The oldest and most popular English language are the prepositions in at on. Over the course of many centuries, due to repeated use, these service parts of speech have acquired various functions and semantic meanings. There are many nuances in the use of these words, so they should be taken very seriously, as their incorrect use, both in speech and in writing, can create an awkward situation or call into question the speaker's literacy.
The preposition IN is used with months, with seasons, with years, with long periods of time (in the 16th century). Examples:
- I'm going on holiday in August. I am going on vacation in August.
- Kate left school in 1998. Katya graduated from high school in 1998
- The garden is magic in winter. In winter, the garden is magical.
- This castle was built in the 13th century.— The fortress was built in the 13th century.
Remember! If a date is specified, then the preposition on is used, not in.
The preposition AT is used to indicate time when talking about hours (at 2 o'clock, at 6 o'clock), certain moments of the day (at lunchtime, at midnight, at noon, at night), weekends / holidays (at Easter, at Christmas). Examples:
- We will meet at 9 o'clock. We will meet at nine o'clock.
- I'll come back at midday.- I'll be back at noon.
- People gives presents each other at the New Year. People give each other gifts on New Year's Eve.
- It rains at night.— It is raining at night.
Remember! If you mean a specific night, you can also use the preposition in:
- Christmas is coming. All the dreams come true in the night.- Christmas is coming. On this night, all dreams come true.
Remember! In American English, they say on the weekend, not at the weekend.
Also, the preposition AT in English is used in set expressions that need to be memorized:
- at the moment - at the moment
- at present - currently
- at the same time - at the same time
- at that / the time - at that / a certain time
- at the age of - at the age of ... years
Example: He is sleeping at the moment. At the moment he is sleeping.
The preposition ON is used before dates (September 5, May 16), days of the week (Wednesday, Saturday, Friday), and special dates (birthday, wedding, etc.). Example:
- He was born on March 10.— Born March 10.
- Call me on Saturday. Call me on Saturday.
- Who will come on your birthday?- Who's coming to your birthday party?
All of the above can be summarized in one table, in which, when performing fixing exercises, you can (at first) peep.
In addition, you need to remember the following rules:
Time prepositions are never used with all, this, one, some, that, each, any, last, next, every!
- He is coming back next Monday. He will be back next Monday.
- I went to Greece last year.— I went to Greece last year.
Prepositions of time are never used with the words tomorrow, yesterday, tonight, today.
- Ann saw them yesterday morning.
- Anna saw them yesterday morning.
The use of the prepositions IN, AT, ON in the meaning of place
The preposition IN is used in speech to indicate the position of an object inside something: a larger object, a building, a territory - in one word, an enclosed space.
- We will go for a walk in the park. - We'll take a walk in the park.
- My coins are in my purchase.— My coins are in my wallet.
The preposition IN is also used when referring to the place of work, but with one amendment.
- He works at Tate. — He works at the Tate.
- He works in a shop- He works in a store.
While the sentences refer to a single location, the former refers to the company itself, while the latter refers specifically to the place of work.
Remember! These phrases need to be learned:
- work on a farm- work on a farm, BUT work in a factory- work in a factory.
The preposition IN should be used when indicating the location of an object inside a building:
- It was raining, so I decided to shelter in the cafe. It was raining, so I decided to take shelter in a cafe.
Before the names of roads, both the preposition in and on are used.
- The Petrol Station is on/in Wood Road.— The gas station is on Wood Road.
The preposition IN is used before the names of cities and countries: in Greece, in Russia, in London.
The preposition ON in the meaning of place must be used when referring to an object that is on a flat surface or in contact with it (on the celling - on the ceiling; on the wall - on the wall; on the floor - on the floor, etc.)
- John built the cottage on the lake. John built a cottage on the lake.
- I saw a big stone on the road.— I saw a big stone on the road.
As for transportation, both the preposition in and on are used here, depending on the meaning. Consider examples:
- He is going to come on a train. He is going to come by train.
- Alice was in the train when I've come to meet her. Alice was on the train when I came to meet her.
In the first case, the use of a certain type of transport is implied, and in the second, the fact of being inside the vehicle itself. An exception is the phrase "in a car" - "in the car." The preposition in is always used here.
The preposition AT is usually used when referring to a specific place or point, and not an area or an unlimited abstract territory.
- There were a lot of directors at a festival.— There were many directors at the festival.
- I met her at Mary's Birthday. I met her at Mary's birthday party.
As you can see, in the phrases at a festival and at Mary's Birthday, the preposition indicates a specific place.
The preposition AT is also used before the names of cities, implying institutions located there or large-scale events taking place there.
- There were a lot of well-known people at London Theater Festival.— Many famous people attended the festival in London.
- Many well-known people live in London. — Many famous people live in London.
The difference is clear even to those who do not yet have deep knowledge of English or those who know little about the theatrical life of London. London in the first case is part of the name of the event (London Theater Festival), and in the second case, the city itself is implied.
The preposition AT is used before the names of educational institutions, shortening and hiding their full names.
- I study at Moscow (The University of Moscow).— I study at the University of Moscow.
Compare:
- I study in Moscow.- I study in Moscow (meaning the city itself).
You can use the preposition AT when talking about various organizations:
- She works at L'Oréal. She works at L'Oreal.
The preposition AT is used before the name of buildings and structures when they act as certain points or landmarks: at school, at the dentist's, at the supermarket, at the shop, etc.
- Tom was at the planetarium yesterday. Tom was at the planetarium yesterday.
- Robbie eats at McD on Friday. Robie eats at McDonald's on Fridays.
The preposition AT precedes numbers when indicating an address.
- Their house is at 36 Park Avenue.— Their house is on 36th Park Avenue.
The preposition AT is placed before the name of a street when any institution located on it is indicated.
- The presidents were meeting today at Downing Street.“The presidents met in Downing Street today.
In this case, the residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, located at this address, is meant, and not the street itself.
However, when referring to a financial institution on Wall Street, they say on Wall Street.
And one more nuance when using the preposition AT: according to the general rule, it always follows the verb “arrive” (arrive).
- We arrived at the station in time. We arrived at the station on time.
But if we are talking about arrival in a large city / metropolis, then the preposition IN is used.
- The airplane arrives in Chicago at 14.20. The plane arrived in Chicago at 2:20 pm.
Prepositions IN, AT, ON in set expressions
Phrases and phrases formed in a certain period of history and have not changed for a long time are called stable expressions. There are no clear rules for the use of prepositions in such constructions, so they need to be memorized. Here are the most common ones:
- in somebody's opinion - according to someone;
- in fact - in fact, in fact, in fact;
- in case - in case;
- on the radio/television - on radio/television;
- on holiday / business / a trip / an cruise, etc. - on vacation / on a business trip / on a trip / on an excursion / on a cruise, etc.;
- at last - finally.
- Cafe is closed. The stuff is on holiday.- The cafe is closed. Vacation staff.
- In my opinion he is a very clever boy. In my opinion, he is a very smart boy.
- The sky was cloudy and I took my umbrella just in case. The sky was cloudy and I decided to take my umbrella just in case.
- I'll hear her speech on the radio tomorrow. I will listen to her speech on the radio tomorrow.
- At last, I read this book till the end. I have finally finished reading this book.
Fixing exercises
Insert the appropriate prepositions of time.
- I'm busy… the moment. 2. He will come back … an hour. 3. We will go to New York … next week. 4. They got married … June. 5. Do you work … Saturdays. 6. Let’s meet … 7 pm tomorrow. 7. I call parents … every Sunday. 8. The bus leaves … ten minutes. 9. I'll get my money ... the end of the month. 10. I go to the gym … Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Answers: 1. at, 2. in 3. sentence is complete 4. in 5. on 6. at 7. sentence is complete 8. in 9. at 10. On Translate the following sentences into English.
- He will go to work on Saturday. 2. We will arrive at 8 o'clock. 3. She was born in July. 4. The store was opened in 2003. 5. They got married on September 12th. 6. We will go skiing this winter.
Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions.
- Do you sometimes watch TV ____ the mornings? 2. Are you usually at home ____ 7 o’clock ____ the evenings? 3. Do you sometimes work ___night? 4. What do you usually do ____ weekends? 5. Do you usually go shopping ____ Saturdays? 6. Do you go skiing ____ the winter? 7. Do you have a holiday ____ December? 8. Is there a holiday in your country ____ 6, January?
Answers: 1 in, 2 at/ in, 3 at, 4 at (Br. E) or on (Am. E), 5 on, 6 in, 7 in, 8 on.
The topic of prepositions in English is almost inexhaustible. We have repeatedly considered various prepositions on the pages of our site. English preposition ‘ by' can be used in different meanings - as a preposition of place, mode of action, time. Let's take a closer look at these values.
Preposition of manner of action
Google shortcode
In this meaning, the preposition 'by' is used to indicate how, in what way an action is performed, for example -
- send something by post - send something by mail
- do something by hand - do something with your hands
- pay by credit card / check - pay by credit card / check
- happen by mistake / by accident / by chance - happen by mistake / by accident
Please note that in these phrases the noun is used without the article.
- We hadn't arranged to meet. We met by chance. We didn't plan to meet. We met by chance.
- I didn't put the pullover in the washing machine, I washed it by hand. I didn't put this pullover in the washing machine, I washed it by hand.
The preposition 'by' is also used to indicate the way of travel:
by car / by train / by plane / by boat / by bus / by bicycle / by road/ by rail/by air / by sea / by underground
- How did you get here? Did you come by bus? — How did you get here? By bus?
- How long does it take to cross the Atlantic by sea? How long does it take to cross the Atlantic by sea?
Note: by analogy, some use the preposition ‘by’ when talking about walking – by foot. This is not entirely true. The correct form is on foot.
- Sorry we are late. We missed the bus and had to come on foot. — Sorry, we're late. We missed the bus and had to walk.
As you may have noticed, in these examples the noun is without the article. If a noun is used with an article or a possessive pronoun, then other prepositions are used: in (car and taxi) or on (bike, public transport).
- They didn't come in their car. They came in a taxi. They didn't come in their car. They came by taxi.
- We traveled on the 7.45 train. We went by train at 7.45.
Instrumental preposition by
In the passive voice, with the help of the preposition by, the performer of the action is introduced:
- Have you ever been bitten by a dog? Have you ever been bitten by a dog? (have you ever been bitten by a dog?)
- This candidate is supported by a lot of people. – This candidate is supported by a lot of people (this candidate is supported by a lot of people)
- This man was followed by a big crowd. A large crowd followed the man.
Do not confuse with the instrumental preposition with, which introduces a means of performing an action. Compare:
- The door must have been opened by someone. – The door must have been opened by someone (someone is the performer)
- The door must have been opened with a key. - The door must have been opened with a key (the key is a means)
Preposition of place
As a preposition of place, by means "near, near, at"
- Who is that man standing by the window? Who is this man standing at the window?
- There was a small table by the bed with a lamp and a clock on it. There was a small table by the bed with a lamp and a clock on it.
The preposition by also means "on" when two quantities are compared, for example in these sentences:
- My daily newspaper used to cost 50 pence. From today it costs 60 pence. The price has gone up by 10 pence. My daily paper used to cost 50p. Now it costs 60. The price has increased by 10 pence.
- Claire's salary was $1,000 a month. Now it is $1,100. Her salary has increased by $100 a month. Claire's salary was $1,000 a month. Now it is $1,100. Her salary increased by $100 a month.
Preposition of time
As a preposition of time, by translates as "by (such and such time), before (such and such time)"
- Fred is away at the moment. He'll be back by Monday. Fred is away at the moment. He will be back by Monday.
- Sorry, but I must go. I have to be at home by 11 o'clock. I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I need to be home by 11.
- I'll have finished my work by 11.30 - I will finish work by 30
You can also say " by the time something happened / happened" And " by then» (by the time something happens/has happened)
- Peter finally arrived at the party, but by then most of the guests had gone. Peter eventually came to the party, but by that time most of the guests had already left.
- By the time I finished my work, it was too late to go shopping. By the time I finished work, it was too late to go shopping.
- By the time you come I will have finished cooking. By the time you come, I will have finished cooking.
Words that may not be translated into Russian in any way - real headache for learners of English. These include, for example, the verb forms am/is/are, the preposition for ("during"). When translating English sentences into Russian, these words are often omitted, and in the opposite situation, on the contrary, they are forgotten. Today, the prepositions by and with will be added to the orderly series of such units. At the same time, they not only may not be expressed by Russian counterparts, but also their meanings intersect. Let's take a look at this difficult situation.
Preposition With. Meaning and translation
Used to express participation or togetherness. Translation - prepositions "with", "together with":
I ordered a sandwich with a drink.
He was with his friend when he saw me.
The manager will be with you shortly.
Used to express possession:
I met a guy with green eyes.
Were you the one talking with an accent?
People with a lot of money are not always happy.
Expresses the use, application of something. Placed in front of the instrument:
I wrote a letter with the pen you gave me.
This is the soup that I made with rice and barley.
Placed before the names of emotions and feelings:
I am emailing you with my sincere apology.
He came to the front stage with confidence.
Expresses agreement, understanding:
Are you with me?
Yes, I am completely with you.
She agrees with me.
Preposition By. Usage
Expresses closeness:
Can I sit by you?
He was standing by me.
The post office is by the bank.
Shows a person who performs an action in passive constructions:
The microwave was fixed by the mechanic.
The flowers were delivered by a postman.
The branch office was closed by the head office.
Expresses an action with a specific purpose:
You can pass the exam by preparing for it.
I expressed my feeling toward her by writing a letter. by writing a letter.
She finally broke the record by pure effort.
Expresses a method, a way:
Please send this package to Russia by airmail.
I came here by subway.
Use of prepositions - The use of prepositions in English
The main three categories of prepositions according to lexical meaning (use):
1. Prepositions of time
2. Prepositions of place
3. Prepositions of direction
In its pure form, there are practically no only prepositions of time, place or direction. The lexical meaning of a preposition directly depends on its position in the sentence, so in most cases the same preposition can have two or more lexical meanings.
Table of prepositions in English
Table of lexical meaning (use) of English prepositions
| Pretext |
Lexical preposition meaning |
Example | Translation | |
|
at
[æt] |
time | in (in hours and minutes) | He came at 5 o "clock. | He came V five hours. |
| place | on, at, around | You can buy the cabbage at the market. | You can buy cabbage on market. | |
| Let's meet at the car. | Let's meet at/near cars. | |||
|
on
[?n] |
time | in (in days and dates) | We will visit Donald on Friday. | We will visit Donald V Friday. |
| place | on | The TV remote control is on the sofa. | The TV remote is lying on sofa. | |
| about any topic | oh oh | I like magazines on fishing. | I love magazines O fishing. | |
|
in
[?n] |
time | in (in months and years); after (after a certain period of time) | Dorothy was born in June. | Dorothy is born V June. |
| The examination will start in three hours. | The exam will start through three hours, three o'clock. | |||
| place | V | Mr. Milton is not in the office at the monent. | At the moment Mr Milton is not V office. | |
|
to
|
direction | in , on ; to (where?) | They are going to the theatre. | They are coming V theater. |
| Philip is walking to work. Note: The word home is used without the preposition to. Philip is going home. |
Philip is coming on work. Philip goes home. |
|||
| She is coming to his car. | She fits To to your car. | |||
| Without translation | Give this pen to me. | Give me that pen to whom?) to me. | ||
|
into [??ntu?] |
direction | in (inside) | We are coming into the flat. | We are coming V apartment. |
|
from
|
||||
| direction | from, from, from | My father is coming back from the theatre. | My father is back from theater. | |
| Sylvia is coming back from work. | Sylvia is back With work. | |||
| Samuel is coming back from his friends. | Samuel returns from friends. | |||
| from | I have got a reprimand from the chief. I got a letter from Lewis. What do you want from me? |
I received a reprimand from chief. I received a letter from Lewis. What do you want from me? |
||
|
before
|
place | before, before | Lewis left the room before John. | Lewis left the room before John. |
|
until till [?n?t?l] |
time | before | She won't come back till the end of the month. | She won't come back before end of the month. |
|
about
[??ba?t] |
time | near | Walter returns home about seven o "clock in the evening. | Walter comes home near seven o'clock in the evening. |
| place | around, around | Harry is wandering about the house. | Harry wanders around/near Houses. | |
| O | We are talking about a new movie. | We are talking O new movie. | ||
|
for
|
time | during | Nicole has been learning Spanish for two years. | Nicole is learning Spanish during two years. |
| direction | V ; on / without translation | The train left for London one hour ago. | The train has left V London an hour ago. | |
| My son has gone for a walk. | My son is gone on walk/( Where?) walk. | |||
| dative case in Russian (to whom?, why?) | for /without translation | I have bought a gift for my girlfriend. | I bought a present For his girlfriend/( to whom?) to his girlfriend. | |
|
of
[?v] |
genitive case in Russian (of whom?, what?) | Without translation | Malcolm was invited to a meeting of ex classmates. | Malcolm was invited to a meeting ( whom?) former classmates. |
| prepositional case in Russian (about whom?, about what?) | o | We are talking of a new movie. | We are talking O new movie. | |
|
with
|
instrumental case in Russian (with whom?, with what?) | with / with; together with / with | My husband is flying to Spain with his colleagues next week. | My husband is flying to Spain with/together with his colleagues next week. |
| The action takes place with the help of / with the help of something. | Without translation | I moved the cabinet with my hands. | I moved the closet how?/How?) hands. | |
| Action comes from/because of something. | from , from | She has turned pale with fear. | She turned pale from/co fear. | |
| The teacher widely opened his eyes with amazement . | The teacher opened his eyes wide from surprise. | |||
|
by
|
place | at / near (with) / near / about | Joseph stood for a while by the door and knocked. | Joseph stood for a while time near/at/near door and knocked. |
| instrumental case in Russian (by whom?, by what?) This includes cases where an action is performed in a certain way. |
Without translation; to/without translation | Recently I have read a book that is was written by a very famous writer. | I recently read a book written by a very famous writer. | |
| Her mother prefers traveling by car. | Her mother prefers to travel on car/( How?) by car. | |||
|
after
[???ft?(r)] |
time | after | Isabel usually walks after breakfast. | Isabella usually walks after breakfast. |
|
since
[s?ns] |
time | With | Daniel has been learning Chinese since he graduated school. | Daniel is learning Chinese With graduation. |
|
during
[?dj??r??] |
time | in continuation , within . The use of this preposition in the lexical meaning of time resembles the preposition for. The difference is that for indicates the duration of the event, while during indicates the period of time during which the action took place. |
Mark was sleeping during the film. | Mark slept during movie. |
|
between
|
place | between | My house is between the grocer and the parking. | My house is located between grocery store and parking. |
|
near nearby / [?n??(r)?ba?] |
place | around, around, at | My house is nearby the parking. | My house is located near/at /near parking. |
|
in front of
[?n fr?nt ?v] |
place |
in front of, in front of, in front of | A school bus stopped in front of my house. | School bus stopped against of my house/ before my home. |
|
behind
|
place | behind, behind, behind, after | He is behind the door. | He behind door |
| Sharon is walking behind us. | Sharon is coming behind/behind us. | |||
| I am behind the woman in this queue. | I am standing behind woman/ behind women in this queue. | |||
|
across
[??kr?s] |
place | through | Why is your dog looking across the road so wary? | Why is your dog staring through road so wary? |
|
above
[??b?v] |
place | above, above | There are thousands of dragonflies above our heads. | They fly over our heads thousands dragonflies. |
| Neighbors above we are Portuguese migrants. | Neighbours above us are migrants from Portugal. | |||
|
over
[???v?(r)] |
place | above | look! Our aircraft is flying over the sea. | Look! Our plane is flying above by the sea! |
|
under
[??nd?(r)] |
place | under | My dog likes sleeping under the table. | My dog loves to sleep under table. |
|
below
|
place | under, below | Her flat is below Michael's. | Her apartment is under apartment/below Michael's apartment. |
|
along
[??l??] |
place | along, along | Anthony is driving along the highway. | Anthony rides By/along highway. |
|
round around / [??ra?nd] |
place | behind, around | Robbers turned round the corner. | The robbers turned the corner. |
| Alan is driving around the parking looking for some free place. | Alan drives around parking, looking for free space. |
|||
|
past
|
place | past | Lewis went past a flower shop and didn't buy flowers. | I passed past flower shop and did not buy flowers. |
|
through
[θru?] |
place | through, through | Postman pushed the letter through the door gap. | The postman slipped the letter through/through door slot. |
|
out of
|
direction | from | Ann has just gone out of the room. | Ann just got out from rooms. |
As you can see prepositions in english- It is not so difficult.
Prepositions in English are an official part of speech. They reflect temporal, spatial, causal or other types of relationships between two meaningful words. In Russian, cases are used for these purposes, while in English, word order and prepositions are used to build constructions. You should learn the rules for using prepositions in English in order to correctly compose sentences.
All English prepositions can be divided into:
- Simple or simple;
- Compound or complex;
- Derived or production;
- Composite or composite.
The form Simple has an overwhelming number of prepositions. These include, for example, against (against, from, on, to, under), the preposition in (in, for, on, on, at), about (about, about, on, about, about).
Compound include several components. These include whereupon (after which, as a result of which), within (in, inside).
Derived come from words of other parts of speech. These include, for example, concerning (about, by).
Composite uses when forming a phrase. They consist of a word from a different part of speech and one or two prepositions. These include, for example, because of (due to, due to), with regard to (in relation to). Any element from a compound preposition cannot be reduced or expanded - it is a single whole unit. The value of the Composite is directly dependent on the significant word that is part of it.
Adverbs and prepositions in English
Some English prepositions are spelled the same as adverbs. You can distinguish them from each other only by the role they play in the design. Adverbs carry their own meaning and in some cases define the verb. In addition, adverbs, as a rule, are logically stressed. Prepositions only reflect the relationship between significant parts of speech.
To better understand the difference, consider an example:
The guests were led above. The guests were taken upstairs. In this case, above is an adverb because it has its own meaning and answers the question “where?”.
There is only clear sky above me. “There is only clear skies above me. In this case, above is used as a preposition, as it expresses the spatial relationship between 2 words.
grammatical meaning
As mentioned above, in English, prepositions are used instead of cases. In this case, they are not translated, and the noun to which the preposition refers is put in the necessary case.
Preposition of- corresponds to the genitive case (“whom? what?”). For example, This is the hat of Mr. brown. This is Mr Brown's hat.
Preposition to- corresponds to the dative case ("to whom? to what?"). For example, You should give such a difficult task to a more experienced specialist. - You should give such a difficult task to a more experienced specialist.
Preposition by answers the questions "by whom? how?". This is the agentive instrumental. Nouns that are used in conjunction with this preposition are used to describe the actor or force that performs the action. For example, This book is written by a famous journalist. — This book is written by a famous journalist.
Preposition with answers the question "what?". This is an instrumental instrumental case. The noun with which this preposition is used characterizes the instrument of action. For example, Such toys are cut with a knife. These toys are cut with a knife.
Preposition about- corresponds to the prepositional case (“about whom? about what?”). For example, Anna likes stories about spies. Anna likes stories about spies.
The meaning of prepositions
Some English prepositions have several meanings, these include the preposition in, to, at. And others, on the contrary, only one, for example, till, among.
However, the same verbs in combination with different prepositions have different meanings. For example, take the suggestion to before verbs in English: to look for - “search” and to look after - “look after”.
Prepositions can have the following meanings, presented in the table below:
| Used values | Construction in English | Translation |
| Separation relation | to tell something from something | distinguish something from something |
| Meaning of the course of action | in a positive way | optimistic |
| Similarity relation | You are like me. | You look like me. |
| Goals | I did it just for entertainment. | I did it just for fun. |
| The meaning of relativity | He is very smart for a kid. | He is very smart for a child. |
| Temporary relationship | after sunrise | after dawn |
| relationship relationship | to take part in the contest | to take part in the competition |
| causal relationship | dislike someone for being a coward | not loving someone because of their cowardice |
| Attitude to the field of activity | But I sing terrible!! | But I sing terribly! |
| Spatial relationships, including the meaning of movement | up the stream | upstream |
| Object relation (what the action is aimed at) | shout at somebody | yell at someone |
| Concession value | in spite of bad weather | despite bad weather |
| Origin, material | A table made of glass. | Glass table. |
| Relations corresponding to instrumental case in Russian. A noun with the preposition by is used to describe an actor or force, with the preposition with an instrument of action | Such kind of painting must be executed with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers. |
This type of painting is done with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers. |
| The meaning of belonging to or part of something | a decline in sales | decline in sales |
| Definition value | people under threat | people are at risk |
Where should a preposition be in a sentence?
As a rule, a preposition that expresses the relationship between 2 words stands between them.
For example: He plans to return in October. He plans to return in October.
If there are one or more adjectives, the preposition is placed before them. This is the basic rule for how adjectives are used with prepositions:
For example: She is sitting under a big old apple tree. She is sitting under an old big apple tree.
However, there are exceptions to this rule:
- Special questions when the preposition is at the end of the sentence. For example, Who am I supposed to send it to? Who should I send this to? But some want to put a preposition before a question word. This is necessary to give the design a more formal sound. For example, To whom am I supposed to send it? Who should I send this to? Both of these options are correct.
- In subordinate clauses with prepositions and in sentences that begin with relative and allied pronouns. For example, What I'm really surprised about is this nasty weather. “What I'm really surprised about is this terrible weather.
- in passive structures. For example, This problem must be taken care of. – This problem needs to be solved.
- In exclamatory sentences. For example, What a terrible thing to brag about! What a terrible thing to brag about!
- In some constructions with gerudium or infinitive. For example, He is impossible to work with. - It's impossible to work with him. It's a too noisy place to live in. It's too noisy a place to live here.
Prepositions in English are quite easy to remember, and the rules of use are clear to everyone.
Common prepositions and how they are used
Below we will consider the most common prepositions and the meaning in which they should be used.
The first meaning of the preposition is place. For example, Jack is at school now. Jack is at school now.
The preposition at, used in English, can mean time. For example, We will be back at 5 p.m. We will return at 5 pm.
The preposition on can be used to indicate a place. For example, I love fresh snow on the ground. I love fresh snow on the ground.
Used to indicate time. For example, They forecast sunny weather on Tuesday. Sunny weather is forecast for Tuesday.
And also for on in English will be used to indicate the scope of activity. For example, After a short speech on modern ecology problems Mr. Litz answered several questions. – After a short speech on the topic of modern environmental problems, Mr. Litz answered a few questions.
It belongs to the group "prepositions of place". For example, I saw the remote in my room. I saw the TV remote control in my room.
Also, the preposition can mean a geographical location, but unlike at, which indicates a point on the map, in in English is used when talking about a large area with houses and streets.
For comparison:
We had a change of plane at Budapest on our way to Roma. – On the way to Rome, we had a change in Budapest.
Pete lives in New York. Pete lives in New York.
It is advisable to use these prepositions in English to indicate time. It is worth noting that in means a somewhat extended time period. For example, Gorky park is so beautiful in October. – Gorky Park is so beautiful in October. Here it is worth drawing a parallel with at, denoting a specific moment in time. For example, We leave at 6 o'clock. We leave at 6 o'clock.
The use of this preposition is useful when it is necessary to indicate the topic of conversation. For example, I would like to tell you about the harm of smoking. I would like to tell you about the dangers of smoking.
And also to indicate the direction or place where you should move. For example: Walk about the square and meet me in 10 minutes. – Walk around the square and meet me in 10 minutes.
If a rough estimate is given, this preposition is also used. For example, It must be about 2 o'clock. It should be about 2 o'clock by now.
This preposition conveys the meaning "above or above". For example, Our neighbor above is so loud. Our upstairs neighbor is so loud.
Its second meaning is “more than and above”. For example, Above 2000 visitors took part in the expo. – More than 2000 visitors took part in the exhibition.
This preposition is the opposite of Above and means "below, under". For example, I love flying on airplanes and seeing only clouds below me. - I like to fly on planes and see only clouds below me.
The preposition is used when talking about time in the meaning of "after". For example, After we finish packing the furniture it must be loaded on the truck. – After we finish packing the furniture, it will need to be loaded onto a truck.
It also belongs to the group "prepositions of place" and is used in the meaning of "behind something or someone." For example, Don't run, the dogs will run after us. Don't run or the dogs will run after us.
The preposition is the antonym of After and serves to denote time in English in the sense of "before, before", for example, You must tell me a tale before I go to sleep. Before I go to bed, you must tell me a story. And also to indicate a place in the meaning of "before", for example, You keep stopping before each shop window. “You always stop in front of every shop window.
A preposition that corresponds to the active force or person. In other words, it plays the role of the agentive instrumental in Russian. For example, This violin was made by a famous master. This violin was made by a famous master.
It can mean a period after which some action must be performed. For example, The plane will land by midnight. The plane will land before midnight.
The preposition is also used when talking about the way or means of doing some work. For example, I've started my business by selling oranges. I started my business by selling oranges.
In addition, the preposition can mean a place in the meaning of "near, at, near." For example, I know a lovely place by the lake nearby. I know a wonderful place near the lake nearby.
The preposition for is used in the sense of "for" when talking about a goal. For example, We've decorated the room for your return! We have decorated the room for your return!
Used when talking about compensation or price. For example, You did not even thank us for all our help. “You didn't even thank us for all our help. You must pay for the dinner in Euros. You must pay for lunch in euros.
A preposition is used when talking about a reason. For example, You were fired for always coming late. You were fired for being constantly late.
When talking about time in the meaning of "during". For example, I was on vacation for the last 2 weeks.- I spent the last 2 weeks on vacation.
The preposition is used when talking about an object in favor of which a certain action was performed. For example, I voted for another candidate. I voted for another candidate.
This preposition belongs to the group called “prepositions of movement in English”. It is used when talking about the direction of action in the sense of "from whom or from where." For example, I did not hear from him for 8 years. I haven't heard anything about him for the last 8 years.
It is also possible to use this preposition when it comes to the starting moment of performing an action. For example, This bank is working from 10 to 16. - This bank is open from 10 am to 4 pm.
This preposition acts as a genitive case, answers the questions “who? what?" and is not translated into Russian. For example, This is the dictionary of our teacher. This is our teacher's dictionary.
In addition, a preposition can single out one object from a group. For example, One of your children has broken my window. One of your children broke my window.
It is also suitable for use when talking about materials. For example, Such huts are made of clay. These huts are built of clay.
This preposition corresponds to the dative case in Russian and can mean direction. For example, Throw the ball to me! - Throw me a ball!
We have analyzed the rules and the use of basic English prepositions. To consolidate the material, you should independently compose several sentences with each preposition. In this way, one can learn to accurately use and arrange prepositions.