PREPOSITION

INTRODUCTION
Prepositionisawordthatshowsrelationbetweennounorpronoun
andtheotherwordsinsentence.
e.g.in,on,at,to,with,under,above,into,by,ofetc
Prepositionisalwaysusedbeforeanounorpronounandshowsthe
relationofthenounorpronountotheotherwordsinsentence.The
followingexampleswillhelpinbetterunderstanding.
TYPESOFPREPOSITIONS
Prepositions show many relations (for different nouns) in sentence.
Onthebasisofrelationtheyshow,prepositionmaybedividedinto
followingcategories.

Prepositionfortimee.g.in,on,at,etc.

Prepositionforplacee.g.in,on,at,etc

Prepositionfordirectione.g.to,towards,into,throughetc.

Prepositionforagente.g.by

Prepositionfordevice,instrumentormachines.e.g.on,by,
with,etc.

Prepositionsusedafterverbstomakeprepositionalverb.e.g.
lookat,lookafter,laughat.
Example.

Subject + Verb
The cat was sleeping
He lives
She looked
He will come
Wedding ceremony will be held

Preposition
on
in
at
in
on

Noun
table
Paris
Stranger.
January.
20th December.

I was waiting
Someone is knocking
She came

for
at
by

you
The door.
bus.

Prepositions show many relations (for different nouns) in sentence.

Onthebasisofrelationtheyshow,prepositionmaybedividedinto
followingcategories.
x
x
x
x
x
x

Prepositionfortimee.g.in,on,at,etc.
Prepositionforplacee.g.in,on,at,etc
Prepositionfordirectione.g.to,towards,into,throughetc.
Prepositionforagente.g.by
Prepositionfordevice,instrumentormachines.e.g.on,by,with,etc.
Prepositions used after verbs to makeprepositional verb. e.g.look
at,lookafter,laughat

RULES
Rule1:Across
AcrossOntheoppositesideof
Myfriendlivesacrosstheriver.
AcrossFromonesidetoanother
Theboyswamacrosstheriver
Acrossbothsides
Hethrewtheluggageacrosshisshoulders
ComeAcrossmeansmeetaccidentally/suddenly
WhenIwasgoingtomarket,Icameacrossanoldfriend.
Rule2:Between
Usedfortwopersons/things.

Sheissittingbetweenyouandme.
Among
Usedwithmorethantwopersons/things
Theprincipaldistributedprizesamongthewinners
Rule3:During
Duringdenotesduration.
Duringthewar,manypeoplesufferedhardship.
WegotoDarjeelingduringsummereveryyear.
Rule4:From
Fromisusedwithpast/futuretenses.
IstayedtherefromJanuarytoApril.
IwillstartmypreparationfromMondaynext.
Rule5:Of
Ofdenotesorigin/cause
Shecomesofarichfamily(origin)
HediedofMalaria(cause)butshediedinanaccident.
Offdenotes'separation'
Abuttonhascomeoff.
Heisoffdutytoday.
Rule6:Afterapreposition,apronoununderobjectivecaseshould
beused.
HedependsonI.

Hedependsonme.
Rule7:Whentwowordsareconnectedby'and/or'etc.,the
prepositionsshouldbementionedclearlytobeusedwiththem.
Hewassurprisedataswellaspleasedwithherperformance.
Sheisconsciousandengagedinherwork.
Sheisconsciousofandengagedinherwork
Rule8:Aftertransitiveverbssuchas
'Discuss/Describe/reach/order/tell/demand/attach/resemble/ridicul
eetc.noprepositionisused.Theverbsdirectlytakeanobject.
Thepoetdescribesaboutthebeautyofnature.
Thepoetdescribesthebeautyofnature.
Heorderedfortwocupsoftea.
Heorderedtwocupsoftea.
Rule9:Aftertheverbs"Say/suggest/propose/speak/explain/
reply/complain/talk/listen/write"theproposition"to"shouldbe
usedifanyobjectisused.
Hedidnotreplyme.
Hedidnotreplytome.
Hesuggestedherthatsheshouldeatless.
Hesuggestedtoherthatsheshouldeatless.
Rule10:Since/For
SinceDenotespointoftime
Fordenotesperiodoftime.

Theyshouldbeusedwithpresenttenseorthepresentperfect
continuoustense/pastperfecttense/pastperfectcontinuous
tenses.
Iknowhersince2011.
Ihaveknownhersince2011.
Heisworkinginthebankforthepast3years.
Hehasbeenworkinginthebankforthepast3years.
Rule11:Aftertheverb"Enter"thepreposition"into"shouldnotbe
usedexceptwhenitisusedwithreferencetoagreementor
conversation.
Heenteredintothepremiseswithoutanypermission.
Heenteredthepremiseswithoutanypermission.
Theyenteredahotdiscussion.
Theyenteredintoahotdiscussion.
Rule12:Wait
WaitforAwait.
Heisawaitingforthereply.
Heisawaitingthereply.
Despiteinspiteof.
Despiteofhishardwork,hefailedintheexamination.
Despitehishardworkhefailedintheexamination.
Thisbookcomprises5chapters.
Thisbookconsistsof5chapters.

Rule13:Disposeof
DisposeofSellaway.
Hedisposedoffhisscooter.
Hedisposedofhisscooter.