PREPOSITIONS | MEANING, TYPES USAGE & EXAMPLES
Prepositions refer to the words that placed before a noun or pronoun that shows its relationship to another words in a sentence.
They normally have no lexical meaning rather they perform grammatical functions. They used to link nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence.
These involve above, about, across, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, since, to, toward, through, under, until, up, upon, with and within etc.
TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS
Preposition of direction&place
It is used to describe the direction or to show where something is directed. These include to, towards, into, onto, from, along, opposite, beside, behind, in front, between, beside, in, on, at, above etc.
| In can be used with a room, a building, a street, a town or a country. It is used to the things at rest. Examples:
– He is in the room. – I livein town. – My dresses areinthe bag. |
On can be used for a surface or the floor or when something is on another thing. It is used to show things at rest. Examples:
– Mangoes are on the table. – The cat sitson the cupboard. – I found a pen on the chair. |
| At can be used for specific places where someone works or lives or at the object. Examples:
– A cat is at the gate. -He is at school. – She is availableat the office. |
To used to show that something comes or starts somewhere and goes to a certain place. Examples:
– I am goingto school. – We wentto the cinema. – They are herding to church. |
| From used to show that something originated in a certain place. Examples:
– It comesfrom China. – I amfromMatombo. – We arefrom England. |
Along used to show that something or someone is perpendicular to something else.Examples: – I am availablealongNyerere road. – The office is located along the school. |
| Opposite used to show that something is at the other side of another thing.Examples:
– We are opposite CCM Mkoa. – Our home is opposite Club 84.
|
Beside used to show that something is available nearby other thing. Examples:
– She sat beside me. – It available beside the chair. |
| Behind used to show that something is available at the back position of another object. Examples: – She sits behind me. – He left me behind. |
In front used to show that something is available at the fore part of another thing. Examples:
– I can speak in front of the mass. – She stands in front of the class. |
| Between used to show that something is available at the middle of two objects. Examples:
– She sits between Ally and John. – It is between January and February. |
Above used to show that one thing is over the other.
Examples: – The plane flew above the city. – It is above the average. |
| Into used to show that something is in the movement from outside towards inside of the other object. Examples:
– The lion went into the cave. – The water flows into the bucket. |
Onto used to show movement of an object from one level to another or movement towards a surface. Examples:
– She climbed onto the truck. – Jane throw the stone onto the tree. |
Preposition of time
It is used to show the time when an event occurs or takes place. These include on, in, at, since, for etc.
| On used |
EXERCISE
- He made his escape by jumping ______ a window and jumping ______ a waiting car.
(a) over / into (b) between / into (c) out of / between (d) out of / into (e) up to / out of
- To get to the Marketing department, you have to go ______ those stairs and then ______ the corridor to the end.
over / into
between / into
out of / between
out of / into
up / along
- I saw something about it ______ television.
in
on
at
through
with
- I couldn’t get in ______ the door so I had to climb ______ a window.
through / in
between / into
out of / between
out of / into
up / along
- She took the key ______ her pocket and put it ________ the lock.
over / into
between / into
out of / in
by / on
up to / out of
- He drove ______ me without stopping and drove off ______ the centre of town.
from / into
towards / over
along / up
past / towards
in / next to
- I took the old card ______ the computer and put ______ the new one.
through / in
out of / in
out of / between
out of / into
up / along
- I went ______ him and asked him the best way to get ______ town.
from / into
towards / over
along / up
by / on
up to / out of
- It’s unlucky to walk ______ a ladder in my culture. I always walk ______ them.
through / in
out of / in
under / around
out of / into
up / along
- The restaurant is ______ the High Street, ______ the cinema.
through / in
out of / in
under / around
in / next to
up / along
- Sally left school ______ the age of 16 and went to work ______ a bank.
through / in
out of / in
under / around
in / next to
at / in
- He jumped ______ the wall and ______ the garden.
over / into
towards / over
along / up
by / on
up to / out of
13 He was driving ______ 180 miles per hour when he crashed ______ the central barrier.
at / into
out of / in
under / around
in / next to
at / in
14 She ran ______ the corridor and ______ the stairs to the second floor.
from / into
towards / over
along / up
by / on
in / next to
15 John is the person standing ______ the window, ______ the woman with the long blonde hair.
at / into
beside / next to
under / around
in / next to
at / in
16 When the bull ran ______ me, I jumped ______ the fence.
from / into
towards / over
beside / next to
by / on
in / next to
17 Look, that car’s ______ fire.
through
with
in
into
on
18 He saw a parking space ______ two cars and drove ______ it.
over / into
between / into
along / up
by / on
up to / out of
19 Harry comes to work ______ car but I prefer to come ______ foot.
at / into
beside / next to
by / on
in / next to
at / in
20 He took the book ______ the shelf and put it ______ his bag.
from / into
at / into
beside / next to
by / on
in / next to
