Another challenging grammar rule for non-native English speakers is the proper use of prepositions. But no need to worry, we’ll make it simpler for you to understand.
Imagine you’re playing a game of hide and seek with your friends. Prepositions are like the clues that tell you where someone is hiding. They also tell you how two or more things are connected. Without prepositions, you wouldn’t be able to tell the location, direction, time, possession, or purpose.
5 reasons prepositions are your best friends.
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- Location: Prepositions like “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “above,” etc., answer questions about where something is located. For example:
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- Where is the book? (The book is on the table.)
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- Where is the cat? (The cat is under the bed.)
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- Location: Prepositions like “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “above,” etc., answer questions about where something is located. For example:
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- Direction: Prepositions like “to,” “from,” “into,” “onto,” “towards,” etc., answer questions about where something is moving or directed. For example:
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- Where are you going? (I’m going to Pokhara.)
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- Where did he come from? (He came from the park.)
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- Direction: Prepositions like “to,” “from,” “into,” “onto,” “towards,” etc., answer questions about where something is moving or directed. For example:
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- Time: Prepositions like “in,” “on,” “at,” “before,” “after,” etc., answer questions about when something occurs. For example:
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- When is the party? (The party is on Saturday.)
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- When did you arrive? (I arrived at 3 o’clock.)
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- Time: Prepositions like “in,” “on,” “at,” “before,” “after,” etc., answer questions about when something occurs. For example:
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- Possession: Prepositions like “of,” “with,” “belonging to,” etc., answer questions about ownership or possession. For example:
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- Who is the owner of the house? (Shanti is the owner of the house.)
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- Where is my book? (It’s with Ravi.)
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- Possession: Prepositions like “of,” “with,” “belonging to,” etc., answer questions about ownership or possession. For example:
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- Purpose or Reason: Prepositions like “for,” “because of,” “due to,” etc., answer questions about why something is done or the reason behind something. For example:
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- Why are you studying? (I’m studying for the SEE exam.)
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- Why did she cry? (She cried because of the sad movie.)
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- Purpose or Reason: Prepositions like “for,” “because of,” “due to,” etc., answer questions about why something is done or the reason behind something. For example:
Understanding the role of prepositions in answering these types of questions can help in mastering their usage in sentences.
Additionally, prepositions help to clarify relationships, establish clarity, and enrich expressions.
Clarifying Relationships:
Prepositions help us understand the relationship between different words in a sentence, such as nouns, pronouns, and other parts of speech. They tell us about where things are, where they’re going, when things happen, and who owns what.
For instance:
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- “The book is on the table.” (Specifies the location of the book)
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- “They moved to Tokyo last month.” (Specifies the direction of the move)
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- “She arrived at the airport at 9:00 PM.” (Specifies the time of arrival)
Without prepositions, sentences can become ambiguous or lose their intended meaning.
For example:
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- “The book is the table.” (How can the book be the table? Something is missing.)
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- “They moved Tokyo last month.” (Where did they move Tokyo to? How can a city be moved?)
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- “She arrived the airport 9:00 PM.” (How? Where?)
Establishing Clarity:
Prepositions make our language clear and organized. They link words and phrases, making sure they make sense together. When we use prepositions correctly, it helps others understand what we’re saying.
See these examples:
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- “She walked along the road, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin.” (Conveys a clear image and sensation)
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- “They danced with joy at the news of receiving A+.” (Expresses a specific emotion)
In contrast, omitting or misusing prepositions can lead to confusion or misinterpretation:
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- “She walked the road, feeling the warmth of the sun.” (Did she walk on the beach or carry it?)
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- “They danced joy at the news of of receiving A+.” (Is joy a verb?)
Enriching Expression:
Prepositions make our language richer. They help us share feelings, experiences, and ideas in a detailed way. Using prepositions well makes our talk or writing more interesting for others to hear or read.
For example:
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- “He looked at her with admiration.” (Indicates admiration)
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- “They celebrated with a sense of pride.” (Indicates pride)
On the other hand, see what happens when prepositions are omitted.
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- “He looked at her admiration.” (Indicates what he looked at?)
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- “They celebrated a sense of pride.” (Indicates they celebrated “a sense of pride”.)
When we learn prepositions well, we get better at expressing ourselves. They help us describe things in detail and make others feel strong emotions when they hear or read what we say.
Conclusion:
Prepositions make sentences clearer and add detail to what we say. Whether we’re chatting with friends, writing for school, or being creative, prepositions help us talk in a way that others understand. So, it’s really important to learn and use prepositions well if we want to speak English effectively.
