Definition:
“A
preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show in what relation
the person or thing denoted by it stands in regards to something else”.
or
It
shows relationship between a noun and a pronoun.
OR
They are used to show relationship between noun
expressions and other Elements in sentence.
Example: In,
Inn , At, Under, Behind, In front of etc.
In (inside):- the book is in the bag.
Into (movement from outside):- He is coming into the
classroom
OR
A preposition is a word governing and usually coming in front of, a
noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element as in:
·
She
left before breakfast.
·
What
did you come for? (For what did you
come?)
RULE
There is one very simple rule
about prepositions. And unlike most rules, this rule has no exceptions. i.e A preposition is followed by a
“noun”.
·
By
“noun” we include:
·
Noun (dog, money, love)
·
Proper noun (name) (Bangkok
·
Pronoun (you, him, us)
·
Noun group (my first job)
·
Gerund (swimming)
A preposition cannot be followed
by a verb. If we want to follow a preposition by a verb, we must use the “- ing
“form which is really a gerund or verb in noun form. But here are some examples
where we can use before verb.
·
I
would like to so now.
·
She
used to smoke.
Here
are some more examples:
Subject + verb
|
Preposition
|
“ noun “
|
The food is
|
On
|
The table.
|
She lives
|
In
|
|
For
|
You.
|
|
The letter is
|
Under
|
Your blue book.
|
I ate
|
Before
|
Coming
|
Preposition of time: at, in, on
We use:
·
at
for a PRACTICE time
·
in
for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES AND LONG PERIODS
·
on
fro DAYS and dates
At
|
In
|
on
|
PRECISE
TIME
|
MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES AND
LONG PERIODS |
DYAS AND ATES
|
at
|
in
may
|
on
Sunday
|
at
|
in
summer
|
on
Tuesday
|
at
|
in
the summer
|
on
6 March
|
at
dinnertime
|
in
1990
|
on
|
at
bedtime
|
in
the 1990s
|
on
|
at
sunrise
|
in
the next century
|
on
Independence Day
|
at
sunset
|
in
the ice age
|
on
my birthday
|
at
the moment
|
in
the past/future
|
on
new Year’s Eve
|
Look at these examples:
·
I
have a meeting at 9 am
·
The shop closes at midnight .
·
Jaweria
went home at lunchtime.
·
In
England
·
Do
you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?
·
There
should be a lot of progress in the next century.
·
Do
you work on Mondays
·
Her
birthday is on 20 November.
·
Where
will you be on New Year’s Day?
Notice the use of preposition of
time at in the following standard expressions:
Expression
|
Example
|
at
night
|
The
stars shine at night.
|
at
the week end
|
I
don’t usually work at the weekend.
|
at
Christmas/ Easter
|
I
stay with my family at Christmas.
|
at
the same time
|
We
finished the test at the same time.
|
at
present
|
He’s
not home at present. Try later.
|
Notice the use of the preposition
of time in and on in these common
expressions.
in
|
On
|
in the morning
|
on Tuesday morning
|
in the mornings
|
on Saturday mornings
|
In the afternoon(s)
|
on Sunday afternoons
|
In the evening(s)
|
on Monday evening
|
When we say last, next, every,
this we do not also use at, in, on.
·
I
went to London
·
He’s
coming back next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)
·
I
go home every Easter. (not at
every Easter)
·
We’ll
call you this evening (not in this evening)
Prepositions
of Place: at, in, on
In general, we use:
·
at for a POINT
·
in
for an ENCLOSED SPACE
·
on for a SURFACE
At
|
In
|
on
|
POINT
|
ENCLOSED
SPACE
|
SURFACE
|
at
the corner
|
In
the garden
|
on
the wall
|
at
the bus stop
|
In
|
on
the ceiling
|
at
the door
|
In
|
on
the door
|
at
the top of the page
|
In
a box
|
on
the cover
|
at
the end of the road
|
In
my pocket
|
on
the floor
|
at
the entrance
|
In
my wallet
|
on
the carpet
|
at
the crossroads
|
In
a building
|
on
the menu
|
at
the entrance
|
In
a car
|
on
a page
|
Look at these examples:
·
Jane
is waiting for you at the bus stop.
·
The
shop is at the end of the street
·
My
plane stopped at Dubai Hanoi
·
When
will you arrive at the office?
·
Do
you work in an office?
·
I
have a meeting in New York
·
Do
you live in Japan
·
Jupiter
is in the solar system.
·
The
author’s name is on the cover of the book.
·
There
are no prices on this menu.
·
Your
are standing on my foot
·
There
was a “no smoking” sign on the wall.
·
I
live on the 7th floor at 21 Oxford Street London
Notice: Use of the prepositions of place at, in and on in these standard
expressions:
At
|
In
|
on
|
at
home
|
in
a car
|
on
a bus
|
at
work
|
in
a taxi
|
on
a train
|
at
school
|
in
a helicopter
|
on
a place
|
at
university
|
in
a boat
|
on
a ship
|
at
college
|
in
a lift (elevator)
|
on
a bicycle, on a motorbike
|
At
the top
|
in
the newspaper
|
on
a horse, on an elephant
|
At
the bottom
|
in
the sky
|
on
the radio, on television
|
At
the side
|
in
row
|
on
the lift, on the right
|
At
reception
|
in
|
on
the way
|
In
|
At
|
On
|
Big places
|
Small places, particular point
|
Day surface
|
Inside
|
Timings
|
Date
|
Months
|
Festivals
|
Festivals
|
Years
|
Weekends
|
Ex
1) We are at Bahria Foundation
College
2) We live in Pakistan Karachi
3) I will meet u on/at Eid day at
10’oclock in next year.
Beside:
|
Next to, eg:- He is sitting
beside Ali
|
Besides:
|
In addition to, eg:- besides
Lubna who was present in the party?
|
For:
|
Particular time period.
|
Since:
|
Particular point of time.
|
By:
|
Near, eg:- Pen is on the table
by the computer.
|
Opposite:
|
Opposite to BFC there is
|
Out:
|
I come out of dig.
|
In front of:
|
In front of me there is a door.
|
Behind:
|
|
Under:
|
|
Between:
|
|
Amongst:
|
Some other
prepositions which are commonly used in our daily life are discussed bellow:
ü
He
is fond of music.
ü
It
is ten by my watch.
ü
She
is standing under the tree
ü
I
prefer tea to coffee.
ü
They
are listening to music.
ü
You
should get rid of this bad habit.
ü We are
accountable to God for our actions.
ü
She
looks after her sick mother.
ü
Take
a lamp, as the night is dark.
ü
May
God protect us from all harms.
ü
I
poured some water into the glass.
ü
He
fell from the hours.
ü
He
was aborted in deep thinking.
ü
I
cam with an old friend.
ü
I
brought a gift for my father.
ü
We
cannot rely on you.
ü
Our
team won the match by three goals.
ü
These
shops deal in cloths
ü
He
died of cholera.
ü
He
goes to school on foot.
ü
We
should trust in God
ü
What
are you talking about?
ü
Smoking
is injurious to health.
PREPOSITION LIST
There are about
150 prepositions in English. Yet this is a very small number when you think of
the thousands of other works (nouns, verbs etc). Prepositions are important
words. We use individual prepositions more frequently than other Individual
words. In fact, the prepositions of, to and in are among the ten
most frequent words in English. Here is a short list of 70 of the more common
one-word prepositions. Many of these prepositions have more than one meaning
have more than meaning.
Ø
aboard
Ø
about
Ø
above
Ø
across
Ø
after
Ø
against
Ø
along
Ø
amid
Ø
among
Ø
anti
Ø
around
Ø
as
Ø
at
Ø
before
Ø
behind
Ø
below
Ø
beneath
Ø
beside
Ø
besides
Ø
between
Ø
beyond
Ø
but
Ø
by
Ø
despite
Ø
down
Ø
during
Ø
except
Ø
excepting
Ø
excluding
Ø
following
Ø
for
Ø
from
Ø
in
Ø
inside
Ø
into
Ø
minus
Ø
near
Ø
of
Ø
off
Ø
on
Ø
on
to
Ø
opposite
Ø
outside
Ø
over
Ø
past
Ø
per
Ø
plus
Ø
like
Ø
save
Ø
since
Ø
than
through
Ø
to
Ø
toward
Ø
towards
Ø
under
Ø
underneath
Ø
unlike
Ø
until
Ø
up
Ø
upon
Ø
versus
Ø
via
Ø
with
Ø
within
 |
| Prepositions in English Grammar |
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