Wakito's Pizza House

23 May, 2012

Use of Prepositions

Preposition
-         Precedes nouns
1. at
            Uses:    a. point as place /to locate an object in space
    Ex.: The paper was lying at my feet.
            I’ll meet him at the station.
                        b. time point – at three o’clock, at 6:00 P.M.
                             Ex.: He was here at one o’clock.
                        c. state, condition, or engagement in a particular activity
                                         Ex.: I’m never at ease when taking a test.
                        d. to express skill (or lack of it) in relation to a particular activity        
      Ex.: He is good at Math.
             She is good at guessing game.
                        e. manner – at full speed
                               He runs at full speed.
                        f. to indicate a cause or a source of an action or state
      Ex.: She wept at the bad news.
            They laugh at his jokes.
                        g. to indicate direction toward a goal or objective
                                 Ex.: The man over there is pointing at us.
                        h. to indicate relative amount, degree, rate, value, ordinal relationship, or
                               position on a scale
                               Ex.: My mother retired at 65.

2. about
            Uses :   a. all around
                                    Ex.: She ran about the yard.
                        b. approximation
                                    Ex.: He arrived at about 5:00 P.M.
                        c. concerning
                                    Ex.: I need a book about Mathematics.

3. against
            Uses:  a. contact
                                    Ex.: He leans against the wall.
                        b. conflict
                                    Ex.: I work against the clock.
                        c. internal
                                    Ex.: Your proposal goes against his will.
                        d. external
                                    Ex.: Our relationship is against all odds.

4. before
                        Uses :  a. in front of
                                                Ex.: He stood before us.
                                    b. earlier than
                                                Ex.: The accident happened before his operation.

5. by
                        Uses:    a. nearness
                                                Ex.: I want the chair by the desk.
                                    b. no later than
                                                Ex.: I will be there by 5:00 P.M.
                                    c. reduplication (gradual increase)
                                                Ex.: The plant grows little by little.
                                    d. degree of failure
                                                Ex.: I missed the LRT by three minutes
                                    e. without help
                                                Ex.: Students accomplish the work all by themselves.

6. for
                        Uses:    a. goal
                                                Ex.: I set this out for you.
                                    b. distance
                                                Ex.: We walk for seven miles.
                                    c. exchange
                                                Ex.: I bought this for fifty pesos.
                                    d. reason
                                                Ex.: TUMCS is known for quality education.
7. from
                        Uses:    a. a starting point
                                                Ex.: We traveled from TUMCS to Bicol.
                                    b. origin
                                                Ex.: He is a man from Nigeria.
                                    c. source
                                                Ex.: Paper is made from wood.
                                    d. cause
                                                Ex.: I got wet from the rain.

8. in
                        Uses:    a. enclosure
                                                Ex.: She is in the room.
                                    b. in a period
                                                Ex.: World War II ended in 1945.
                                    c. future appointment
                                                Ex.: Please come in ten minutes.
                                    d. currency
                                                Ex.: Pay me in dollars.
                                    e. language
                                                Ex.: Say it in English.
9. of
                        Uses:    a. names of geographic location, or institution
                                                Ex.: The city of Manila is led by Mayor Lim.
                                    b. fraction/portion
                                                Ex.: One of the boys
                                    c. possession/association
                                                Ex.: He is a friend of mine.
                                    d. source
                                                Ex.: I have a table which is made of bamboo.

10. on
                        Uses:    a. contact
                                                Ex.: The clock is on the wall.                          
                                    b. day/date
                                                Ex.: I was born on March 4.
                                    c. along
                                                Ex.: I live on Durian Street.
                                    d. communication
                                                Ex.: He is on TV last night.
                                    e. concerning
                                                Ex.: This is a book on magic.
11. above
                        Uses:    a. higher than
                                                Ex.: The lizard is above the picture on the wall.
12. over
                        Uses:    a. state of being above (with or without contact)
                                                Ex.: He carries his sweater over his shoulder.
                                    b. action above
                                                Ex.: He jumped over the fence.
                                    c. spanning time
                                                Ex.: We stayed there over the weekend.
                                    d. more than
                                                Ex.: I have more than a peso.
13. through
                        Uses:    a. penetrate
                                                Ex.: They go through the forest.
                                    b. duration
                                                Ex.: Through the years, we have been together.
                                    c. endurance
                                                Ex.: The couple remained together through thick and thin.
14. to
                        Uses:    a. direction
                                                Ex.: They go to the park.
                                    b. until
                                                Ex.: We work from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
                                    c. before
                                                Ex.: It’s a quarter to eleven.
                                    d. degree
                                                Ex.: She is wise to that extent.
                                    e. accompany
                                                Ex.: We dance to the music.

15. toward/towards
                        Uses:    a. in the direction of
                                                Ex.: Yuji walks towards the wall.

16. with
                        Uses:    a. alongside/near
                                                Ex.: The table is placed even with the wall.
                                    b. together
                                                Ex.: He rises with the chickens.
                                    c. equal standing or ability
                                                Ex.: She is ranked with the best.
                                    d. in regard to
                                                Ex.: I am pleased with the gift.
                                    e. manner
                                                Ex.: My son speaks with ease.


                             
Reference:
Murcia, M. and Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book. USA:Heinle &Heinle Publishers

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