PREPOSITIONS IN ENGLISH
I. WHAT ARE PREPOSITIONS?
Read the following short biography about the American president George Bush and identify all the prepositions you find in it.
President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, and he grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas. He received a bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1968, then served as an F-102 fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. President Bush received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1975. After graduating, he moved back to Midland and began a career in the energy business. After working on his father's successful 1988 presidential campaign, he assembled the group of partners that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989.
II. POSTION OF PREPOSITIONS
A. General Use
Examples:
It happened when she was walking to work.
Did you meet them at the cinema?
Examples:
Verb: She arrived at 10 am.
Adjective: I’m fond of heavy metal music.
Noun: There has been a big increase in complaints.
Example: I’m afraid of crying.
B. Other positions
Questions with what, who or which / What are you waiting for? Who do you think you are dealing with? Which dog are you terrified of?Passive Constructions / All the books had been paid for.
Relative Clauses / It was all that we had hoped for.
Infinitive Clauses / What a silly thing to argue about.
III. TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS
A. Prepositions of Place (at, on, in and other prepositions)
1. AT
Examples:
I’ll be waiting for you at the bus stop.
The shop is at the end of the street.
Example: I live at 15 Royal Street.
2. ON
Example: The author's name is on the cover of the book.
a. position phrases.
Example: The Nursing University is on the right hand side of the Catholic University.
b. geographical expressions
Example: The best surfing waves are found on the west coast of the USA.
c. ‘parts of the body’ expressions.
Example: He had a funny look on his face.
3. IN
Example: Do you work in an office?
Example: I have a meeting in New York.
4. Other Prepositions of place: above, over, under, between, close to, near, next to and opposite.
Examples:
The painting is between the two columns.
The car is parked close to the entrance of the mall.
My house is next to the park.
We live opposite the Richmonds.
B. Prepositions of Time
1. AT
- at + particular time
Example: The party will end at dawn.
- at + the + a particular time in a week/month/year
Example: Many Americans take their summer vacation at the start of July.
- at + calendar festival season
Example: We normally visit the family at Christmas.
- at + meal
Example: I don’t eat much at breakfast.
2. ON
- on + day of the week
Example: English lessons are on Thursdays and Fridays.
- on + particular part of a day
Example: I like to read the paper on Sunday mornings.
- on + particular date
Example: Christmas break starts on 18 December.
- on + calendar festival day
Example: We open our gifts on Christmas Day.
3. IN
- in + the + a part of a day
Example: It’s dark early in the evening.
- in + month
Example: My birthday is in September.
- in + season of the year
Example: The flowers bloom in Spring.
- in + specific year
Example: We will have presidential elections in 2006.
- in + the + a specific century
Example: There were some great inventions in the 20th century.
- in + historical period of time
Example: Many people died of the black plague in the Middle Ages.
NOTE: No preposition is used if the day/year has each, every, last, next, this before it:
Examples:
I go to England every Christmas (not at every Christmas )
I'll see you next Monday afternoon. (not on Monday afternoon )
Martin left home last evening. (not in the evening )
4. FOR & SINCE
Example: for three days since last Thursday
a. FOR
for + a period of time
This phrase can be used with all verb tenses.
Examples: Michael went to London last year for three weeks.
My cousin will be visiting the USA for two months next February.
b. SINCE
since + a point of time + past tense
Example: My sister and her husband have worked in India since 1991.
Linda has been very ill since yesterday evening.
5. During and While
a. DURING
during + a noun or phrase
Example: There was a lot of suffering during the war.
b. WHILE
while + subject + verb
Example: We will take you to the theatre while we are in London.
6. Before and After
a. Before
before + a noun
Example: Come and see me before the weekend.
before + subject + verb
Example: He spoke to his teacher before the examination began.
b. After
after + noun
Example: We are going out for lunch after the lesson.
7. By, until, till
Examples: by Sunday until April 1995 till next week
C. Dependent Prepositions
1. Verbs + prepositions
Examples:
The prisoner confessed to the murder.
This year’s teacher trainees worry about not finding a job next year.
2. Adjectives + prepositions
Examples:
The bride was anxious about her wedding day.
Parents tend to be critical of their children.
3. Nouns + prepositions
Examples:
Will you give me the recipe for your delicious chocolate cake?
She had a reaction to the medicine the doctor prescribed her.
Inglês IV Prepositions in English 6