Prepositions

                Good day! I will be discussing about preposition. We have just finished the Modifiers module. We learned that adjectives tell which one, what kind, how much and how many about a noun or pronoun. We learned that adverbs tell where, when, how, and what to extent about verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Preposition is the most difficult topic in all discussion. Advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult. One preposition in our native language might have several translations depending on the situation.

                           Preposition

What is preposition?

-It is a word that shows the relationship between a word in the sentence and the word that is the object of the preposition.

Examples:

in = preposition; school = noun

from = preposition; us = pronoun

by = preposition; chewing = gerund

PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE

(Position and Direction)

                        

  PREPOSITIONS OF AGENT

                   

  PREPOSITIONS OF INSTRUMENTS

Let us have the ON, IN, AT :

On

-used to express a surface of something.

Example: The paper is on my desk.

-used to specify days and dates.

Examples: The garbage truck comes on Wednesdays.

                 I was born on the 14th day of July in 1997.

-used to indicate a device or machine.

Examples: He is on the phone right now.

               She has been on the computer since this morning.

-used to indicate a part of the body.

Examples: The stick hit me on my shoulder.

                   She kissed me on my cheek.

-used to indicate the state of something.

Examples: Everything in this store is on sale.

                    The building is on fire.

In

-used for unspecific times during a day, month, season, year.

  Examples: She always reads newspapers in the morning.

                     In the summer, we have a rainy season for three weeks.

-used to indicate a location or place.

Examples: She looked me directly in the eyes.

                  I am currently staying in a hotel.

-used to indicate a shape, color, or size.

Examples: This painting is mostly in blue.

                   The students stood in a circle. 

-used to express while doing something.

Example: In preparing for the final report, we revised the tone three weeks.

-used to indicate a belief, opinion, interest, or feeling.

Examples: I believe in the next life.

                  We are not interested in gambling.

At

-used to point out specific time.

Example:  I will meet you at 12 p.m.

-used to indicate a place.

Examples: There is a party at the club house.

                  There were hundreds  of people at the park.

-used to indicate an activity.

Examples: He laughed at my acting.

                  I am good at drawing a portrait.

Prepositional Phrase

-It is a group of words containing a preposition, a noun or pronoun (object of the preposition).

Examples:            in school       on the floor

                             from us           with nuts 

Preposition + Optional Modifier(s) + Noun, Pronoun, or Gerund

Here are some examples:

at school

at = preposition; school = noun

from us

from= preposition; us = pronoun

by chewing

by = preposition; chewing = gerund

under the stove

under = preposition; the = modifier; stove = noun

in the crumb-filled, rumpled sheets

in = preposition; the, crumb-filled, rumpled = modifiers; sheets = noun

Prepositional Phrases Act 

as 

Adjectives and Adverbs 

•     If prepositional phrase is describing a noun, the phrase is functioning as an adjective telling which one, what kind, how much, and how many about a noun or pronoun.
•      If prepositional phrase is describing a verb, adverb, an adjective, then its functioning as an adverb  telling where, when, how, and to what extent about verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a word in the sentence and the word that is the object of the preposition.

Sometimes the answers to those questions take more than one word. Often those phrases are prepositional phrases.

Which one:       The flower in the vase is a peony.
What kind:        The umbrella with the polka-dots is Mary Anne's.
Where:              We will be going to the movies.
When:                My lunch period is after science.
How:                  You are walking on your tiptoes.

In the previous examples:

In shows the relationship between the flower and the vase.

With shows the relationship between the umbrella and the polka-dots.

To shows the relationship between where we are going and the movies.

After shows the relationship between our lunch and science class.

On shows the relationship between how we are walking and our tiptoes.

Preposition vs. Adverb

A. The cat ran down the tree. ( Preposition)

B. Put the ice cream down!  (adverb)

REMEMBER: 

Prepositions can never be alone, so it makes sense to learn about prepositions in their phrases. Any lone preposition is actually an adverb.

Realize that some prepositions also function as subordinate conjunctions.

Some prepositions also function as subordinate conjunctions.

But is very seldom in preposition. When it is used as a preposition, but means the same as except—Everyone ate frog legs but Jamie. But usually functions as a coordinating conjunction.

A subordinate conjunction will have both a subject and a verb following it, forming a subordinate clause.These prepositions are after, as, before, since, and until.

Example:

after Sam and Esmerelda kissed goodnight

after= subordinate conjunction; Sam,Esmerald=subject; kissed= verb

as Jerome buckled on the parachute

as= subordinate conjunction; Jerome= subject; buckled= verb

before I eat these frog legs

before= subordinate conjunction; I = subject; eat = verb

since we have enjoyed the squid eyeball stew

since = subordinate conjunction; we = subject; have enjoyed = verb

until your hiccups stop

until = subordinate conjunction; hiccups = subject; stop= verb