Identify prepositions

Key Notes:

Definition of Prepositions:

• Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They often indicate location, direction, time, or manner.

Common Prepositions:

• Examples include: in, on, at, by, with, under, over, between, among, before, after, during, to, from, beside, behind, above, below.

Function of Prepositions:

• Prepositions are used to link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They provide context by indicating where, when, or how something happens.

Prepositional Phrases:

• A preposition is usually part of a prepositional phrase, which includes the preposition and its object (the noun or pronoun that follows it) along with any modifiers.
• Example: “The book is on the table.” (Prepositional phrase: on the table)

Types of Prepositions:

• Place/Location: in, on, at, under, between (e.g., The cat is under the table.)
• Time: before, after, during, until (e.g., We will meet after lunch.)
• Direction/Movement: to, from, towards, into, through (e.g., She walked to the park.)
• Agent/Instrument: by, with (e.g., The book was written by the author.)

Identifying Prepositions in Sentences:

• Look for words that show relationships in space, time, or logical connections between words.
• Example: In the sentence “She sat beside him during the movie,” the prepositions are beside and during.

Avoiding Common Mistakes:

• Be cautious of words that look like prepositions but act differently, such as particles in phrasal verbs (e.g., “look up” in “look up the information”) where up is not a preposition.

Let’s practice!