Understanding Prepositions:
Place, Movement, and Time
Prepositions are like the glue that holds the English language together. They
play a crucial role in helping us convey relationships between objects,
people, actions, and the surrounding world. In this blog, we'll delve into three
important categories of prepositions: prepositions of place, prepositions of
movement, and prepositions of time.
Prepositions of Place
In
In is a preposition that indicates something is located within an enclosed
space or a general area. It answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The book is in the backpack.
She lives in New York City.
On
On is used to indicate a surface or point where an object is resting. It
answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The cat is on the table.
There's a stain on your shirt.
Under
Under points to a position beneath or below something. It answers the
question "Where?"
Examples:
The keys are under the newspaper.
The dog is sleeping under the bed.
Near
Near signifies proximity, indicating something is close to another object or
place. It answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The grocery store is near my house.
We found a park near the hotel.
Next to
Next to describes a location that is immediately adjacent to or beside
something else. It answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The pen is next to the notebook.
Our office is next to the bank.
In front of
In front of indicates a position that is ahead or before something else. It
answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The car is parked in front of the house.
He stood in front of the class to give a presentation.
Behind
Behind points to a location at the back of something. It answers the
question "Where?"
Examples:
The treasure is hidden behind the old oak tree.
The store is behind the school.
Between
Between describes a position that is in the middle of two or more objects. It
answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The ball is between the two chairs.
The meeting is scheduled between 2:00 and 3:00 PM.
Opposite
Opposite signifies a position that is directly across from or facing something
else. It answers the question "Where?"
Examples:
The restaurant is opposite the train station.
Her office is opposite the park.
Prepositions of Movement
Up
Up indicates movement in an upward direction, typically away from the
ground or a lower point. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
The balloon floated up into the sky.
She climbed up the mountain.
Down
Down indicates movement in a downward direction, typically toward the
ground or a lower point. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
The rainwater dripped down from the roof.
They hiked down the steep hill.
Over
Over denotes movement across the top or surface of something. It answers
the question "Where to?"
Examples:
The plane flew over the city.
She walked over the bridge.
Onto
Onto signifies movement from one surface or place to another, often with
the idea of getting on top of something. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
He jumped onto the bus.
The cat leaped onto the roof.
Off
Off indicates movement away from a surface or place. It answers the
question "Where from?"
Examples:
She stepped off the train.
Take your shoes off before entering.
Across
Across describes movement from one side to another, often involving
crossing something. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
They swam across the river.
She walked across the street.
Away
Away signifies movement in the direction of a distance from the current
location. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
He drove away from the city.
She moved away to pursue her career.
Toward
Toward indicates movement in the direction of something or someone. It
answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
They walked toward the bright lights.
The ship sailed toward the island.
Past
Past describes movement from one side of an object or place to the other
side, typically without stopping. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
He cycled past the bakery.
She ran past the finish line.
Through
Through signifies movement from one side to the other, often within
something. It answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
He walked through the forest.
She looked through the telescope.
Under
Under denotes movement beneath or below something. It answers the
question "Where to?"
Examples:
The cat crawled under the bed.
They went under the tunnel.
Into
Into indicates movement toward the inside or interior of something. It
answers the question "Where to?"
Examples:
She stepped into the house.
They dived into the pool.
Out of
Out of signifies movement from the inside or interior of something to the
outside. It answers the question "Where from?"
Examples:
He jumped out of the car.
She pulled the cookies out of the oven.
Around
Around describes movement in a circular or surrounding path. It answers
the question "Where to?"
Examples:
We walked around the park.
The river flows around the island.
Prepositions of Time
In (general)
In is used to refer to time periods, months, seasons, or years in a general
sense. It answers the question "When?"
Examples:
The conference is in March.
We go skiing in the winter.
On (more specific)
On is used to specify particular dates or specific days of the week. It answers
the question "When?"
Examples:
My birthday is on October 15th.
The party is happening on Saturday.
At (very specific)
At is the most specific preposition of time, referring to a precise point in
time. It answers the question "When?"
Examples:
The meeting is scheduled at 3:00 PM.
They usually have dinner at 7:30 in the evening.
In conclusion, prepositions are essential linguistic tools that enable us to
convey information about place, movement, and time with accuracy and
clarity. Understanding how to use prepositions correctly is fundamental for
effective communication in English. Whether you're describing where
something is located, how it's moving, or when an event is happening,
prepositions play a pivotal role in making your sentences clear and
meaningful.
Some business-related examples:
Prepositions of Place:
1. In the boardroom, the executives discussed the company's quarterly
performance.
2. The new branch office will be located near the city center for better
accessibility.
3. The valuable documents are securely stored under lock and key in the
company's safe.
4. The stock market is on Wall Street, where many investors make their
trades.
5. The new production facility is being built next to the existing factory.
6. The company's logo is prominently displayed in front of their
headquarters.
7. The innovation department works tirelessly behind closed doors to
develop cutting-edge technology.
8. The negotiations took place between the two companies in a private
meeting room.
9. The competitor's new product is positioned opposite ours on the
market.
Prepositions of Movement:
1. The company's shares went up in value after a positive earnings
report.
2. Despite challenges, the CEO managed to steer the company down a
path of growth.
3. The merger allowed the firm to expand its reach over international
markets.
4. The company decided to venture onto the online marketplace to reach
a wider audience.
5. To cut costs, they had to lay off employees and scale down
operations.
6. The company expanded across the nation, opening multiple new
stores.
7. The CEO stepped away from day-to-day operations to focus on long-
term strategy.
8. The company is moving toward sustainability by investing in green
technologies.
9. The company's stock price surged past its previous record high.
10. Despite economic turbulence, the business managed to sail
through the storm.
Prepositions of Time:
1. The new product launch is planned in the first quarter of next year.
2. The annual shareholders' meeting is scheduled on May 10th.
3. The CEO is holding a press conference at 2:00 PM to announce the
company's earnings.
4. The investment strategy aims to provide stable returns in the long run.
5. The company plans to release its financial report on the last Friday of
every month.
6. The stock market is typically busiest at the opening and closing bell.
7. The project is set to be completed in two years' time.
8. Investors should diversify their portfolios in various asset classes.
9. The business has been thriving since its establishment in 2005.
10. The company is preparing for an IPO at the end of this fiscal
year.
These examples showcase how prepositions of place, movement, and time
are integral to discussions and descriptions in the context of business and
investment. They help clarify relationships, directions, and timing within the
business world.
Exercise --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEXT PAGE
Exercise
A. What preposition should you use for the following time marker?
Saturday evening A week ago Last weekend
January Today Lunchtime
Yesterday evening Midnight 1994
Spring Last night Next summer
Midday Monday The weekend
1 October 9 o’clock Tomorrow
The 19th century Summer Beach.
Every winter The morning
Night New Year’s Eve
B. Name the following:
1. Things that you would run away from.
2. Things that you can walk under.
3. Thing that you can walk around.
4. Things that you can jump over.
5. Places you can walk through.
6. Things that go up and down.
7. Things you can’t walk across.
8. Things that you go past on the way to work.
9. Places you can’t go into without a ticket.
