Use of Prepositions Dr. Sarwet Rasul

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Review of Previous Lesson

What is punctuation?

Why to use punctuation?

Introduction to common punctuation marks

• • • • • • • • • • •

Detailed rules of the use of:

Full stop Comma Semi colon

Colon Question mark Exclamation mark Quotation marks Parentheses Apostrophe Hyphen and Dash Ellipses marks

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Today’s session

• What is a preposition?

• What are prepositional phrases • English Prepositions Enlisted • Detailed rules of prepositions • Exercises and activities

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• • •

What is a preposition?

A preposition describes a relationship between other words in a sentence. In itself, a word like "in" or "after" is rather meaningless and hard to define in mere words. For instance, when you do try to define a preposition like "in" or "between" or "on," you invariably use your hands to show how something is situated in relationship to something else.

Prepositions are nearly always combined with other words in structures called

prepositional phrases

. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/prepositions.htm

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• •

What is a Preposition?

A

preposition

links nouns , pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence . The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.

A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence as in the following examples: – The book is

on

the table.

– The book is

beneath

the table.

– The book is leaning

against

the table.

– The book is

beside

the table.

– She held the book

over

the table.

– She read the book

during

class.

www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/preposit.html

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•

Prepositional Phrase

A prepositional phrase associated adjectives is made up of the preposition, its object and any or adverbs . • A prepositional phrase can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. • Examples: Each of the

highlighted

words in the following sentences is a preposition: – The children climbed the mountain

without

fear.

• • • In this sentence, the preposition "without" introduces the noun "fear." The prepositional phrase "without fear" functions as an adverb describing how the children climbed.

www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/preposit.html

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•

Cont… Examples

– There was rejoicing

throughout

the land when the government was defeated.

Here, the preposition "throughout" introduces the noun phrase "the land." The prepositional phrase acts as an adverb describing the location of the rejoicing.

• – The spider crawled slowly

along

the banister.

The preposition "along" introduces the noun phrase "the banister" and the prepositional phrase "along the banister" acts as an adverb, describing where the spider crawled.

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•

Cont…Examples

– The dog is hiding

under for

the porch because it knows it will be punished chewing up a new pair

of

shoes.

Here the preposition "under" introduces the prepositional phrase "under the porch," which acts as an adverb modifying the compound verb "is hiding.“ • – The screenwriter searched

for

somewhere

in

his office.

the manuscript he was certain was Similarly in this sentence, the preposition "in" introduces a prepositional phrase "in his office," which acts as an adverb describing the location of the missing papers.

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Consider the Professor’s desk….

• • You can sit

before

the desk (or

in front of

desk (when he's being informal) or

behind

the desk). The professor can sit

on

the the desk, and then his feet are

under

the desk or

beneath

the desk),

before

the desk. He can stand the desk,

between beside

the desk (meaning the desk and you, or even

on next to

the desk (if he's really strange). If he's clumsy, he can bump

into through

the desk (and stuff would fall desk or resting his elbows

upon off

the desk or try to walk the desk). Passing his hands the desk, he often looks

across over

the the desk and speaks

of

the desk or

concerning

the desk as if there were nothing else desk. Because he thinks of nothing

except like

the desk, sometimes you wonder the

about

the desk, what's

in without

the desk, what he paid the desk. You can walk

toward for

the desk,

to by

the desk, and even the desk.

past

the desk while he sits

at

the desk, and if he could live the desk,

around

the desk, the desk or leans

against

All of this happens, of course, in time:

during

the class,

throughout

the class,

after

the class, the class, etc .

before

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/prepositions.htm

the class,

until

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English Prepositions Enlisted

• There are about 150 prepositions in English. • Yet this is a very small number when you think of the thousands of other words (nouns, verbs etc). Prepositions are important words. • We use individual prepositions more frequently than other individual words. • • In fact, the prepositions

of

,

to

English. and

in

are among the ten most frequent words in http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-list.htm

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aboard about above across after against along amid among anti around as at before behind below Here is a short list of 70 of the more common one-word prepositions. beneath beside besides between beyond but by concerning considering despite down during except excepting excluding following for from in inside into like minus near of off on onto opposite outside over past per Plus regarding round save since than through to toward towards under underneath unlike until up upon versus via with within without 11

•

Detailed Rules of Prepositions.doc

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• 1. Jane is arriving….. January2.....6 2 o'clock …..the afternoon.

Source: http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/prepositions.html

Exercises: Time Prepositions

2. It snows here every year …..December. We always go outside and play in the snow….. Christmas day.

3. Michael is leaving …..Friday….. noon.

4. Frankie started working for her law firm….. 1995. 5. Franklin began working on the project …..yesterday.

6. Normally,….. New Year's Eve, it's tradition to set a new year resolution ….. midnight.

7 Don't be ridiculous; there were no telephones …..the seventeenth century! The telephone was invented …..the 1870s.

8. The plane leaves tomorrow morning …..8:00 AM.

9. The hills here are covered with wildflowers …..early spring.

10. We met at the restaurant …..6:30 and stayed …..10:30. 13

• 1. Jane is arriving….on.. January2..at...6 2 o'clock …in..the afternoon.

2. It snows here every year …in..December. We always go outside and play in the snow…on.. Christmas day.

3. Michael is leaving …on..Friday…at.. noon.

4. Frankie started working for her law firm…in.. 1995. 5. Franklin began working on the project …no preposition..yesterday.

6. Normally,…on.. New Year's Eve, it's tradition to set a new year resolution …at.. midnight.

7 Don't be ridiculous; there were no telephones …in..the seventeenth century! The telephone was invented …in..the 1870s.

8. The plane leaves tomorrow morning …at..8:00 AM.

9. The hills here are covered with wildflowers …in..early spring.

10. We met at the restaurant …at..6:30 and stayed …untill..10:30.

Cont… Answers: Time Prepositions

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Cont… Time Prepositions

• 1. She always gets up early….. the morning, so she can make it to class….. time.

2. I was sick, so I didn't go to work….. last Thursday, but I did go to work….. Friday.

3. Mary stopped talking….. the middle of her story, and suddenly started to cry. I think we were all crying….. the time she finished telling us what had happened.

4 Late.…..night, you can here coyotes howling in the distance.

5. Just wait a second, I'll be there…..a minute.

6. I need to give my parents a call. I haven't talked to them….. over a month.

7. Barbara is going to start her new job….. next September..

8. The professor said….. the first day of the course that there would be a big final test …..the end of the semester.

9. I have been sitting here more …..than an hour. If they don't arrive….. the next ten minutes, I'm leaving.

10. We were really worried….. first because the banks were closed…… Saturdays, so we couldn't exchange money. But….. the end, everything worked out because we were able 15 to exchange money at the hotel.

Answers

• 1. She always gets up early…in.. the morning, so she can make it to class….in.. time.

2. I was sick, so I didn't go to work…no prep.. last Thursday, but I did go to work….on. Friday.

3. Mary stopped talking……in.. the middle of her story, and suddenly started to cry. I think we were all crying….by. the time she finished telling us what had happened.

4 Late.…at..night, you can here coyotes howling in the distance.

5. Just wait a second, I'll be there…..in….a minute.

6. I need to give my parents a call. I haven't talked to them…for.... over a month.

7. Barbara is going to start her new job….no prepo... next September..

8. The professor said…on.. the first day of the course that there would be a big final test …at..the end of the semester.

9. I have been sitting here more …for..than an hour. If they don't arrive….in. the next ten minutes, I'm leaving.

10. We were really worried….at... first because the banks were closed……on.. Saturdays, so we couldn't exchange money. But…at.. the end, everything worked out because we were able to exchange money at the hotel.

Cont…Position Prepositions

• 1. The computer printer is …..table …..the computer.

2. Shawn and Noel stood …..the tree waiting for the rain to stop.

3. I didn't see the mailbox even though I was standing right …..it.

4. Everybody was already sitting….. the table waiting for dinner to be served.

5. Every evening, the dog sits …..the dinner table begging for food.

7. Debra was sitting …..the computer surfing the Internet.

8. I asked the woman standing …..me on the bus where I should get out.

9. My car keys were …..the desk, but I couldn't see them because they were….. a magazine.

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Answers: Position Prepositions

• 1. The computer printer is …on..table …next to....the computer.

2. Shawn and Noel stood …under....the tree waiting for the rain to stop.

3. I didn't see the mailbox even though I was standing right …next to....it.

4. Everybody was already sitting…at.... the table waiting for dinner to be served.

5. Every evening, the dog sits …under..the dinner table begging for food.

7. Debra was sitting …at..the computer surfing the Internet.

8. I asked the woman standing …next to..me on the bus where I should get out.

9. My car keys were …on..the desk, but I couldn't see them because they were…under….... a magazine.

10. When I went to buy the concert tickets, there was nobody …at…...ticket sales window. 18

Cont… Location Prepositions

• 1. We have DSL Internet access …..work, but I don't have a high speed connection….. home.

2. The kids are learning about the Civil War ……their history class …..school.

3. Toby was …..the hospital for two weeks after his motorcycle accident …….the freeway.

4. Jane and Debbie saw dolphins …..the ocean while they were having a picnic…… the beach.

5. Fred loves to go camping …..the desert, but Kyle prefers to camp ……..the mountains.

6. The conference was held …..a ski resort …..Telluride, a small town southwest ………Colorado.

7. You can buy stamps …..the post office….. Delancy Street.

8. The old man who was standing …..the corner yelled at the kids who were playing …….the street.

9. While they were hiking …..Ridgeback Mountain, Laurelle and Frank saw a bear ……..the woods.

10. They have a small house……. a lake in the countryside. When I visit them, I always love to sit…….. the shore and watch the kids swimming ……..the lake. 19

•

Answers: Location Prepositions

1. We have DSL Internet access …at..work, but I don't have a high speed connection…at.. home.

2. The kids are learning about the Civil War …in…their history class …at..school.

3. Toby was …in..the hospital for two weeks after his motorcycle accident …on….the freeway.

4. Jane and Debbie saw dolphins …in..the ocean while they were having a picnic…at… the beach.

5. Fred loves to go camping …in..the desert, but Kyle prefers to camp …in..the mountains.

6. The conference was held …at..a ski resort …in..Telluride, a small town southwest …in……Colorado.

7. You can buy stamps …at..the post office…on.. Delancy Street.

8. The old man who was standing at…..the corner yelled at the kids who were playing …in….the street.

9. While they were hiking …on..Ridgeback Mountain, Laurelle and Frank saw a bear …in…..the woods.

10. They have a small house…on…. a lake in the countryside. When I visit them, I always love to sit…on….. the shore and watch the kids swimming …in…..the lake. 20

Cont… Mixed Prepositions

• Complete the text below by choosing the correct prepositions .

Suddenly Uncle Henry stood ……………... "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called ……………his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. Aunt Em dropped her work and came ……………the door. One glance told her of the danger close………………….. hand. "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" Toto jumped ……………of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door ……………the floor and climbed down the ladder ………………….the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto …………….last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek ……...........the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly ……………….the floor. 21

Answers: Mixed Prepositions Suddenly Uncle Henry stood ……up………... "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called ……to………his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. Aunt Em dropped her work and came ………to……the door. One glance told her of the danger close………at………….. hand. "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" Toto jumped ………out……of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door ……in………the floor and climbed down the ladder ……into…………….the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto ……at……….last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek ……from...........the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly ……upon………….the floor. 22

Review of today’s session

• What is a preposition?

• What are prepositional phrases • English prepositions enlisted • Detailed rules of prepositions • Time, location and position prepositions • Exercises and activities

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Thank you very much!

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