English in Use/Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections

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Contents (edit template)
General: Introduction
Parts of speech: Articles - Nouns - Verbs - Gerunds and participles Pronouns - Adjectives - Adverbs - Conjunctions - Prepositions - Interjections
Other English topics: Orthography - Punctuation - Syntax Figures of Syntax - Glossary

Contents
[hide]

1 Prepositions
o 1.1 A short syntax

2 Conjunctions
o 2.1 A short syntax

3 Interjections
o 3.1 A short syntax

4 References

[edit] Prepositions

A preposition is a word used to express some relation of different things

or thoughts to each other, and is generally placed before a noun or a
pronoun: as,

"The paper lies before me on the desk."

In that sentence, before is the preposition, me is the governed term of a

preposition, "before me" is a prepositional phrase, and the verb lies is
the prior term of a preposition. "On the desk" is the other prepositional
phrase, and lies is its prior term.
To a preposition, the prior term may be a noun, an adjective, a pronoun, a
verb, a participle, or an adverb; and the governed term may be a noun, a
pronoun, a pronominal adjective, an infinitive verb, or a participle.
Although overlooked in common speech, prepositional phrases should not
be placed at the end of a question: as,

"Who do I give this to?"

Say, "To whom do I give this?"

Prepositional phrases can be placed at the end of a sentence: as,

"She did not sign up for tennis."

See also: List of English prepositions

Some words are linked with their prepositions, e.g. compared with, similar
to, and different from (possibly different than in USA).
Commonly used prepositions include:

AboutIn concern with; engaged in; intent on; on the point or

verge of; in act of; concerning; with regard to; on account of.

AboveIn or to a higher place; on or over; superior to; surpassing;

beyond; higher in measure or degree.

AcrossFrom side to side; athwart; crosswise; quite over.

AfterBehind in place; below in rank; later in time; subsequent to;

following; in search of; in pursuit of; concerning; in relation to; in
imitation of; in conformity with; after the manner of; according to; in
accordance with; in proportion to.

AgainstAbreast; opposite to; facing; towards; in opposition to;

counter to; in contrariety to; adverse to; by of before the time; in
preparation for.

AlongBy the length.

Amid(st)In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed

by; among.

AmongConjoined; associated with; making part of.

AroundOn all sides of; encircling; encompassing; at random

through; about; on another side of.

AtExpresses the relations of presence, proximity to, nearness in

place or time, age or order, state or condition, employment or
action, point or position, rate or value, source, occasion, reason,
consequence or effect, direction toward an object or end; occupied
with.

BeforeIn front of; preceding in space, order, rank, right, worth, or

time; ahead of; earlier than; previously to; anterior to; an advance
of; farther onward; in presence or sight of; face to face with; under
the jurisdiction of; open for; free of access to; in the power of.

BehindAt the back part; in the rear; toward the back part or rear;
backward; out of sight; remaining.

BelowUnder, or lower in place; beneath; inferior to; unworthy of;

unbefitting.

BeneathLower in place; under; underneath; lower in rank, dignity,

or excellence.

Beside(s)Over and above; separate or distinct from; in addition

to; other than; else than.

BetweenIn the space which separates; betwixt; from one place to

another; shared by both; affecting mutual relation; with relation to
two.

BeyondOn the further side of; further on or away than; at a place

or time not yet reached; out of the reach or sphere of; further than;
greater than; exceeding or surpassing.

DuringIn the time of; as long as the action or existence of.

ExceptWith exclusion of; leaving or left out; excepting.

ForIn consideration of; in view of; with reference to; the cause,
occasion, motive or inducement of; the reason of; in favor of; in
promoting which; on account of which; indicating the object of an
act; toward which; in the character of; instead of which; during; in or
through the space or time of; in prevention of which.

FromLessening or losing proximity to; leaving behind; by reason

of; out of; by aid of; indicates the point of space or time at which the
action or state is regarded as setting out or beginning; the source;
the cause; the correlative of to.

InWith reference to space or place, circumstances or conditions, a

whole, physical surrounding, personal states, reach, scope,
movement or tendency, limit of time.

IntoTo the inside of; expressing penetration beyond the outside or

surface; indicating insertion, inclusion, or passing to another form or
condition.

OfOut from; proceeding from; belonging to; relating to;

concerning; about; belonging to; connected with; indicating origin,
source, descent, possession or ownership, relation of subject to
attribute, material, part, source of a purpose or action, distance in
space or time, identity or equivalence, agent, or passage from one
state to another.

OfNot on; away from.

OnAt, to or against the surface; by means of; with; adjacent to; in

addition to; besides; indicating dependence or reliance; at or in the
time of; during; in consequence of; toward; for; at the peril of; for
the safety of; by virtue of; with the pledge of; to the account of; in
reference or relation to; occupied with; in the performance of; in the
service of; connected with; of the number of; forward; onward; in
continuance; without interruption or ceasing; adhering; not off;
attached to the body; in progress; proceeding.

OverAbove, or higher than; across; from side to side of; on the

whole surface of; throughout the whole extent of; superiority in
excellence, dignity, condition, value or authority; across or during
the time of; from beginning to end of; beyond; in excess of; in
addition to; more than; across; crosswise.

PastBeyond, in position, degree or time; further than; beyond the

reach or influence of; above; exceeding; more than; by.

ThroughFrom one end to the opposite; between the sides or walls

of; by means of; by the agency of; over the whole extent of; among
or in the midst of; to the end; to a conclusion; to the ultimate
purpose.

ToIndicates motion, course, or tendency toward a limit; connects

adjectives, nouns and verbs with their governed terms and contains
less the idea of appropriation than for; a sign of the infinitive;
extent; limit; degree of comprehension; inclusion as far as; effect;
end; consequence; apposition; connection; antithesis; opposition;
accord; adaptation; comparison; addition; union; accompaniment;
character; condition of being.

Toward(s)In the direction of; with respect or reference to;

regarding; concerning; tending to; in behalf of; near; about;
approaching to.

UnderBelow or lower; lower than; beneath; denoting relation to

some thing, condition or person that is superior, or to something
that comprehends, includes or furnishes a cover.

UnderneathUnder; beneath; below.

UntilTo; unto; towards; up to; till; before.

WithDenotes relation of nearness, proximity, association,

connection, opposition or hostility, connection of friendship, support,
alliance, assistance, countenance, accomplishment of cause,
means, instrument, simultaneous happening, immediate succession,
consequence, possession or appendage; among; in the company of.

WithoutOn or at the outside of; out of; not within; out of the
limits of; out of reach of; in absence of, separation from, or
destitution of; not with use or employment of; independently of;
exclusively of; with omission; unless; except.

[edit] A short syntax

A noun or a pronoun made the object of a preposition, is governed by it in
the objective case, as "From whom."
Prepositions show the relations of words, and of the things or thoughts
expressed by them, as "He came from Rome," except the following cases:
the preposition to, as "To learn to die," and the preposition for, as "For us
to learn."
[edit] Conjunctions
A conjunction is a word used to connect words or sentences in
construction, and to show the dependence of the terms so connected: as,

"You and he are happy, because you are good."Murray.

Conjunctions are divided into two general classes, copulative and

disjunctive; and a few of each class are particularly distinguished from the
rest, as being corresponsive.
A copulative conjunction is a conjunction that denotes an addition, a
cause, a consequence, or a supposition: as,

"He and I shall not dispute; for, if he has any choice, I shall readily
grant it."

The copulatives: and, as, both, because, even, for, if, that, then,
since, seeing, so.
A disjunctive conjunction is a conjunction that denotes opposition of
meaning: as,

"Though he were dead, yet shall he live."St. John's Gospel.

"Be not faithless, but believing."Id.

The disjunctives: or, nor, either, neither, than, though, although, yet, but,
except, whether, lest, unless, save, provided, notwithstanding, whereas.
The corresponsive conjunctions are those which are used in pairs, so
that one refers or answers to the other: as,

"John came neither eating nor drinking."Matt., xi, 18.

"But if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God
is come to you."--Ib., xii, 28.

The corresponsives: both, and; as, as; as, so; if, then; either, or;
neither, nor; whether, or; though, yet; although, yet.
[edit] A short syntax
Conjunctions connect words, sentences, or parts of sentences, as
"Between me and you," except the following cases: introducing a
sentence, as "That you have wronged me," corresponding conjunctions, as
"Neither sun nor stars," and either and neither, as "It is not dangerous
neither."
[edit] Interjections
An interjection is a word that is uttered to indicate a strong or
sudden emotion. The following are the principal interjections, arranged
according to the emotions which they are intended to indicate:

Of joy; eigh! hey! io! yeah!

Of sorrow; oh! ah! hoo! alas! alack! lackaday! welladay! or welaway!

Of wonder; heigh! ha! strange! indeed!

Of wishing, earnestness, or vocative address; (often with a noun or

pronoun in the nominative absolute;) O!

Of praise; well-done! good! bravo!

Of surprise with disapproval; whew! hoity-toity! hoida! zounds!

what!

Of pain or fear; oh! ooh! ah! eh! O dear! Oh, no!

Of contempt; fudge! pugh! poh! pshaw! pish! tush! tut! humph!

fine!

Of aversion; foh! faugh! fie! fy! foy!

Of expulsion; out! off! shoo! whew! begone! avaunt! aroynt!

Of calling aloud; ho! soho! what-ho! hollo! holla! hallo! halloo! hoy!
ahoy! hey!

Of exultation; ah! aha! huzza! hey! heyday! hurrah!

Of laughter; ha, ha, ha; he, he, he; te-hee, te-hee.

Of salutation; welcome! hail! all-hail!

Of calling to attention; ho! lo! la! law! look! see! behold! hark!

Of calling to silence; hush! hist! whist! 'st! aw! mum! shhh! zip it!

Of dread or horror; oh! ha! hah! what!

Of languor or weariness; heigh-ho! heigh-ho-hum!

Of stopping; hold! soft! avast! whoh! halt!

Of parting; farewell! adieu! good-bye! good-day! see ya!

Of knowing or detecting; oho! ahah! ay-ay!

Of interrogating; eh? ha? hey? no?

[edit] A short syntax

Interjections are put absolute, either alone, or with other words, as "Ah
Dennis!"