Prepositions Part 2
A preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show in what relation the person or thing denoted by it stands in regard to something else. There are over 100 prepositions in English. This is a very small number compared with the vast number of nouns, adjectives and verbs found in English. Here are some of the prepositions used in English:
At
If you are at a place, you are there.
My sister was at the hairdresser when you called.
You are at school or college to study regularly.
He has been in politics since he was at university.
You use ‘at’ to express a rate, frequency or price.
Rex drove his car at full speed.
If you look at someone or something, you look towards them.
Romeo glared at Juliet for a moment.
Following verbs are usually followed by ‘at’:
Aim, bark, claw, clutch, dab, frown, gape, gaze, glance, glare, gnaw, grasp, grin, guess, hack, jeer, laugh, look, marvel, nibble, pick, poke, protest, rail, rave, recoil, scoff, scowl, scream, shoot, shout, shudder, smile, snap, snatch, sneer, squint, stare, strike, swear, tear, throw, wave, wink, work, wonder, yell
Away from
If you are away from a place, you are not there.
I will be away from home for three days.
Bar
‘Bar’ means ‘except’
Anyone can spread such rumours bar the very young.
Because of
If something happens because of something else, that thing is the reason or cause.
We drink a lot of water these days because of the extreme heat.
Before
If something happens before a time or event, it happens earlier than that time or event.
Can you deliver the parcel before the New Year festival?
Behind
If something is behind a thing or person, it is on the other side of you.
Lucy walked behind her husband.
If you shut a door behind you, you do so after going through it.
Sam entered the room and shut the door behind him.
If you are behind someone, you support them.
Don’t worry, our organisation is behind you.
Below
If something is below something else, it is in a lower position.
Fish were swimming below the surface of the water.
Beneath
If something is beneath something else, it is directly between it and the ground or floor.
The refugees shivered beneath their blankets.
If someone or something is beneath you, you feel that they are not good enough for you.
The prince married a woman beneath him.
Beside / besides
If someone or something is beside you, they are at your side.
Mary sat beside me on the bed.
If you have something besides other things, you have it in addition to those things.
Besides his interest in philosophy he had a flair for painting.
Between
If something is between two things, they are on either side of it.
I have a pain between my shoulders.
If someone moves between two places, they move regularly from one place to another and back again.
I have been commuting between Ragama and Colombo for several years.
Between is used to indicate a range of ages.
Those who are between the ages of 11 and 18 are eligible to take part in the competition.
The following nouns are usually followed by ‘between’:
Agreement, alliance, antagonism, balance, battle, bond, breach, collision, connection, consultation, contact, contrast, coordination, correspondence, difference, discrepancy, disparity, distinction, encounter, feud, fight, friendship, gap, gulf, inequality, interface, interplay, link, merger, misunderstanding, parity, partnership, rapport, relationship, similarity, split, truce, understanding
Beyond
If something is beyond a place, it is on the other side of it.
The village lies two kilometres beyond the border.
If something is beyond belief, it cannot be believed.
Emma felt humiliated beyond belief.
But
But’ means except
We can talk about anything but politics.
‘By
If something is done by someone, they do it.
I was amazed by her self-confidence.
If you do something by a particular means, you do it using that means.
We are going to dine by candlelight.
When someone or something goes by you, they move past without stopping.
Violet took my hand as we passed by the woods.
Following verbs are usually followed by ‘by’:
Abide, go, live, stand, stick, swear
