Prepositions Part 6
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:
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On account of
If something happens on account of something else, that is the reason for it happening.
The shortage of vegetables is on account of heavy rainfall.
On board
If you are on board a bus, aircraft or spacecraft, you are on it or in it.
Fishermen have to stay for a long time on board their boats.
Onto
When you get onto a bus, train or plane, you enter it in order to travel somewhere.
The passenger hurled himself onto the train.
If a speaker moves onto a different subject, they begin talking about it.
“I’m coming onto that subject,” the speaker said.
On top of
If something is on top of something else, it is on its highest part.
Emma kept the book on top of the counter.
Opposite
If one thing is opposite another, it is on the other side of a space from it.
There is a Buddha statue opposite the entrance.
If an actor stars with another in a film or play, he plays opposite the other person.
Susan played opposite Anton in her latest film.
Other than
We use ‘other than’ usually after a negative to introduce the only thing or person involved in a particular situation.
I don’t have anything other than this pair of trousers.
Out of
If you go out of a place, you leave it.
Nelly came out of the doorway to meet the visitor.
When you take something out of a container, you remove it from there.
He pulled out a $1,000 note out of his pocket.
When you look out of a window, you look towards the outside.
Susan got up and looked out of the window.
If you get pleasure out of doing something, you get it as a result of doing that thing.
Some people get a lot of fun out of gambling.
You use ‘out of’ to say why you do something.
She said yes out of politeness.
If something is made out of a particular substance, that substance is used to make it.
You can chisel a block out of a solid rock.
Outside
If you are outside a building, you are not inside it.
The manager asked me to stay outside his office.
Over
If one thing is over another, the first thing is directly above the second.
They are building a bridge over the river.
If you get over a barrier, you go across the top of it.
The thief jumped over the wall and ran away.
If you are over a particular age, you are more than that age.
Children over the age of five attend school.
Following nouns are usually followed by ‘over’:
Advantage, ascendancy, authority, control, dominance, dominion, hold, influence, mastery, power, victory
Following verbs are usually followed by ‘over’:
Agonise, argue, brood, clash, disagree, drool, fight, fret, fuss, gloat, grieve, muse, quarrel, quibble, row, wrangle
Owing to
We use ‘owing to’ when indicating the cause of something.
He could not attend school owing to illness.
Past
If you go past someone or something, you pass them as you go somewhere.
We drove past a cemetery.
Pending
If something is done pending a future event, it is done as a temporary measure.
The ward has been closed down pending an investigation.
Per
This is used in front of the single unit involved in the rate or ratio.
Petrol cost Rs. 400 per litre.
Plus
This is used when you mention an additional thing or amount.
A factory worker gets a salary plus various other allowances.
Preparatory to
If you do something preparatory to doing something else, you do the first thing before doing the second thing.
Children are sent to Montessori preparatory to sending them to school.
Prior to
If something happens prior to a particular event, it happens before that event.
The author corrected the manuscript prior to printing.
Regarding
This is used to indicate the subject matter of something that is said or written.
There is some confusion regarding his educational qualifications.
