LESSON 46

COSTACHE RELI-CĂTĂLINA
 PREPOSITION
• A preposition is a word or group of words used before
a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction,
time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to
introduce an object. Some examples of prepositions
are words like "in," "at," "on," "of," and "to."
• Prepositions in English are highly idiomatic. Although
there are some rules for usage, much preposition
usage is dictated by fixed expressions. In these cases,
it is best to memorize the phrase instead of the
individual preposition.
• 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.
 TYPES
Prepositions of Direction
• To refer to a direction, use the prepositions
"to," "in," "into," "on," and "onto."
She drove to the store.
Don’t ring the doorbell. Come right in(to) the
house.
Drive on(to) the grass and park the car there.
Prepositions of Time
• To refer to one point in time, use the prepositions "in," "at," and "on."
• Use "in" with parts of the day (not specific times), months, years, and
seasons.
He reads in the evening.
The weather is cold in December.
She was born in 1996.
We rake leaves in the fall.
• Use "at" with the time of day. Also use "at" with noon, night, and
midnight.
I go to work at 8:00.
He eats lunch at noon.
She often goes for a walk at night.
They go to bed at midnight.
Use "on" with days.
I work on Saturdays.
He does laundry on Wednesdays.
• To refer to extended time, use the prepositions "since," "for," "by," "during,"
"from…to," "from…until," "with," and "within."
I have lived in Minneapolis since 2005. (I moved there in 2005 and still live
there.)
He will be in Toronto for 3 weeks. (He will spend 3 weeks in Toronto.)
She will finish her homework by 6:00. (She will finish her homework sometime
between now and 6:00.)
He works part time during the summer. (For the period of time throughout the
summer.)
I will collect data from January to June. (Starting in January and ending in June.)
They are in school from August until May. (Starting in August and ending in
May.)
She will graduate within 2 years. (Not longer than 2 years.)
Prepositions of Place
• To refer to a place, use the prepositions "in" (the point itself), "at" (the
general vicinity), "on" (the surface), and "inside" (something contained).
They will meet in the lunchroom.
She was waiting at the corner.
He left his phone on the bed.
Place the pen inside the drawer.
• To refer to an object higher than a point, use the prepositions "over" and
"above." To refer to an object lower than a point, use the prepositions
"below," "beneath," "under," and "underneath."
The bird flew over the house.
The plates were on the shelf above the cups.
Basements are dug below ground.
There is hard wood beneath the carpet.
The squirrel hid the nuts under a pile of leaves.
The cat is hiding underneath the box.
• To refer to an object close to a point, use the
prepositions "by," "near," "next to," "between,"
"among," and "opposite."
The gas station is by the grocery store.
The park is near her house.
Park your bike next to the garage.
There is a deer between the two trees.
There is a purple flower among the weeds.
The garage is opposite the house.
Prepositions of Location
• To refer to a location, use the prepositions
"in" (an area or volume), "at" (a point), and
"on" (a surface).
They live in the country. (an area)
She will find him at the library. (a point)
There is a lot of dirt on the window. (a surface)
Prepositions of Spatial Relationships
• To refer to a spatial relationship, use the prepositions
"above," "across," "against," "ahead of," "along," "among,"
"around," "behind," "below,"
"beneath," "beside," "between," "from," "in front of,"
"inside," "near," "off," "out of," "through," "toward,"
"under," and "within."
The post office is across the street from the grocery store.
We will stop at many attractions along the way.
The kids are hiding behind the tree.
His shirt is off.
Walk toward the garage and then turn left.
Place a check mark within the box.
 Prepositions Following Verbs and Adjectives

Some verbs and adjectives are followed by a

certain preposition. Sometimes verbs and
adjectives can be followed by different
prepositions, giving the phrase different
meanings.
Some Common Verb + Preposition Combinations
• About: worry, complain, read
He worries about the future.
She complained about the homework.
I read about the flooding in the city.
• At: arrive (a building or event), smile, look
He arrived at the airport 2 hours early.
The children smiled at her.
She looked at him.
• From: differ, suffer
The results differ from my original idea.
She suffers from dementia.
Some Common Verb + Preposition Combinations
• About: worry, complain, read
He worries about the future.
She complained about the homework.
I read about the flooding in the city.
• At: arrive (a building or event), smile, look
He arrived at the airport 2 hours early.
The children smiled at her.
She looked at him.
• From: differ, suffer
The results differ from my original idea.
She suffers from dementia.
On: concentrate, depend, insist
• He is concentrating on his work.
• They depend on each other.
• I must insist on following this rule.
To: belong, contribute, lead, refer
• Bears belong to the family of mammals.
• I hope to contribute to the previous research.
• My results will lead to future research on the topic.
• Please refer to my previous explanation.
With: (dis)agree, argue, deal
• I (dis)agree with you.
• She argued with him.
• They will deal with the situation.
  About At By From For In Of To With

Accustomed               X  

Aware             X    

Beneficial               X  

Capable             X    

Characteristi
            X    
c

Composed     X       X    

Different       X          

Disappointed           X     X

Employed   X X            

Essential               X  
 WITH
ABOUT AT BY FROM FOR IN OF TO

Familiar                 X

Good   X     X        

Grateful         X     X  

Interested           X      

Happy X       X       X

Opposed               X  

Proud             X    

Responsible         X        

Similar               X  

Sorry X       X        
 PREPOSITION OF TIME
English Usage Example

• on •days of the week •on Monday

• in •months / seasons •in August / in winter
•time of day •in the morning
•year •in 2006
•after a certain period of time (when?) •in an hour

• at •for night •at night

•for weekend •at the weekend
•a certain point of time (when?) •at half past nine

• since •from a certain point of time (past till now) •since 1980

• for •over a certain period of time (past till now) •for 2 years

• ago •a certain time in the past •2 years ago

• before •earlier than a certain point of time •before 2004

• to •telling the time •ten to six (5:50)

• past •telling the time •ten past six (6:10)
• to / till / •marking the beginning and end of a period of time •from Monday to/till Friday
until

• till / until •in the sense of how long something is going to last •He is on holiday until Friday.

• by •in the sense of at the latest •I will be back by 6 o’clock.

•up to a certain time •By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages.
PREPOSITION OF PLACE
Englis
Usage Example
h
• in •room, building, street, town, •in the kitchen, in London
country •in the book
•book, paper etc. •in the car, in a taxi
•car, taxi •in the picture, in the world
•picture, world
• at •meaning next to, by an object •at the door, at the station
•for table •at the table
•for events •at a concert, at the party
•place where you are to do •at the cinema, at school, at
something typical (watch a film, work
study, work)

• on •attached •the picture on the wall

•for a place with a river •London lies on the Thames.
•being on a surface •on the table
•for a certain side (left, right) •on the left
•for a floor in a house •on the first floor
•for public transport •on the bus, on a plane
•for television, radio •on TV, on the radio

• by, •left or right of somebody or •Jane is standing by / next to /

next something beside the car.
to,
besid
e
 • under •on the ground, lower than (or covered by) •the bag is under the table
something else

• below •lower than something else but above ground •the fish are below the surface

• over •covered by something else •put a jacket over your shirt

•meaning more than •over 16 years of age
•getting to the other side (also across) •walk over the bridge
•overcoming an obstacle •climb over the wall

• above •higher than something else, but not directly •a path above the lake
over it

• across •getting to the other side (also over) •walk across the bridge
•getting to the other side •swim across the lake

• through •something with limits on top, bottom and the •drive through the tunnel
sides

• to •movement to person or building •go to the cinema

•movement to a place or country •go to London / Ireland
•for bed •go to bed

• into •enter a room / a building •go into the kitchen / the house

• towards •movement in the direction of something (but •go 5 steps towards the house
not directly to it)

• onto •movement to the top of something •jump onto the table

• from •in the sense of where from •a flower from the garden
OTHER IMPORTANT PREPOSITIONS
Englis
h Usage Example
• from •who gave it •a present from Jane
• of •who/what does it belong to •a page of the book
•what does it show •the picture of a palace
• by •who made it •a book by Mark Twain
• on •walking or riding on horseback •on foot, on horseback
•entering a public transport •get on the bus
vehicle
• in •entering a car  / Taxi •get in the car
• off •leaving a public transport vehicle •get off the train
• out •leaving a car  / Taxi •get out of the taxi
of
• by •rise or fall of something •prices have risen by 10 percent
•travelling (other than walking or •by car, by bus
horseriding)
• at •for age •she learned Russian at 45
• abou •for topics, meaning what about •we were talking about you
t
 EXERCISES
• Fill in the correct prepositions.
Peter is playing tennis  ... Sunday.
My brother's birthday is ... the 5th of November.
My birthday is ... May.
We are going to see my parents ... the weekend.
 ... 1666, a great fire broke out in London.
I don't like walking alone in the streets ... night.
What are you doing ... the afternoon?
My friend has been living in Canada ... two years.
I have been waiting for you ... seven o'clock.
I will have finished this essay  ... Friday.
• Complete the exercise with the correct prepositions.
If you want to go ...  bus, you have to go ... the bus stop.
You look ... the time table.
Then you wait ... your bus.
When the bus arrives, you get ... the bus.
You buy a ticket ... the driver or show your ... ticket  the
driver.
When you arrive ... your destination, you get ... the bus.
Sometimes you even have to change buses  ... another
bus stop.
Complete the exercise with the correct
prepositions.
• Look  ... this painting.
•  ... the painting, you can see a little girl.
• So, it is a painting ... a girl.
• A famous painter painted it. So it is a
painting  ... a famous painter.
• My grandma once owned the painting, but she
gave it to me on my birthday. So it is a
picture ... my grandma.
• Fill the gaps with the correct prepositions.

The Wampanoag are the native American tribe that helped the Pilgrims  ... the Mayflower to
survive their first year ... the New World.
The tribe was divided ... smaller groups, and each group was ruled ...  a chief.
The Wampanoag lived ... Villages ...  the southeastern coast ... North America. Their name
means ‘people of the east’.
One member ... the Wampanoag, Squanto, knew English because several years before he had
been kidnapped and taken ... Europe.
Squanto was the first to meet the Pilgrims and he welcomed them ... English.
The Wampanoag shared their knowledge ...  hunting and fishing ... the European settlers and
showed them how to grow corn and beans.
... autumn, the harvest was so good that the settlers invited the Wampanoag  a great feast that
is now remembered as the first Thanksgiving.
A treaty ...  the Wampanoag and the settlers secured peace ... about 40 years, but then the
settlers claimed more and more land and treated the Wampanoag  disrespect.
This finally led ...  war ... the English and the Wampanoag (1675-1676)  .... which the
Wampanoag were defeated.
The Wampanoag left their lands and moved ...  the islands ... Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
Today there are only about 2,000 Wampanoag people living ... the United States.
• Complete the exercise with the correct prepositions.
Henry Ford was born ... the 30th ... July 1863.
He made his first car, the Quadricycle, ... June 1896.
... 1903, he founded the Ford Motor Company.
Modern mass production ... cars was
developed  him  1913.
Ford's Model T could then be assembled ... just 93
minutes.
 ... 1927, 15 million Model T cars had been
manufactured  the Ford Motor Company.
Henry Ford became one .... the richest and best-known
people  the world.
• Complete the exercise with the correct prepositions.

The first McDonald’s restaurant was opened ... Dick and Mac McDonald  the

15th  ... May 1940.
The best selling products  ... their restaurant were hamburgers.
So the McDonald brothers thought  ... a way to produce hamburgers more
quickly.
This was introduced  ... 1948 and became known  the Speedee Service System.
The first franchised McDonald’s restaurant was opened  ... 1953, and today you
can find McDonald’s restaurants ... more than 100 countries.
The meats ... the burgers ... vary  the culture ... the country.
Franchisees and future managers  ... McDonald’s restaurants are
trained ... Hamburger University, which is located ... Oak Brook, a suburb  ...
Chicago.
McDonalds is also known ...  its sponsorship .... various international sport
events.