PREPOSITION

 

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They act to connect the people, objects, time and locations of a sentence.  Prepositions are usually short words, and they are normally placed directly in front of nouns. In some cases, you’ll find prepositions in front of gerund verbs.

A nice way to think about prepositions is as the words that help glue a sentence together. They do this by expressing position and movement, possession, time and how an action is completed.

Indeed, several of the most frequently used words in all of English, such as of, to, for, with, on and at, are prepositions. Explaining prepositions can seem complicated, but they are a common part of language and most of us use them naturally without even thinking about it.

Prepositions tell us where or when something is in relation to something else. When monsters are approaching, it’s good to have these special words to tell us where those monsters are. Are they behind us or in front of us? Will they be arriving in three seconds or at midnight?

Prepositions often tell us where one noun is in relation to another (e.g., The coffee is on the table beside you). But they can also indicate more abstract ideas, such as purpose or contrast (e.g., We went for a walk despite the rain).

Preposition Examples

Unfortunately, there’s no reliable formula for determining which preposition to use with a particular combination of words. The best way to learn which prepositions go with which words is to read as much high-quality writing as you can and pay attention to which combinations sound right. Here are a few examples of the most common prepositions used in sentences.

ü  I should rewrite the introduction of my essay.

ü   Sam left his jacket in the car.

ü  Did you send that letter to your mother?

ü  We’re cooking for ten guests tonight.

ü  Dan ate lunch with his boss.

 

Type of Prepositions

Prepositions of Time
Basic examples of time prepositions include: at, on, in, before and after. They are used to help indicate when something happened, happens or will happen. It can get a little confusing though, as many different prepositions can be used.

Prepositions of time examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

For example:

• I was born on July 4^th, 1982.
• I was born in 1982.
• I was born at exactly 2am.
• I was born two minutes before my twin brother.
• I was born after the Great War ended.

The above makes it seem quite difficult, with five different prepositions used to indicate when something happened. However, there is a set of guidelines that can help decide which preposition to use:

For years, months, seasons, centuries and times of day, use the preposition in:

• I first met John in 1987.
• It’s always cold in January
• Easter falls in spring each year.
• The Second World War occurred in the 20th century.
• We eat breakfast in the morning.

For days, dates and specific holiday days, use the preposition on.

1. We go to school on Mondays, but not on Sunday
2. Christmas is on December 25^th.
3. Buy me a present on my birthday.

For times, indicators of exception and festivals, use the preposition at:

• Families often argue at Christmas time.
• I work faster at night.
• Her shift finished at 7pm.

Before and after should be much easier to understand than the other examples of prepositions of time. Both are used to explain when something happened, happens or will happen, but specifically in relation to another thing.

• Before I discovered this bar, I used to go straight home after work.
• We will not leave before 3pm.
• David comes before Bryan in the line, but after Louise.

Other prepositions of time could include: During, about, around, until and throughout.

• The concert will be staged throughout the month of May.
• I learned how to ski during the holidays.
• He usually arrives around 3pm.
• It was about six in the morning when we made it to bed.
• The store is open until midnight.

Prepositions of Place

To confuse matters a bit, the most common prepositions to indicate time – on, at, in – are also the most common prepositions to indicate position. However, the rules are a little clearer as place prepositions are a more rigid concept than time prepositions.

Prepositions of place examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

• The cat is on the table.
• The dogs are in the kennel.
• We can meet at the crossroads.

The guidelines can be broken down as follows:

On is used when referring to something with a surface:

• The sculpture hangs on the wall.
• The images are on the page.
• The specials are on the menu, which is on the table.

In is used when referring to something that is inside or within confined boundaries. This could be anything, even a country:

1. Jim is in France, visiting his aunt in the hospital.
2. The whiskey is in the jar in the fridge.
3. The girls play in the garden.

At is used when referring to something at a specific point:

1. The boys are at the entrance at the movie theater.
2. He stood at the bus stop at the corner of Water and High streets.
3. We will meet at the airport.

Lot’s of other prepositions of place, such as under, over, inside, outside, above and below are used in English. There is, however, a lot less confusion as they refer to rigid positions rather than abstract ones.

• The cat is under the table.
• Put the sandwich over there.
• The key is locked inside the car.
• They stepped outside the house.
• Major is ranked above corporal.
• He is waving at you from below the stairs.

Prepositions of Movement

Prepositions of movement are quite easy to understand as they are less abstract than prepositions of place and time. Essentially, they describe how something or someone moves from one place to another. The most commonly used preposition of movement is to, which usually serves to highlight that there is movement towards a specific destination.

Prepositions of movement examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

• He has gone on vacation to France.
• She went to the bowling alley every Friday last summer.
• I will go to bed when I am tired.
• They will go to the zoo if they finish their errands.

Other more specific prepositions of movement include: through, across, off, down and into. These prepositions can sometimes get mixed up with others. While they are similar, they have individual meanings that add context to the movement.

Across refers to moving from one side to another.

• Mike travelled across America on his motorcycle.
• Rebecca and Judi are swimming across the lake.

Through refers to moving directly inside something and out the other end.

• The bullet Ben shot went through the window.
• The train passes through the tunnel.

Into refers to entering or looking inside something.

• James went into the room.
• They stare into the darkness.

Up, over, down, past and around indicate directions of movement:

1. Jack went up the hill.
2. Jill came tumbling down after.
3. We will travel over rough terrain on our way to Grandma’s house.
4. The horse runs around the track all morning.
5. A car zoomed past a truck on the highway