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What Are Prepositions In English?
A preposition is a word or a group of words that connects nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence. Prepositions can be a single word, such as in, at, on, of, to, by, and with, or a phrase, such as in front of and next to.
NOTE:
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, there are more than 100 prepositions in English. That is why even advanced English language learners may have issues with prepositions.
While there are general guidelines for using prepositions, it is often best to memorize the entire phrase where these prepositions are used instead of just the individual preposition.
To help you understand how to use them, we provide general guidelines below.
If you want to learn more about prepositions, we prepared a detailed explanation with lists of prepositions, their usage, and easy-to-understand examples. The links to these lists are at the end of this article.
What are the different types of prepositions in English?
There are many different types of prepositions, including prepositions of time, place, movement and direction, agency and instrumentality, and purpose:
- Prepositions of time:
- at, on, in, by, until, during, for, since, ago, from, to, past, through
- Prepositions of place/movement and direction:
- to, from, towards, across, over, under, through, around, beside, behind, in front of, inside, outside, onto, off, out of, into
- Prepositions of agency and instrumentality:
- with, by
- Prepositions of purpose:
- for, to, in order to, so as to
Note that some prepositions in English can fit into multiple categories, and other prepositions may not fit neatly into any of these categories. But as a general guide, these categories can be useful for understanding how prepositions are used.
Prepositions of time
These prepositions are used to indicate when something happens. They are used to show time and duration.
Examples:
- I’ll meet you at the park at 3 pm.
- She was born on May 14th.
- He’s been studying for hours.
- The concert lasted until midnight.
- I haven’t seen him since last year.
Prepositions of place/movement and direction
These prepositions are used to indicate where something is located or movement from one place to another.
- The book is on the shelf.
- She lives in the city.
- The cat is under the bed.
- The ball rolled towards the door.
- They’re standing beside the car.
- She’s walking to the store.
- The bird flew over the roof.
- He drove from New York to Boston.
Prepositions of agency and instrumentality
These prepositions are used to indicate the agent or instrument used to do something.
Examples:
- The song was written by a famous singer.
- She painted the picture with a brush.
- She opened the jar with a can opener.
- He fixed the car with a wrench.
Prepositions of purpose
These prepositions are used to indicate the reason why something is being done.
Examples:
- She’s studying for the exam.
- He’s going to the gym to exercise.
- They’re saving money to buy a house.
- She bought new shoes for the party.
- He’s learning French in order to travel to Paris.
Importance of prepositions in a sentence
English has a limited number of prepositions, but they play a vital role in the structure of a sentence. They act as markers, indicating the relationships between persons, objects, and locations, and are essential in creating clear and effective communication.
Here are some reasons why prepositions are important in English:
- Prepositions clarify relationships between words and phrases in a sentence:
- The cat is on the mat. (The preposition “on” clarifies the relationship between the cat and the mat.)
- Prepositions help convey time, place, and direction:
- We will meet at the park at 2 pm. (The preposition “at” conveys the time and place of the meeting.)
- Prepositions are an essential element of phrasal verbs:
- I need to look up the meaning of this word. (The phrasal verb “look up” includes the preposition “up”.)
- We ran out of time. (The phrasal verb “ran out of” includes the prepositions “out” and “of”.)
- Allan and Sarah agreed to go to a restaurant, but they didn’t agree on which restaurant to go to. Allan suggested going to an Italian restaurant, but she didn’t agree with the idea. (See how the change of the preposition changes the meaning: “agree to” means “consent to something”, “agree on” means “share an opinion with others on a topic”, and “agree with” means “have the same idea as someone.”)
Here is a list of phrasal verbs. See how prepositions are important in these types of verbs
- Understanding prepositions is essential for idiomatic expressions and collocations:
- For want of a horse, the battle was lost. (The idiomatic expression “for want of” includes the prepositions “for” and “of”.)
- Correct use of prepositions can make the difference between a sentence that makes sense and one that is confusing:
- She is excited about her new job. (The preposition “about” clarifies the relationship between her excitement and the job. if you replace the preposition “about” with “in”, the meaning will change.)
How to use prepositions
Prepositions in English are used to indicate a relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence. They are always followed by an object, which is typically a noun or pronoun. It’s important to note that a preposition is never followed by a verb. However, it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition.
Here are examples of prepositions followed by nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns (the prepositions are in bold while the object of the prepositions is underlined):
- I’ll meet you at the restaurant.
- He sat beside me on the bus.
- She lives in an apartment near the beach.
- We traveled by train to the city.
- The book is on the shelf in the library.
- I wonder whom she’s talking to.
Difference between prepositions and adverbs
Some words that are prepositions can also function as adverbs, including about, across, around, before, beyond, in, inside, near, opposite, outside, past, round, through, under, up, and within.
Examples:
- The dog is running around the park. (preposition)
- The dog is running around. (adverb)
=> In the first sentence, around is a preposition of movement.
=> In the second sentence, around modifies the verb is running. So, it is an adverb.
- She walked past the store. (preposition)
- She walked past quickly. (adverb)
=> In the first sentence, past is a preposition of movement.
=> In the second sentence, past modifies the verb walked. So, it is an adverb.
Difference between prepositions and conjunctions
For students, prepositions and conjunctions can be confusing since both are words that connect ideas. The key difference between the two is that conjunctions connect clauses or sentences, while prepositions connect nouns or pronouns to other words.
Here are some examples:
– After:
- Preposition: We went to the movies after dinner.
- Conjunction: After she finished her homework, she went to bed.
– Before:
- Preposition: I’l see you before the concert starts.
- Conjunction: Before you leave, could you help me with this?
– Since:
- Preposition: I’ve been studying English since I was in high school.
- Conjunction: Since we’re all here, let’s get started.
– For:
- Preposition: I asked for help.
- Conjunction: I asked passersby to help me help for I was very ill.
Common mistakes in using prepositions
Here are some common mistakes in using prepositions:
1. “Go to”, “arrive at” or “arrive in.”
- Incorrect:
I arrive to Paris. - Correct: I went to Paris
- Correct: I arrived in Paris.
- Correct: I arrived at the Chinese restaurant late.
2. “At night”, ” in the morning, afternoon, evening”
- Incorrect:
Lisa goes walking in the night.(Incorrect) - Correct: Lisa goes walking at night.
We use “in” for “the morning”, “the afternoon”, and “the evening”.
- Lisa goes walking in the morning.
- Lisa goes walking in the afternoon.
- Lisa goes walking in the evening.
3. “Working since”, “working for”
I have been working since two hours. (Incorrect)
We use ” for” to talk about a period of time and “since” about a point in time.
- I have been working for two hours.
- I have been working since two o’clock.
4. “On a day”, “in a month”, “in a year”
He was born in September, 18th.(Incorrect)
We use “on” for a day and “in” for a month or a year.
- He was born on September, 18th. (September, 18th is a day, not a month?)
- He was born in September.
- He was born in 1998.
Conclusion
Prepositions in English may be confusing even for advanced learners. These words play an important role in English grammar. They connect elements of a sentence and are of various types. Understanding these types, their uses, and their correct placement is essential in developing a strong command of the English language.
There are only general rules to using prepositions. That is why it would be better to try to memorize the phrases prepositions are used in rather than rely on just the rules.
With practice, learners can master the use of prepositions. This will help them to express themselves more confidently and fluently in both spoken and written English.
Lists of prepositions with examples
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