Prepositions: review
Key Notes:
1. Definition of Prepositions:
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence.
Prepositions often indicate location, direction, time, and manner.
2. Common Prepositions:
- Some common prepositions include:
- Time: at, on, in, before, after, during
- Place: at, in, on, under, between, behind, next to
- Direction: to, from, towards, into, onto, up, down
- Manner: by, with, like
3. Prepositional Phrases:
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its object (a noun or pronoun), and any modifiers of the object.
Example: “The book on the table is mine.” (Prepositional phrase: “on the table”)
4. Types of Prepositions:
- Simple Prepositions: These are single words (e.g., in, on, at, to).
- Compound Prepositions: These are made up of two or more words (e.g., in front of, next to, in spite of).
- Phrasal Prepositions: These are combinations of prepositions and other words (e.g., by means of, in addition to).
5. Position of Prepositions:
- Prepositions generally come before a noun or pronoun in a sentence. For example: “She walked to the store.”
- However, in some cases, prepositions can appear at the end of a sentence in informal language, especially in questions or relative clauses (e.g., “This is the book I was looking for.”)
6. Examples in Sentences:
- “The cat is under the table.”
- “I will meet you at 3 PM.”
- “The ball rolled into the box.”
- “We walked down the street.”
7. Prepositions of Time, Place, and Direction:
- Time: “I will call you at 5 PM.” / “We have a meeting on Monday.”
- Place: “The toys are in the box.” / “She is sitting under the tree.”
- Direction: “We are going to the park.” / “The dog jumped onto the bed.”
8. Important Notes:
- Prepositions do not stand alone; they need an object (noun or pronoun) to complete their meaning.
- Prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence (e.g., “The cat jumped into the box” vs. “The cat jumped out of the box”).
Let’s practice!
