18 shows how prepositions are used.