Prepositionsfunctionwithinphrasestomodifymainverbs,nouns,oradjectives.
Theyalsoexpressspatialandtemporalrelationshipsbetweenpartsofasentence.
1. Location:at,on,in:Prepositionsdifferaccordingtothenumberofdimensionstheyreferto.Wecangroupthemintothreeclassesusingconceptsfromgeometry:point,surface,andarea/volume.a. Point:(at)Prepositionsinthisgroupindicatethatthenounthatfollowsthemistreatedasapointinrelationtowhichanotherobjectispositioned.
b. Surface:(on)Prepositionsinthisgroupindicatethatthepositionofanobjectisdefinedwithrespecttoasurfaceonwhichitrests.
c. Area/Volume:(in)Prepositionsinthisgroupindicatethatanobjectlieswithintheboundariesofanareaorwithintheconfinesofavolume.
2. Direction:to,on(to),in(to):Theseprepositionsexpressmovementtowardsomething.To,into,and ontocorrespondrespectivelytotheprepositionsoflocationat,in,and on.Eachpaircanbedefinedbythesamespatialrelationsofpoint,line/surface,orarea/volume.
3. Temporal relations:Prepositionsalsoexpresshowobjectsrelatetemporally.Prepositionscanexpressapointintimeoranextendedtime.a. On,at,andin areeachusedtoexpresssimilarrelationsastheirspatialcounterparts.
b. Since,by,for,andfrom-to areusedtoexpressextendedtime.
1. Wearrived____thehouse____theafternoon.
2. Thewaiterwas____ourtableimmediately.
3. Wehavenotseenourwaiter_____wearrived.
4. Thesoccerplayerleaped____theball.
5. Thetigerjumped_____myface.6. Thetigerjumped_____thetrap.7. Iwent____thestoretoday.
8.Alightappeared____thewindow.9. Thecattlewillgraze____theopen
range____thewholesummer.10.Threehockeyplayersare____the
ice.11.Thecowboyrode_____the
settingsun.12.Threeboxersare____thering.13. Theplayran_____
September____November.14. Thewaterspilled_____the
floor.
• For isapersonalandpersonallylimitingprepositionandexpressesaproprietaryrelationship.Also,for referstotemporalduration(ex:IwenttoEnglandfor twoweeks)andmotivation.
• To isaquantitative,directionalprepositionandshouldbeusedtoexplaintheimpersonalconnectionbetweenobjects.
1. For:a. “Speakformyself.”Herefor referstomotiveandispersonally
limitingandproprietary.Theemphasisisasfollows:“Ispeakonmyownbehalf;nooneelsedoesitforme.”
b. “Thisismyfirsttimefor avisit.”Thissentencelaysmorestressonthepersonalmotive forthevisit.Thisprepositionstressestherelationshipbetweenthevisitorandthevisitee.
2. To:“Speaktomyself.”Hereto explainsthedirectionoftheconversation.
3. Infinitives:“Thisismyfirsttimeto visit.”Tovisit isaninfinitivenotapreposition.Thissentencelaysstressontheaction ofthevisit.Anadverbcouldbeaddedtoinformthereaderofthespecifictypeofaction(personalvisit,professionalvisit...etc.).
1. (Direction)Iwent___thebanktodepositmycheck.
2. (Personal)Iamwaiting___theambulance.
3. (Motive)Johnleft___FrancewherehehopestostudyFrenchculture.
4. (Direction)Thomasisleavingtogo___Englandtomorrow.
5. (Motive)Thebookstoreclosed___convocation.
6. (Direction)Theclerklefttogo___thechapel.
7. (Motive)Theclerkleft___thechapel.
8. (Direction)Sallywantstogo___thelake.
9. (Personal)Johnspoke___himself.
10. (Direction)Johnspoke___himself.