Prepostions

Thursday, 31 October 2024 19:49

What is a preposition, you asked?

a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and

expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause, as in
‘the man on the platform’, ‘she arrived after dinner’, ‘what did you do
it for ?’.

Examples
We should meet the weekend
(Corrected: ON the weekend)
She was waiting in the bus stop
(Corrected: AT the bus stop)
Where are you going to?
(Corrected: going?)

~ in the morning [TIME] ~ on Monday [DAY] ~ at 9am [TIME]

~ in 1800s [ERA] ~ on the table [PLACE] ~ at Easter [EVENT]
~ in January [MONTH] ~ on 21st September [DATE] ~ at lunchtime [PERIOD]
~ in one week’s time [IDIOMATIC] ~ at 19 years

EXCEPTION: “in one’s twenties”

English has no hard-and-fast rules. Every “rule” has nuances

& exceptions (not more than Chemistry does but still!)
Understand, then apply the rule — cramming might get you far in
Biology & co. but not English.
Sorry to burst your bubble, mate!

EXCEPTIONS: Never use these prepositions if “later” “next” “this” and “every” are
used afterwards

I will do my homework on next Saturday.

I will do my homework next Saturday.

I meet my sister on every Tuesday

I meet my sister every Tuesday

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 ( ‫)بروقت‬ ( ‫)وقت ﮐﮯ اندر اندر‬

I will be at school in time for the English

The plane will depart on time (= it will leave lecture (=I will be early enough to be able to
the airport at the exact flight time attend the lecture)

(For events occurring during a specific time frame (To indicate something that occurs at all
only)
times or repeatedly)

We clapped and shouted during the final over (=the final over In the good times, we must remind ourselves
lasted for a specific time period) of the bad times

~ pay by credit card

(EXCEPTION: pay in cash)

~ Anne passed away ~ Anne passed away before ~ I will be home by 10 am ~ The party will go on until 5am [TIME]
five years ago (=time 2005 (=time period) [TIME]
- ‫ ﺑﺟﮯ تﮏ ﺟاری رہﮯ ﮔی‬۵ ‫يعنی ﭘارٹی‬
duration) ‫ سﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ وفات ﭘا‬٢٠٠۵ ‫يعنی وه‬ ‫ ﺑﺟﮯ تﮏ ﮔهر آﺟاؤں‬١٠ ‫يعنی ميں‬ ~ I won’t be home until Monday [DAY]
‫ سال ﭘﮩﻠﮯ انتقال ﭘا‬۵ ‫يعنی وه‬ - ‫ﮔﺋی‬ - ‫ﮔی‬
- ‫ﮔﺋی‬
~ I live by the shopping
mall [LOCATION]

( ‫) سﮯ ﻟﮯ ﮐر _ تﮏ‬ ( ‫) اتنﮯ عرصﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﺋﮯ‬

~ I have been living here since 2005 ~ I have been living here for 19 years

(Clause marker) (Used as an adverb)

After the initial performance, guests were served We had dinner and ate ice-
food. cream afterwards

IN & AT can be used interchangeably

but with slight difference in meaning

- She’s in the school - ‫يعنی و سکول ﮐﮯ اندر ہﮯ‬

- She’s at the school

(‫يعنی و سکول ہﮯ )ﭼاہﮯ اندر ہو يا ﭘهر اسکﮯ ارد ﮔرد ﮐﮩيں‬

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 Of common prepositions

Some things are not meant to be understood, they’re meant to be learnt — just like these tables:

162. Frustrated with

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 Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects
—————————————————————————

• 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.
• 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.)

• 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.
• 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.

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 She lives near the school.
There is an ice cream shop by the store.

• At with verbs glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, and

stare
She took a quick glance at her reflection.
(exception with mirror: She took a quick glance in the
mirror.)
You didn't laugh at his joke.
I'm looking at the computer monitor.
We rejoiced at his safe rescue.
That pretty girl smiled at you.
Stop staring at me.
• Of - with verbs approve, consist, and smell
I don't approve of his speech.
My contribution to the article consists of many pages.
He came home smelling of alcohol.
• Of/About -with verbs dream and think
I dream of finishing college in four years.
Can you think of a number between one and ten?
I am thinking about this problem.
• For - with verbs call, hope, look, wait, watch, and
wish
Did someone call for a taxi?
He hopes for a raise in salary next year.
I'm looking for my keys.
We'll wait for her here.

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.

MCQs
MCQ 1:
She is interested —- learning new languages.
a) in
b) on
c) at
d) for

Correct Answer: a) in
Explanation: "Interested in" is the correct phrase used to express a desire to engage with something.

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MCQ 2:
The cat jumped —- the table and landed on the floor.
a) over
b) on
c) at
d) in
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 d) in

Correct Answer: a) over

Explanation: "Jumped over" indicates that the cat leaped across the space above the table.

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MCQ 3:
They arrived —- the airport just in time for their flight.
a) in
b) at
c) to
d) on

Correct Answer: b) at
Explanation: "Arrived at" is used to indicate a specific point or location, such as an airport.

---

MCQ 4:
She has been working here —- three years.
a) for
b) since
c) during
d) by

Correct Answer: a) for

Explanation: "For" is used to indicate a duration of time, such as three years.

---

MCQ 5:
He walked —- the store to buy some groceries.
a) to
b) at
c) in
d) on

Correct Answer: a) to
Explanation: "Walked to" indicates the direction or destination of the action, in this case, the store.

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