GRAMMAR: PREPOSITIONS
A preposition is a word which shows the relation between a noun or pronoun and some other
word in a sentence. Prepositions are used to show direction, time, place, location, spatial
relationships, or to introduce an object.
Prepositions often tell us where one noun is in relation to another.
Example:
• The cat is under the table. (‘Under’ shows the relation between the table and the cat)
• The cat ran after the mouse. (‘After’ shows the relation between the mouse and running)
Types of Prepositions
1) Preposition of Position/Place
Prepositions of Place are used to show the position or location of one thing with another.
It answers the question "Where?"
Few examples of prepositions of place:
In front of
A band plays their music in front of an audience.
Behind
Who is that person behind the mask?
Between
The number 5 is between the number 4 and 6.
Next to / Beside
Guards stand next to the entrance of the bank.
On
The clock on the wall is slow.
2) Preposition of Time
We use:
at for a PRECISE TIME
in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
on for DAYS and DATES
Examples:
I have a meeting at 9am.
Jane went home at lunchtime.
In England, it often snows in December.
Do you work on Mondays?
3) Preposition of Movement
Prepositions of movement show movement from one place to another place. These
prepositions always describe movement and we usually use them with verbs of motion.
Examples:
across: movement from one side to the other side of something
‘It took us three days to drive across the desert.’
round: movement passing something in a curved route, not going through it
‘They walked around the town for an hour.’
into: movement to an enclosed space; movement resulting in physical contact
‘He got into the car and closed the door.’
over: movement above and across the top or top surface of something
‘We are flying over the mountains.’
past: movement from one side to the other side of something
‘We could see children in the playground as we drove past the school.’
through: movement in one side and out of the other side of something
‘The train goes through a tunnel under the hill.’
towards: movement in the direction of something
‘The night sky got brighter as they drove toward the city.’
