What is Preposition?
Preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun , noun phrase or pronoun to show relationship with other parts of the sentence and also to show place, time, direction , location , or to introduce an object .
Example – The cat 🐈 is under the table .
The book 📖 is on the table .
Books 📚 are inside the shelf.
Keep the dress 👗 inside the wardrobe.
He is in the class.
Some Special Features of Prepositions –
Prepositions don’t have any other form like singular, plural, possessive or anything else.
These are closed class of words . That means no new preposition add to the English language.
Most of these have different types of used. So it can create confusion .
Preposition can be a single word or can be of two or more words . Preposition made of two or more words are called Phrasal Preposition.
Types of Preposition –
1 . Prepositions of Time – These are prepositions used to indicate time like specific time , year, month, day, different parts of the day, season, duration, etc.
Use of Preposition of Time –
On – We use on with days, dates 🗓️ –
He also works on Sunday .
He was born on 5th June .
In – We use in with months, years, seasons and parts of the day.
We will go there in September.
He was born in 1955.
I like to go for a tour in summer 🌞.
There will be a party in the evening 🌆.
He walks in the morning 🌄.
At – We use at with specific time of the day , also with noon , night , midnight.
He goes to school 🎒 at 10:00 am .
We will attend a marriage ceremony at night 🌃.
He goes to bed at midnight.
Since – They are playing in the team since 2015.
For – She is practicing for two hours .
By – I will complete the course by next week.
Within – I will be there within an hour .
During – We attend workshop during summer 🏝️ vacation.
From — to – He will assist the club from August to December.
From —- until – He will teach us from morning until afternoon .
2 .Prepositions of Place – These are Prepositions used to indicate place , like – a particular point, general place, surface, something contained inside .
On – We use to refer something with a surface.
The book is on the table.
He is sitting on a chair .
In / Inside – We use these to refer the point itself or something confined .
The car 🚗 is in the garrage.
We are playing in the field .
They work in the forest .
They are inside the auditorium.
At – We use at to refer a specific point .
He is waiting at the bus 🚌 stop .
To refer to an object lower than a point –
The cat is under the table.
The station is well below the sea level.
The mouse 🐁 live underneath some old furnitures.
There is a fertile soil beneath the grassland.
To refer some object higher than a point –
The place well above the sea level.
The sun 🌞 is over the head now.
To refer to the object close to a point –
The garden is near our house.
Take your seat 🪑 next to the blank chair .
He is standing by the shopping 🛍️ mall .
There is a river between the two cities .
There is a hall among the rooms .
The lab is just opposite to the office room .
3 . Prepositions of Location– We use these to indicate a location.
In – a large area volume or before country, state and large city or large town .
He is living in Canada.
The Tajmahal is in Agra .
At – To indicate a point of location or a small area or a village or small town .
We live at a village .
On – To refer on a surface .
There is a crack on the table .
4 .Prepositions of Direction or Movement – We use these Prepositions to indicate direction .
Example – to, into , onto, across, through, down, up, past, round , over
To –
She is going to the school .
I go to office at 10 am .
Into – To refer a movement to enter or look inside .
You can join into the meeting right now.
We looked into the sky to observe the star ⭐.
Across – To refer a movement from one side to another .
The dog 🐕 ran across the road very quickly.
He walked across the ground steadily .
Through – To refer a movement from inside to outside and outside to inside .
The metro past through the tunnel successfully.
The ball went through the opened door .
To indicate specific direction of movement –
She climbed up the peak successfully.
The thief ran down the lane in hurry.
The scooty galloped over the uneven road .
The boy merched past the track in record time .
He travelled around the globe 🌎.
At – To understand or examine something.
Please look at me.
He is going to look at the expenses of the farm .
5 . Prepositions of Manner – These are used to describe the way or the means by which something happens.
Example – like, by, with, in, on
Example of sentences –
He goes to school by bus 🚌.
He went to the office in private car 🚗.
She can dance like an professional.
We moved on foot to reach the peak .
He raised the issue with anger .
6 . Prepositions of Measure – These are used to measure the quality of something with other .
Example – by, of
I pay the price of the pipe by the meter .
7 . Prepositions of Sources – These are used to indicate the source or origin .
Example – from, by
Example of sentences –
He brought the dress from Delhi.
The book is written by my teacher .
8 . Prepositions of Possession – These are used to indicate the possession or ownership.
Example – of, to, with
Example of sentences –
I saw the boy with the blue shirt.
This property belongs to our family.
This is the almirah of my grandfather.
9 . Prepositions of Agents or Instruments -These are used to indicate action conducted by someone or something on someone or something. These indicate a casual relationship between nouns and other parts of sentence .
Example – by, with, about, of, for, etc
Example of sentences –
The man is cutting the grass with a scissor ✂️.
This project was structured by our company.
Most of students have completed the assignment.
I will be there for him .
This is a movie about patriotism.
10. Simple Prepositions – These are common type of Prepositions used to indicate relationship between the Nouns and Pronouns of a sentence with the other parts of the sentence.
These are used to join Clauses in Complex or Compound Sentences.
Example – in, on, to, of, atfor,up,down,below,beside,over, during, off, from,out, etc.
11 . Double Prepositions – These are Prepositions formed when two Simple Prepositions joined together and connect Nouns or Pronouns to the rest of the words in any sentence.
Example – out of, in between, inside of
Example of sentences –
The Examination is out of my mind .
The boy was sitting in between his parents.
Students are allowed inside of the museum .
12 . Compound Prepositions – These are formed of more than one Preposition or other words also.
Example – With a view to, On behalf of, Acoording to
Example of sentences –
I will attend the ceremony 🎑 on behalf of our family .
My father arrived home early, with a view to enjoy the match together .
The project is done according to the plan.
13 . Disguised Prepositions -:These are disguised as some other elements, like a or o .
Example – Go ahead to get the success. Ahead – On the head
He returned at 7 o’clock in the evening.
o’clock – Of the click
14. Detached Prepositions – These are the Prepositions detached and send to the very end of the sentence to form the integrity of sentences. These are detached from Interrogative or Relative Pronouns and Adverbs .
Example –
Is it the file you are searching for?
Is it the case you are working on ?
15 . Participle Prepositions – When Present Participles (- ing ) and Past Participles ( -ed, -en ) form of Verbs used as Prepositions, these are called Participle Prepositions.
Example – Present Participles – Considering, Assuming, Regarding, Notwithstanding,Barring, etc.
Past Participles – Given, Gone, Take, Provided, Barred, Respected
Example of sentences –
He sent an application regarding the vacancy.
Assuming the chances fowl weather, I came back early .
16 . Phrasal Prepositions – These are combination of two or more words and function as Preposition.
Example – Because of, Along with, Apart from, By means of, In front of, According to, In spite of, In reference to, On account of, In regard to, Instead of, On top of, Out of, With regards to , etc
Example of sentences –
In spite of performing well, she was not fully happy .
We will visit your house along with our children.
They are in top of the group.
I went there because of you.
There is a gate in front of the house .
17. Prepositions of Spatial Relationship – We can use Prepositions like above, across, ahead, along, among, around, against, below, behind, beneath, beside, between, under, within,toward, through, from,in, front of, inside, near, off, out of ,etc.
Example of sentences –
The park is near our house.
He switched off the light .
The children are hiding inside the park .
You need to walk toward right to reach the office.
