Use of Prepositions

What is a Preposition?

Preposition is a grammatical word that is used to denote location, direction and time.  It is mostly used before a noun or pronoun and relates it to some other word in the sentence. (The word "pre"means before - used before a noun or pronoun to show the position of an object, person or place).  For  example.  He is sitting near his sister. The ball is on the table. Gandhipuram is in Coimbatore - the prepositions "in", "near"and "on" denote where somebody or something is.  However, the use of prepositions varies not yielding to any limited rules.

Students can learn the use of prepositions in the following  simple ways:1. Place - Prepositions:

2. Direction - prepositions:

3. Time - prepositions:

4. Prepositions followed/ preceded by noun/pronoun/verb/adjective

There are certain prepositions which are always used along with a particular word.  The word may be a noun or pronoun or verb or adjective.  The only way to learn them  is to know them through dictionary and use them in real life.  Such combinations are given below for the ready reference of the students:

By

By bus, by train, by car, by air, by ship, by walk, etc. ( mode of travel)

by post, by email, by courier, etc. (use of postal service)

written by, done by, broken by, killed by, etc. ( used in passive voice)

by his hardwork, by his style, by speaking in English, (in the meaning of "through" )

by his side, by his house, by her school  (in the meaning of "near")

by chance, by my watch.

Examples:

1. He came to college by bus.

2. The company received the order by email.

3. The book was written  by Darwin.

4. He attracted her by his style.

5. We met him by chance in the market.

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Of

fond of, afraid of, a piece of, a cup of, a glass of, on behalf of, at the end of, son of, daughter of, full of, tired of, care of, take care of, in favour of, confident of, accused of, out of, made of, think of, capable of, cured of, devoid of, lack of, died of, frightened of, a kind of, at the age of, in the month of, one of the, at a speed of, out of, all of a sudden

Examples:

1. She was fond of music.

2. I raised my voice on behalf of her.

3. The judgement was given in favour of the company.

4. Students had lack of interest in philosophy.

5. She secured 50 out of 50 in Maths.

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In

believe in, have faith in, interested in, live in,indulge  in, walk in, get in, in person, in advance,in my presence, in tears, in fact, fall in love with,in  the east, in the west, made in, in haste, in English, in French, in black and white, in the beginning of, in response to, in return, resulted in, in the meantime

Examples:

1. She was interested in sports.

2. The topic for group discussion was given in advance.

3. The sun rises in the east.

4.  He did everything in haste.

5. Her carelessness resulted in failure in the exam.

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For

meant for, care for, looking for, searching for, waiting for, a dislike for, apology for, desire for, asked for, good for, leave for, prepared for, for me, for you, punished for, best remembered for, for sale, for hire, famous for, responsible for, all for, stand  for, apply for

Examples:

1. Pogo channel is meant for children.

2. I am looking for a a job.

3. Mother Teresa is best remembered for her charity.

4. The auto is for hire.

5. I am all for love. (meaning in support for)

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On

on computer, on TV, on radio, on the Internet, on mike, on mobile... (communication/media devices)

on time, depend on, carry on, go on, a lecture on, on the left side, on the right side, on someone's behalf, on suspicion, on leave, on vacation, on campus, bet on, rely on, pity on, on foot, on fire, on cd/dvd, attack on, effect on, impact on, on page no.six, run on, spend time on, on the way, on the go. confer on, congratulate on

Examples:

1. I watched the movie on SUN TV.

2. He came on time. (exactly at the right time)

3. He represented the meeting on my behalf.

4. The manager went on leave for two days.

5. His new book is on the go. (in the process of being written).

6. The car runs on diesel. 

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At

good at, at home, at the eleventh hour, at any cost, at any rate, not at all, at work, look at, at once, at the age of, at last, laugh at, mock at, at the rate of, at sixes and sevens, at the mercy of, studied at, at the bottom of, at regular intervals, shouted at, excited at, surprised at, all at once

Examples:

1. He asked my help at the eleventh hour. (nearly too late, in last minute)

2. What you say is not at all correct.

3. She was at sixes and sevens with him. (in dispute)

4. She studied at Bharathiar University.

5. It was raining at regular intervals.

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With

angry with, agree with, disagree with, argue with, fight with, find fault with, go with, stay with, live with, with  best wishes, collided with, met with, compared with, are you with me?, compromise with,with flying colours

Examples:

1. The members of the group discussion disagreed with one another.

2. The car collided with a lorry. (accident)

3. She finished her letter by writing, "With Best Wishes, Ruba"

4. Everybody is unique and so we should not compare one with another.

5. I cannot compromise with honesty.

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Exercises for you:

1. His friends went to office ____________ bike. (in / by).

2. She got _____________trouble with her friend. (into, with)

3. Children are afraid _______ ghost. (of / to)

4. The mobile was made _______ Japan. (at, in)

5. She worked even __________ Sunday. (in, on)

6. My friend is living ________ New York. (in, for)

7. We have been waiting ________ the result _________ last week.(to, for, with, since)

8. He went _________ the forest ______ reach his city.(to, on, through).

9. The team was confident ________ its success. (with, of)

10. She spent a lot of time __________ watching TV serials. (in , on,)