12.1  Definition

 

A preposition links or introduces a noun, a pronoun, a gerund, or a noun phrase to other words in a sentence.

 

The noun, pronoun, gerund or noun phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.

 

The preposition, its object and any associated adjectives or adverbs are together called the prepositional phrase. Eg:

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• Tom sleeps on the sofa.

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The word on is a preposition, introducing the prepositional phrase "on the sofa."

 

The prepositional phrase can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

 

12.2  Function

The function of the preposition is to indicate the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence. Eg:

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• The vase is on the table.

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The word on is a preposition, introduces the noun phrase the table, which is the object of the preposition on, and on the table is the prepositional phrase. The preposition on indicates the spatial relation between the table and the vase. Another example:

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• Peter 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 Peter climbed. One more example:

• Mary read the book during class.

The word during is a preposition, introducing the noun class, which is the object of the preposition during, and during class is the prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrase during class functions as an adverb indicating when Mary read the book.

12.3  2 Rules of using Prepositions

12.3.1  A preposition is always followed by a noun or a noun phrase with adjective(s). (There are exceptions, when a preposition can sometimes be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase. See 12.8 for exceptions.) It is never followed by a verb. If we want to follow a preposition by a verb, we must use the -ing form, which is really a gerund. Eg.

• I look forward to seeing you. (I look forward to the meeting.)

• The reporter is blamed for writing bad stories. (The reporter is blamed for bad taste.)

• He doesn't rely on winning in the casino. (He doesn’t rely on anybody.)

In these sentences, the gerund phrase can all be replaced by either a noun or a noun phrase.

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Exceptions

   12.3.1.1  Till, Until

   Though till and until are prepositions, they sometimes can be followed by adverbs or adverbial phrase of time, eg:

· Until / Till recently (adverb)

· Until / Till late (adverb)

· Until / Till later (adverb)

· Until / Till in the morning (adverb phrase of time)

12.3.1..2   (Mok: more exceptions?)

12.3.2  Many style guides instruct that prepositions should not be placed at the end of a sentence unless it is necessary to maintain sentence structure or avoid awkward phrasing.

12.4  Common Prepositions

 

There are about 185 prepositions in English. The most used prepositions are: of, to, in, for, with and on.

 

Some common prepositions are:

 

about
above
across
after
against
along
among
around
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
but

by
despite
down
during
except
for
from
in
inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
out

outside
over
past
since
through
throughout
till
to
toward
under
underneath
until
up
upon
with
within
without

 

12.5  Simple and Compound Prepositions

12.5.1  Simple prepositions are single word prepositions. These are as shown in the above table. Eg:

• The vase is on the table.

12.5.2  Compound prepositions are prepositions with more than one word. For example, in between and because of are prepositions made up of two words; in front of, on behalf of are prepositions made up of three words. Eg:

• The book is in between War and Peace and Crime and Punishment.

• The book is in front of the Buddha statue.

12.6  Prepositions of Place*

 

Prepositions of place are used to show where something is located, describing the place or position of nouns.

 

12.6.1  at, in, on

 

12.6.1.1  The most common prepositions of place are at, in and on.

• at is used to talk about a general vicinity, or to show a specific place or position

• in is to indicate an enclosed space, to denote the state of being “at rest” in a place, being surrounded by something, or to show position within land-areas (towns, counties, states, countries, and continents)

• on is used to show position on a horizontal or vertical surface, to indicate proximity on streets, roads, etc., or the position above or outside 

at

in

on

at the corner

in the garden

on the wall

at the bus stop

in London

on the ceiling

at the door

in France

on the door

at the top of the page

in a box

on the cover

at the end of the road

in my pocket

on the floor

at the entrance

in my wallet

on the carpet

at the crossroads

in a building

on the menu

at the front desk

in a car

on a page

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Look at these examples:

• Jane is waiting for you at the bus stop.

• Someone is at the door.

• The shop is at the end of the street.

• I used to live at 38 Yi Lok Street.

• My plane stopped at Dubai and Hanoi and arrived in Bangkok two hours late.

• When will you arrive at the office?

• Do you work in an office?

• She is in a taxi.

• Put it in the box.

• I have a meeting in New York.

• Do you live in Japan?

• Jupiter is in the Solar System.

• The author's name is on the cover of the book.

• The cat sat on the floor.

• There are no prices on this menu.

• The satellite dish is on the roof.

• You are standing on my foot.

• There was a "no smoking" sign on the wall.

• I live on Yi Lok Street.

• I live on the 7th floor at 38 Yi Lok Street in Tsuen Wan.

12.6.1.2  in or on a bus, train, ferry, plane, boat, car, taxi?

 

When we talk about transport vehicles, both in and on can be used, depending on the size of the vehicles. For bigger vehicles like a bus, a train, a ferry, or a plane, use the preposition on. With smaller vehicles such as a car, a taxi, a boat, or a small private jet, use in. Eg.

 

• I finished reading the novel on the ferry to Lantau.

• I crossed over to Ap Lei Chau in a rowing boat.

12.6.1.3  Notice the use of the prepositions of place at, in and on in these standard expressions:

at

in

on

at home

in a car

on the Internet, on the web

at work

in a taxi

on a train

at school

in a helicopter

on a plane

at university

in a boat

on a ship

at college

in a lift (elevator)

on a bicycle, on a motorbike

at the top

in the newspaper

on a horse, on an elephant

at the bottom

in the sky

on the radio, on television

at the side

in a row

on the left, on the right

at reception

in Oxford Road

on the way

 

*Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-at-in-on-place.htm.

12.6.2  over, above

To express notions of an object being higher than a point, use over, above. Eg.

• He threw the ball over the roof.

• Hang that picture above the couch.

12.6.3  under, underneath, beneath, below

To express notions of an object being lower than a point, use under, underneath, beneath, below. Eg.

• 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.

12.6.4  near, by, next to, between, among, opposite

To express notions of an object being close to a point, use near, by, next to, between, among, opposite. Eg.

• She lives near the school.

• There is an ice cream shop by the store.

• An oak tree grows next to my house.

• The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street.

• I found my pen lying among the books.

• The bathroom is opposite that room.

12.6.5  Use at to introduce objects of the verbs: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare. Eg.

• She glanced at her reflection.
  (exception with mirror: She glanced 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.

 12.6.6  Use of to introduce objects of the verbs: approve, consist, smell. Eg.

• I don't approve of his speech.

• My contribution to the article consists of many pages.

• He came home smelling of alcohol.

12.6.7  Use of or about to introduce objects of the verbs: dream, think. Eg.

• I dream of finishing college in three years.

• Can you think of a number between one and ten?

• I am thinking about this problem.

12.6.8  Use for to introduce objects of the verbs: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish. Eg.

• 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.

• You go buy the tickets and I'll watch for the train.

• If you wish for an “A” in this class, you must work hard.

12.6.9  Use into to denote motion towards. When deciding whether to use in or into, ask yourself if the person or thing you are talking about is moving from one place to another. If so, use into. Eg.

• The dog jumped into the water.

• The children (who were already in the water) jumped in the water.

12.7  Prepositions of Time**

 

12.7.1  at, in, on

 

The most common prepositions of time are at, in and on.

• at is used for a precise time, with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day;

• in is used with other parts of the day, with months, years, seasons, centuries and long periods;

• on is used for days and dates.  

at

in

on

precise time

months, years, centuries and long periods

days and dates

at 3 o'clock

in May

on Sunday

at 10.30 am

in summer

on Tuesdays

at noon

in the summer

on 6 March

at dinnertime

in 1990

on 25 Dec. 2010

at bedtime

in the 1990s

on Christmas Day

at sunrise

in the next century

on Independence Day

at sunset

in the Ice Age

on my birthday

at the moment

in the past/future

on New Year's Eve

Look at these examples:

• I have a meeting at 9 am.

• The shop closes at midnight.

• Jane went home at lunchtime.

• In England, it often snows in December.

• Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?

• There should be a lot of progress in the next century.

• Philip doesn’t feel well in recent days.

• Do you work on Mondays?

• Her birthday is on 20 November.

• Where will you be on New Year's Day?

Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:

Expression

Example

at night

The stars shine at night.

at the weekend

I don't usually work at the weekend.

at Christmas/Easter

I stay with my family at Christmas.

at the same time

We finished the test at the same time.

at present

He's not home at present. Try later.

Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:

in

on

in the morning

on Tuesday morning

in the mornings

on Saturday mornings

in the afternoon(s)

on Sunday afternoons

in the evening(s)

on Monday evening

When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.

• I went to London last June. (NOT in last June)

• He's coming back next Tuesday. (NOT on next Tuesday)

• I go home every Easter. (NOT at every Easter)

• We'll call you this evening. (NOT in this evening)

**Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-at-in-on-time.htm.

12.7.2  Use since, for, by, from…to, from…until, during, within to express extended time. Eg.  

• She has been gone since yesterday.

• I'm going to Paris for two weeks.

• The movie showed from August to October.

• The decorations were up from spring until fall.

• I watch TV during the evening.

• We must finish the project within a year.

12.7.3  In the future vs in future

 There are two views on this. Some claim that “in the future” is American English, and “in future” is British English, and that both phrases mean the same thing, only written differently.

Another view holds that the two phrases mean something slightly different:

“in the future” refers to something which may begin later but not now日後、將來、未來.

“in future” means “from now on” 今後、從今以後、由現在起. Examples:

• I'll go there sometime in the future.（將來我會去那裏）

• In the future, the Hong Kong people can elect the chief executive officer through universal suffrage. （香港人日後可以普選特首（意指現在仍未可以））

• You must get to school on time in future.（你以後上學必須準時）

• Please address all letters to our new address in future. （今後所有信件，煩請寫上我們的新地址。）

12.8  Prepositional phrase

A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any words that modify the object. Most of the time, a prepositional phrase modifies a verb or a noun. These two kinds of prepositional phrases are called adverbial phrases and adjectival phrases, respectively.

At a minimum, a prepositional phrase consists of one preposition and the object it governs. The object can be a noun, a gerund, or a clause.

We use prepositional phrases for many purposes. For example:

He arrived in time.

To it, modifiers can be freely added.

He arrived in the nick of time.

Some of the most common prepositions that begin prepositional phrases are: to, of, about, at, before, after, by, behind, during, for, from, in, over, under, with…

12.8.1  Prepositional Phrases That Modify Nouns
When a prepositional phrase acts upon a noun, we say it is behaving adjectivally because adjectives modify nouns. A prepositional phrase that behaves adjectivally is called, quite logically, an adjectival phrase.

• The cat in the middle is the cutest.

• I always buy my milk from the convenience store on Main Street.

• My mother has always wanted to live in a cabin by the lake.

In the first of these sentences, in the middle answers the question of which cat the writer thinks is the cutest. Similarly, on Main Street gives us information about which store the writer is describing, and by the lake tells us what kind of cabin the writer’s mother is dreaming about. All of these adjectival phrases provide specificity to a noun in order to enhance our understanding.

12.8.2  Prepositional Phrases That Modify Verbs
When a prepositional phrase acts upon a verb, we say it is behaving adverbially because adverbs modify verbs. A prepositional phrase that behaves adverbially is called an adverbial phrase.

- To find the person who stole the last cookie, look behind you.

- Harry drank his Butterbeer with fervor.

In the first sentence, behind you answers the question “Look where?” In the second, with fervor answers the question “Drank how?”

12.8.3  Prepositional Phrases Acting as Nouns
Less frequently, prepositional phrases can function like nouns in a sentence.

- During the national anthem is the worst time to blow your nose.

- After the game will be too late for us to go to dinner.

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