PREPOSITIONS
DEFINITION
A preposition is a word or set of words Examples:
that indicates location (in, near, beside, Let's meet before noon.
on top of) or some other relationship Before is a preposition; noon is its
between a noun or pronoun and other object.
parts of the sentence (about, after, We've never met before.
besides, instead of, in accordance with). A There is no object; before is an adverb
preposition isn't a preposition unless it modifying met.
goes with a related noun or pronoun,
called the object of the preposition.
RULES
1. A preposition generally, but not
always, goes before its noun or Correct:
pronoun. One of the undying That is something I cannot agree with.
myths of English grammar is Correct:
that you may not end a sentence Where did you get this?
Incorrect:
with a preposition. But look at
Where did you get this at?
the first example that follows. Correct:
No one should feel compelled to How many of you can I depend on?
say, or even write, That is Correct:
something with which I cannot Where did he go?
agree. Just do not use extra Incorrect:
prepositions when the meaning Where did he go to?
is clear without them.
2. (A)The preposition like means
Correct:
"similar to" or "similarly to." It
You look like your mother.
should be followed by an object
That is, you look similar to her.
of the preposition (noun, (Mother is the object of the preposition like.)
pronoun, noun phrase), not by
a subject and verb. RULE OF Incorrect:
THUMB: Avoid like when a verb You look like your mother does.
is involved. (Avoid like with noun + verb.)
Correct:
You look the way your mother does.
Incorrect:
2. (B) Instead of like, use as, as if, as Do like I ask. (No one would say Do
though, or the way when following a similarly to I ask.)
comparison with a subject and verb. Correct:
Do as I ask.
Incorrect:
You look like you're angry.
Correct:
You look as if you're angry. (OR as though)
Incorrect:
They are considered as any other English
Some speakers and writers, to avoid words.
embarrassment, use as when they mean
like. The following incorrect sentence Correct:
came from a grammar guide: They are considered as any other English
words would be.
Correct:
They are considered to be like any other
English words.
Incorrect:
REMEMBER: like means "similar to" or I, as most people, try to use good
grammar.
"similarly to"; as means "in the same
Correct:
manner that." Rule of thumb: Do not use
I, like most people, try to use good
as unless there is a verb involved. grammar.
Correct:
I, as most people do, try to use good
grammar.
NOTE: The rule distinguishing like from
as, as if, as though, and the way is
increasingly ignored, but English purists
still insist upon it.
3. The preposition of should never Correct:
be used in place of the helping I should have done it.
verb have. Incorrect:
I should of done it.
5. It is a good practice to follow
different with the preposition
from. Most traditionalists avoid
different than. Although it is an
overstatement to call different
than incorrect, it remains Polarizing:
polarizing: A is different than B You're different than I am.
Unchallengeable:
comes across as sloppy to a lot
You're different from me.
of literate readers. If you can
replace different than with
different from without having to
rewrite the rest of the sentence,
why not do so?
Correct:
I swam in the pool.
Correct:
I walked into the house.
Correct:
4. Use into rather than in to I looked into the matter.
Incorrect:
express motion toward
I dived in the water.
something. Use in to tell the
Correct:
location. I dived into the water.
Incorrect:
Throw it in the trash.
Correct:
TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS Throw it into the trash.
Prepositions indicate direction, time, location, and
spatial relationships, as well as other abstract
types of relationships.
Direction: Look to the left and you’ll see
our destination.
Time: We’ve been working since this
morning.
Location: We saw a movie at the theater.
Space: The dog hid under the table.
SUMMARY
Prepositions indicate relationships between other words in a sentence.
Many prepositions tell you where something is or when something
happened.
Most prepositions have several definitions, so the meaning changes quite a
bit in different contexts.
Ending a sentence with a preposition is not a grammatical error.
HOMEWORK
1. WORK WITH THE WORDS BELOW TO WRITE A SENTENCE. USE PREPOSITIONS.
Home
Play
Beautiful
Garden
Yesterday
Ball
Tonight
Old
Family
Like
Amazing
Pet
Day
Use
Get
Bed
Lazy
Great
In the morning
Bathroom
Example:
My bathroom is the perfect place to sleep.
2. ALPHABET
WRITE A WORD FOR EACH LETTER. DO NOT REPEAT THE WORDS.
WRITE A SENTECE WITH EACH ONE OF THE WORDS. USE PREPOSITIONS.