PREPOSITIONS
General program IIHS
SESSION OUTLINE
What are prepositions?
Functions of Prepositions
Activities
What are prepositions???
 Prepositions are words that describe the relationship between other
words in a sentence so the reader can understand how the pieces of the
sentence fit. A preposition connects part of a sentence to a noun/noun
phrase. This noun is called the object of the preposition.
They can follow:
Verbs: She went in the room.
Nouns/pronouns: Sarah put the book on the table.
 Mark special relationships ( usually of space and time) between persons, objects, and
locations.
Example: The book is on the table. The train will arrive at 10:00 pm. •
 They also answer the WH questions.
 Sometimes prepositional phrases might express an idea of who and why. •
Example: He was awarded for his bravery. (why) • I was with my friends. (who)
Prepositional phrases
• Prepositions are often combined with other words and are called
prepositional phrases
• Prepositional phrases modify other words in the sentence.
Structure of a Prepositional Phrase:
Preposition +( modifier- determiner/ adjective) object ( noun)
Example: In the morning ; in Calgary; on the glass table
Functions of prepositions
Function Example
Position/Location The book is on the table.
Mary is in the room.
Stand behind the yellow line.
Time/When something
happened?
The meeting started at 6:00.
The workshop is on Tuesday
Possession This is the property of Bow Valley College.
The hood of the car is open.
This computer belongs to David.
How? The way something is
done
I traveled by train.
Movement They ran toward to edge of the cliff.
She walked along the road.
Prepositions of time
• “On” is used with days.
I will see you on Monday.
The week begins on Sunday.
• At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day.
My plane leaves at noon.
The movie starts at 6 p.m.
.
• In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with seasons.
He likes to read in the afternoon.
The days are long in August.
The book was published in 1999.
The flowers will bloom in spring.
Prepositions of time
• Since, for, by, from—to, from—until, during, (with)in – expresses extended time.
She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)
I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.)
The movie showed from August to/until October. (Beginning in August, ending in October.)
I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.)
We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)
Prepositions of place
• In - describes the point itself.
There is a wasp in the room.
• Inside – expresses something contained.
Put the present inside the box.
• On – talks about the surface.
I left your keys on the table.
• At – talks about a general vicinity.
` She was waiting at the corner.
Prepositions of place
• Over, above – when the object is higher than a point.
He threw the ball over the roof.
Hang that picture above the couch.
• Under, underneath, beneath, below – when the object is lower than a point.
The rabbit burrowed under the ground.
The child hid underneath the blanket.
We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches.
The valley is below sea-level.
• Near, by, next to, between, among, opposite – when the object is close to a point.
She lives near the school.
There is an ice cream shop by the store.
An oak tree grows next to my house
The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street.
I found my pen lying among the books.
The bathroom is opposite the kitchen.
Frequently misused prepositions
• Prepositions may sometimes be confused because of slang and the general informality of talk. Here
are some frequently misused prepositions
beside, besides. Beside means next to, whereas besides means in addition.
The comb is beside the brush.
Besides planning the trip, she is also getting the tickets.
between, among. Generally, between is used when two items are involved;
with three or more, among is preferred.
Between you and me, he is among friends.
due to. Due to should not be used as a preposition meaning because of.
Because of (not due to) his speeding, we were all ticketed.
inside of. The of is always unnecessary.
Stay inside the house.
The man stayed outside (not outside of) the post office.
Frequently misused prepositions
• Prepositions may sometimes be confused because of slang and the general informality of talk. Here
are some frequently misused prepositions
beside, besides. Beside means next to, whereas besides means in addition.
The comb is beside the brush.
Besides planning the trip, she is also getting the tickets.
between, among. Generally, between is used when two items are involved;
with three or more, among is preferred.
Between you and me, he is among friends.
due to. Due to should not be used as a preposition meaning because of.
Because of (not due to) his speeding, we were all ticketed.
inside of. The of is always unnecessary.
Stay inside the house.
The man stayed outside (not outside of) the post office.
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
What are prepositional phrases?
Phrases are made up of a preposition and a noun.
We use prepositional phrases for many purposes;
- adverbials of time and place
e.x: We will be back in a few days.
They drove to Glasgow.
- post modifier in a noun phrase
e.x: Helen is the girl in the red dress.
We have got a new television with a thirty one inch
screen.
- to show who did something
e.x: The lion was killed by the hunter.
I saw a wonderful painting by Van Gogh.
- with double object verbs like give and get
e.x: We give five pounds to the woman on the corner.
They got a drink for me.
- after certain verbs, nouns and adjectives
e.x: The book belongs to me
I had an argument with my brother
I feel sorry for you
Prepositional phrases function as adjectives and adverbs

what are the Preposition and what is important of prepositions

  • 1.
  • 2.
    SESSION OUTLINE What areprepositions? Functions of Prepositions Activities
  • 3.
    What are prepositions??? Prepositions are words that describe the relationship between other words in a sentence so the reader can understand how the pieces of the sentence fit. A preposition connects part of a sentence to a noun/noun phrase. This noun is called the object of the preposition. They can follow: Verbs: She went in the room. Nouns/pronouns: Sarah put the book on the table.
  • 4.
     Mark specialrelationships ( usually of space and time) between persons, objects, and locations. Example: The book is on the table. The train will arrive at 10:00 pm. •  They also answer the WH questions.  Sometimes prepositional phrases might express an idea of who and why. • Example: He was awarded for his bravery. (why) • I was with my friends. (who)
  • 5.
    Prepositional phrases • Prepositionsare often combined with other words and are called prepositional phrases • Prepositional phrases modify other words in the sentence. Structure of a Prepositional Phrase: Preposition +( modifier- determiner/ adjective) object ( noun) Example: In the morning ; in Calgary; on the glass table
  • 6.
    Functions of prepositions FunctionExample Position/Location The book is on the table. Mary is in the room. Stand behind the yellow line. Time/When something happened? The meeting started at 6:00. The workshop is on Tuesday Possession This is the property of Bow Valley College. The hood of the car is open. This computer belongs to David. How? The way something is done I traveled by train. Movement They ran toward to edge of the cliff. She walked along the road.
  • 7.
    Prepositions of time •“On” is used with days. I will see you on Monday. The week begins on Sunday. • At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day. My plane leaves at noon. The movie starts at 6 p.m. . • In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with seasons. He likes to read in the afternoon. The days are long in August. The book was published in 1999. The flowers will bloom in spring.
  • 8.
    Prepositions of time •Since, for, by, from—to, from—until, during, (with)in – expresses extended time. She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.) I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.) The movie showed from August to/until October. (Beginning in August, ending in October.) I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.) We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)
  • 9.
    Prepositions of place •In - describes the point itself. There is a wasp in the room. • Inside – expresses something contained. Put the present inside the box. • On – talks about the surface. I left your keys on the table. • At – talks about a general vicinity. ` She was waiting at the corner.
  • 10.
    Prepositions of place •Over, above – when the object is higher than a point. He threw the ball over the roof. Hang that picture above the couch. • Under, underneath, beneath, below – when the object is lower than a point. The rabbit burrowed under the ground. The child hid underneath the blanket. We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches. The valley is below sea-level. • Near, by, next to, between, among, opposite – when the object is close to a point. She lives near the school. There is an ice cream shop by the store. An oak tree grows next to my house The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street. I found my pen lying among the books. The bathroom is opposite the kitchen.
  • 11.
    Frequently misused prepositions •Prepositions may sometimes be confused because of slang and the general informality of talk. Here are some frequently misused prepositions beside, besides. Beside means next to, whereas besides means in addition. The comb is beside the brush. Besides planning the trip, she is also getting the tickets. between, among. Generally, between is used when two items are involved; with three or more, among is preferred. Between you and me, he is among friends. due to. Due to should not be used as a preposition meaning because of. Because of (not due to) his speeding, we were all ticketed. inside of. The of is always unnecessary. Stay inside the house. The man stayed outside (not outside of) the post office.
  • 12.
    Frequently misused prepositions •Prepositions may sometimes be confused because of slang and the general informality of talk. Here are some frequently misused prepositions beside, besides. Beside means next to, whereas besides means in addition. The comb is beside the brush. Besides planning the trip, she is also getting the tickets. between, among. Generally, between is used when two items are involved; with three or more, among is preferred. Between you and me, he is among friends. due to. Due to should not be used as a preposition meaning because of. Because of (not due to) his speeding, we were all ticketed. inside of. The of is always unnecessary. Stay inside the house. The man stayed outside (not outside of) the post office.
  • 13.
  • 14.
    What are prepositionalphrases? Phrases are made up of a preposition and a noun. We use prepositional phrases for many purposes; - adverbials of time and place e.x: We will be back in a few days. They drove to Glasgow. - post modifier in a noun phrase e.x: Helen is the girl in the red dress. We have got a new television with a thirty one inch screen.
  • 15.
    - to showwho did something e.x: The lion was killed by the hunter. I saw a wonderful painting by Van Gogh. - with double object verbs like give and get e.x: We give five pounds to the woman on the corner. They got a drink for me. - after certain verbs, nouns and adjectives e.x: The book belongs to me I had an argument with my brother I feel sorry for you
  • 16.
    Prepositional phrases functionas adjectives and adverbs

Editor's Notes

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