Navigating Language: A Comprehensive Guide to Prepositions

Definition of Prepositions

1.1 Understanding Prepositions

Prepositions are essential elements of language that establish relationships between nouns (or pronouns) and other words in a sentence. They provide information about location, direction, time, and manner, acting as bridges to connect various components of a sentence.

1.2 Importance of Prepositions in Language

Prepositions contribute to the coherence and clarity of language by offering spatial and temporal context. They help convey precise relationships and enhance the overall flow of communication.

2. Types of Prepositions
2.1 Prepositions of Place

Prepositions indicating location or position. Examples include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” and “between.”

  • Example: The book is on the table.
2.2 Prepositions of Time

Prepositions specifying the timing or duration of an action. Examples include “before,” “after,” “during,” and “since.”

  • Example: We’ll meet after the presentation.
2.3 Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions conveying movement or direction. Examples include “to,” “from,” “through,” and “across.”

  • Example: They walked to the park.
2.4 Prepositions of Manner

Prepositions indicating how an action is performed. Examples include “with,” “by,” and “like.”

  • Example: She painted the wall with a brush.
2.5 Prepositions of Agency

Prepositions highlighting the agent responsible for an action. Example: “by.”

  • Example: The novel was written by the author.
2.6 Compound Prepositions

Prepositions formed by combining words. Examples include “along with,” “because of,” and “in spite of.”

  • Example: We persisted in spite of the challenges.
3. Common Mistakes with Prepositions

3.1 Incorrect Usage

Using prepositions inappropriately, leading to confusion or ambiguity.

  • Example: She is allergic for cats.

3.2 Omission Errors

Neglecting to include necessary prepositions in a sentence.

  • Example: He is interested playing music.
3.3 Preposition Stranding

Misplacing prepositions in sentences, disrupting natural flow.

  • Example: This is the book I was looking for.

 

Golden Rules of Preposition

  1. ‘In’ is used for bigger places (towns, cities, countries) while ‘at’ is used for smaller places.
    e.g. – I live at Shastri Nagar in Meerut.
  2. In / Into ‘In’ is used in speaking of things at rest. ‘Into’ is used in speaking of things in motion.
    e.g. – He is shopping in the market.
    – He jumped into the well.
    – He has fallen in love.
    – He is in the office.
    – The snake crawled into the hole.
    – The cup broke-off into a hundred pieces.
  3. ‘On’ denotes position, ‘upon’ denotes movement.
    e.g. – The cat is on the table.
    – The cat pounced upon the mouse.
  4. ‘With’ denotes the ‘instrument’ and ‘by’ denotes the ‘agent’.
    e.g. – The letter was written by him with his pen.
    – The murder was committed by him with a
    pistol.
  5. ‘Ago’ refers to past time while ‘before’ denotes
    precedence between two events.
    e.g. – Long ago, there was a king named Rama.
    – Ram existed before Mahabharata was fought.
    – He came before me.
    – The train arrived before the scheduled time.
    – India achieved independence 69 years ago.
  6. ‘Above’ and ‘below’ merely denote position while ‘over’ and ‘under’ also carry a sense of covering or movement.
    e.g. – We live below the roof.
    – Sky is above us.
    – Train is running under the bridge.
    – The train is standing below the bridge.
  7. Difference between On time, In time and In good time.
    ● ‘On time’ signifies absolutely right time, neither before nor after.
    e.g. – The flight is on time.
    ● ‘In time’ means you are not late for the event.
    e.g. – I arrived just in time for my flight.
    ● ‘In good time’ means with comfortable margin.
    e.g. – I arrived at the airport in good time.
  8. Difference between at the beginning/at the end and in the beginning/in the end
    ● ‘At the beginning’ means literally at the beginning.
    e.g. – India scored fast at the beginning of the
    match.
    ● ‘At the end’ means literally at the end.
    e.g. – At the end of the book, you’ll find the
    bibliography.
    ● ‘In the beginning’ (or at first) means in the early
    stage. It implies that later there was a change.
    e.g. – Sachin was nervous in the beginning, later
    he settled down.
    ● ‘In the end’ (or at last) means eventually/after
    sometime.
    e.g. – At first he was scared, but in the end he
    started enjoying.
  9. No preposition is placed after the following verbs
    when they are used in active voice. Order, request, reach, attack, resemble, emphasise, accompany, discuss,
    investigate, comprise, enter (come into), flee (a place), join, affect, board, etc.
  10. ‘Since’ and ‘from’ are used before a noun or phrase
    denoting some point of time but whereas ‘since’ is preceded by a verb in some perfect tense, ‘from’ is used with other tenses except the perfect tense. For refers to a period of time, not to a point of time, and
    should not be replaced by since or from.
    e.g. – I haven’t taken anything since yesterday.
    – He has been here since nine o’clock.
    – I started my work from 1st January.
    – I shall start work from July.
    – He will join the office from tomorrow.
    – I have been practising for ten days.
  11. Across / Through
    e.g. – Walk across the road and pass through a
    tunnel.
  12. Between/Among ‘Between’ is used while referring to two persons/things whereas ‘Among’ is used for more than two.
    e.g. – Between the two of you, who is stronger?
    – The sweets are to be distributed among ten
    friends.
  13. Beside/Besides:  ‘Beside’ means by the side of, whereas
    ‘Besides’ means in addition to.
    e.g. – Besides eating, he is also watching T.V.
    – You were sitting beside him.
  14. From/Between: ‘From’ is normally used with to/till, whereas ‘Between’ is used with and.
    e.g. – He works from nine to six (or nine till six).
    – The meeting was scheduled to be held
    between 2 PM and 3 PM.