USE OF PREPOSITION
A preposition is a word that links a
noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to some other part of the sentence.
Prepositions can be tricky for English learners. There is no definite rule or formula for choosing a preposition. In the beginning stage of learning the language, you should try to identify a preposition when reading or listening in English and recognize its usage.
Prepositions can be tricky for English learners. There is no definite rule or formula for choosing a preposition. In the beginning stage of learning the language, you should try to identify a preposition when reading or listening in English and recognize its usage.
A
preposition is used to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an
object.
Here are a few common prepositions and examples.
Here are a few common prepositions and examples.
On
Used to express a surface of
something:
- I put an egg on the kitchen
table.
- The paper is on my desk.
Used to specify days and dates:
- The garbage truck comes on
Wednesdays.
- I was born on the 14th day of
June in 1988.
Used to indicate a device or
machine, such as a phone or computer:
- He is on the phone right now.
- She has been on the computer
since this morning.
- My favorite movie will be on TV
tonight.
Used to indicate a part of the body:
- The stick hit me on my
shoulder.
- He kissed me on my cheek.
- I wear a ring on my finger.
Used to indicate the state of
something:
- Everything in this store is on
sale.
- The building is on fire.
At
Used to point out specific time:
- I will meet you at 12 p.m.
- The bus will stop here at 5:45
p.m.
Used to indicate a place:
- There is a party at the club
house.
- There were hundreds of people
at the park.
- We saw a baseball game at the
stadium.
Used to indicate an email address:
- Please email me at
abc@defg.com.
Used to indicate an activity:
- He laughed at my acting.
- I am good at drawing a
portrait.
In
Used for unspecific times during a
day, month, season, year:
- She always reads newspapers in
the morning.
- In the summer, we have a rainy
season for three weeks.
- The new semester will start in
March.
Used to indicate a location or
place:
- She looked me directly in the
eyes.
- I am currently staying in a
hotel.
- My hometown is Los Angeles,
which is in California.
Used to indicate a shape, color, or
size:
- This painting is mostly in
blue.
- The students stood in a circle.
- This jacket comes in four
different sizes.
Used to express while doing
something:
- In preparing for the final
report, we revised the tone three times.
- A catch phrase needs to be
impressive in marketing a product.
Used to indicate a belief, opinion,
interest, or feeling:
- I believe in the next life.
- We are not interested in gambling.
COMMON COMBINATION AND
PREPOSITION
Noun
+ Preposition Combinations
English has many examples of prepositions coming after
nouns. In such cases, the prepositions are often followed by a phrase
containing a noun, as in example (a) below. They can also be followed by a
noun, as in example (b), or an -ing verb, as in example (c).
(a) Scientists at the research institute think
they are close to finding a solution to the problem.
(b) Everyone was surprised by his lack of concern.
(c) We need to call an expert at plumbing as soon as possible.
(b) Everyone was surprised by his lack of concern.
(c) We need to call an expert at plumbing as soon as possible.
Verb +
Preposition Combinations
Many English prepositions
also follow verbs. Sometimes they introduce a phrase that contains a noun,
as in example (a). They can also introduce a noun, as in example (b), or
an -ing verb, as in example (c).
(a) I don't know how long we can depend
on his generosity. He has already done so much for us.
(b) Many of the town's residents relied on neighbours for help during the flood.
(c) She believes in helping people who are less fortunate than her.
(b) Many of the town's residents relied on neighbours for help during the flood.
(c) She believes in helping people who are less fortunate than her.
Adjective +
Preposition Combinations
English also has many
instances of prepositions coming after adjectives. In many cases, the
prepositions precede phrases containing nouns, as in example (a), or pronouns,
as in example (b). It is also possible for the prepositions to precede an
-ing verb, as in (c).
(a) I was amazed at all the
improvements.
(b) We were all shocked by his behaviour.
(c) Because the exam was more difficult than I expected, I'm worried about passing.
(b) We were all shocked by his behaviour.
(c) Because the exam was more difficult than I expected, I'm worried about passing.
http://www.talkenglish.com/grammar/prepositions-on-at-in.aspx
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/410-preposition-combinations.htm