Bài giảng về Preposition

KINDS OF PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions of place and position

Prepositions of movement

Other uses of prepositions

PROBLEMS OF USE
PREPOSITIONS
KINDS OF PREPOSITIONS
I.  Prepositions of place and position:

* Prepositions show position
Ex:
Ted was sitting next to Janet.
The bank is opposite the cinema.

* Prepositions also show place
Ex:
I’m sitting in the room.
Sue lives on an island.
II. Prepositions of movement:
* Prepositions used with verbs of motion (come, go, run, …) to show the direction of the movement.

Ex:
Jan ran out of the room.

* Other examples: to, into, across, around, up, down, …
III. Other Uses:
1. Prepositions are also used in time expressions:
Prepositions also used in time expressions: at, on, in, before, after, during, till, for, …
Ex: During my absence, they have done so many evils.

Notes: FOR and DURING indicate duration of time.

2. Prepositions also cover a wide range of meanings:
Ex:
This book is about Napoleon.
I cannot drink tea without sugar.
PROBLEMS OF USE
I. AT and TO:
 TO is often used with verbs of motion.
Ex:
- That airplane flies to Japan.
- We decide to go to the museum.
- They moved the table to the corner.
 

 AT cannot be used with verbs of motion.
Ex:
- The train will stop at Manchester.
- They arrived at the cinema at last.
- He will meet his friends at the party.
II. NEAR and NEXT TO:
 NEXT TO: means “beside”
Ex:
- John is the boy who stands next to the door.
- The bookshop is next to the supermarket.
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 NEAR : + means “not far away from”
+ can be a matter of opinion
+ relies on each person’s view
Ex:
- My birthday is very near Christmas.
- The supermarket is very near the station.


 III. ABOVE and OVER:
Both mean “higher than”
Ex:
- There is something written above / over the door.
- They built a new room above / over the tree.
 ABOVE is used in comparison with a stable object.
Ex:
There is a plane above the clouds.






The bridge is 160 feet above the sea level.
 
 OVER is used to suggest closeness or touching.
Ex:
He put a blanket over the sleeping child.









They spread the map over the table.
IV. IN and AT: Places
 IN refers to towns, countries and the “inside” of places.
Ex:
- They live in England.

- Yesterday she was in the city.

- My sister is in the garden now.
 AT refers to points with a particular purpose rather than “inside”.
Ex:
- She lives at home.
- He met her at the park.
V. Prepositions at the end of a sentence:
Ex:
What are you seeking for?

It’s quite a hard problem to deal with!

That‘s the man whom I am waiting for.

- Can be found in questions, infinitive clauses, relative clauses, …
- Usually go with verb.
Question
Infinitive
Relative Clause
VI. Other uses:
1. Some prepositions can be used as adverbs without an object.
Ex:
- There`s a man with a dog sitting opposite.









- I can`t see anyone around.
 
2. There are many fixed phrases containing prepositions, such as: by mistake, on purpose, out of order, …
Ex:
- Your guitar sounds awful! It seems to be out of tune.
- My Ferrari crashed into the lamp-post by mistake.
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