Wednesday, September 2, 2015

English language: Use of prepositions

Prepositions are very essential for making a correct sentence but it needs to appropriate use.

Exercises on Prepositions

Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund verbs).


Even advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult, as a 1:1 translation is usually not possible. One preposition in your native language might have several translations depending on the situation.

There are hardly any rules as to when to use which preposition. The only way to learn prepositions is looking them up in a dictionary, reading a lot in English (literature) and learning useful phrases off by heart (study tips).

The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

Prepositions –

English                  Usage                                        Example

    on         days of the week                               on Sunday
                 attached                                            the picture on the wall
                 for a place with a river                       London lies on the Thames.
                  being on a surface                            on the chair
                  for a certain side (left, right)              on the right
                  for a floor in a house                         on the second floor
                  for public transport                            on the bus, on a plane
                  for television, radio                            on TV, on the radio
                  walking or riding on horseback           on foot, on horseback
                  entering a public transport vehicle       get on the bus

    onto        movement to the top of something        jump onto the table


    in             months / seasons                                       in July /in winter
                   Time of day                                                in the noon
                     year                                                            in 2010
                   after a certain period of time (when?)               in an hour
                   room, building, street, town, country                In the kitchen, in London
                   book, paper etc.                                             in the book
                   car, taxi                                                           in the car, in the taxi                                                               picture, world                                                 in the picture, in the world             
 into             enter a room / a building                                  go into the kitchen / the house       

    at             for night                                                          at night
                    for weekend                                                   at the weekend
                    a certain point of time (when?)                         at half past two
                     meaning next to, by an object                         at the door, at the station
                     for table                                                         at the table
                      for events                                                      at a concert, at the party
                      place where you are to do something
                      typical (watch a film, study, work)                   at the cinema, at school, at work
                      for age                                                           she learned English at 45

 by                 in the sense of at the latest                                I will be back by 9 o'clock.
                      up to a certain time                                          By 10 o'clock, I had read five pages.
                      who made it                                                    a book by Rabidronath tagore
                       rise or fall of something                                    prices have risen by 8 percent
                     travelling (other than walking or horseriding)       by car, by bus

by, next to, beside               left or right of             Tonmoy is standing by/next to/beside the car.
                               somebody or something 
  
   since                   from a certain point of time (past till now)      since 1988

    of                       who/what does it belong to                           a page of the book
                              what does it show                                         the picture of a palace

   

   for                       over a certain period of time (past till now)    for 9 years


  ago                        a certain time in the past                                 7 years ago

   
  before                     earlier than a certain point of time                  before 2009

   
   to                           telling the time                                                ten to eight (7:50)
                                 movement to person or building                      go to the field
                                 movement to a place or country                      go to England/America
                                  for bed                                                          go to bed
                marking the beginning and end of a period of time              from Monday to Sunday

  past                          telling the time                                                 ten past nine (9:10)


    from                       in the sense of where from                               a flower from the garden
                                  who gave it                                                      a present from Jane

to / till                   marking the beginning and end of a period of time      from Monday to/till Friday

 
 until                      in the sense of how long something is going to last       He is on holiday until Friday.


    about                  for topics, meaning what about                                  we were talking about you

   


    over                     covered by something else                                         put a jacket over your shirt
                                meaning more than                                                     over 14 years of age
                                getting to the other side (also across)                          walk over the bridge
                                overcoming an obstacle                                              climb over the wall


    above                    higher than something else,                                       a path above the lake
                                 but not directly over it

   
  
    under                    on the ground, lower than                                        the bag is under the table
                               (or covered by) something else    

    below                    lower than something else                                       the fish are below the surface
                                 but above ground
   

    across                   getting to the other side (also over)                          walk across the bridge
                                 getting to the other side                                           swim across the lake

   

     off                       leaving a public transport vehicle                               get off the train

    out of                   leaving a car  / Taxi                                                   get out of the taxi


  through                    something with limits on top,                                    drive through the tunnel
                                 bottom and the sides
           
    towards                  movement in the direction                                      go 9 steps towards the house
                                  of something (but not directly to it)

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