Page 37 - English Grammar and Composition-Student Textbook short
P. 37
Study Section 10: Prepositions
10.1 Connect
Prepositions are one of the most arbitrary (based on a personal choice) elements in many languages. Some
languages use a small number of prepositions very frequently. In others, the verb alone can express the
relationships that can only be conveyed by the preposition in English. English, however, does not allow for
as much flexibility. There is some for sure, and there are rules in some cases. But who can explain why we
get on the bus, but we get in the car? So we find that we must just memorize the way many English
prepositions are used instead of understanding some kind of rule. For native English speakers this is something we
just do naturally because we have grown up speaking it.
10.2 Preposition Basics
A preposition is a word such as after, in, to, on, and with. Prepositions are usually used in front
of nouns or pronouns and they show the relationship between the noun or pronoun and other words in a
sentence. They describe, for example:
1. the position of something:
o Her cup was under the chair.
o The dog crawled between us and lay down at our feet.
o His apartment was over the shop.
2. the time when something happens:
o They arrived on Sunday.
o The class starts at 9 a.m.
o Shortly after their marriage they moved to Colorado.
3. the way in which something is done:
o We went by train.
o They stared at each other without speaking.
Some prepositions are made up of more than one word, for example:
• They moved here because of the baby.
• We sat next to each other.
• The hotel is perched on top of a cliff.
Preposition Usage
A. We commonly use prepositions to show a relationship in space or time or a logical relationship
between two or more people, places or things. Prepositions are most commonly followed by a noun
phrase or pronoun (IN ITALICS):
• The last time I saw him he was walking down the road.
36
