PREPOSITIONS PARTICIPLES

PREPOSITIONS
Prepositions are words which begin prepositional phrases.
A prepositional phrase is a group of words containing a preposition, a noun or pronoun object of the preposition, and any modifiers of the object.
A preposition sits in front of (is “pre-positioned” before) its object.
The following words are the most commonly used prepositions:
about
below
excepting
off
toward

above
beneath
for
on
under

across
beside(s)
from
onto
underneath

after
between
in
out
until

against
beyond
in front of
outside
up

along
but
inside
over
upon

among
by
in spite of
past
up to

around
concerning
instead of
regarding
with

at 
despite
into
since
within

because of
down
like
through
without

before
during
near
throughout
with regard to

behind
except
of
to
with respect to

                         

         It is useful to locate prepositional phrases in sentences since any noun or pronoun within the prepositional phrase must be the preposition’s object and, therefore, cannot be misidentified as a verb’s direct object.


To the store is a prepositional phrase.
Store is the object of the preposition to, not the direct object of the verb drove.           


Car is the direct object of the verb drove.
To the grocery store is a prepositional phrase.           
NOTE:
A word that looks like a preposition but is actually part of a verb is called a particle.


Held up is a verb meaning “to rob.”
Therefore, up is not a preposition, and bank is not the object of a preposition.
Instead, bank is the direct object of the verb held up. 
To avoid confusing prepositions with particles, test by moving the word (up) and words following it to the front of the sentence:
                Up the bank four armed men held.
If the resulting sentence does not make sense, then the word belongs with the verb and is a particle, not a preposition.
Note the difference:


The resulting sentence makes sense.  Therefore, up is a preposition.


The resulting sentence does not make sense.  Therefore, up is a particle in this sentence.     
The following examples illustrate the difference between prepositions and particles:


 Some other examples of particles:
give in
turn in
pull through
wore out
broke up

go in for
put in for
bring up
found out
blow up

look up
make up
look over



 
PARTICIPLES

There are three kinds of participles in English: present participle, past participle and perfect participle. You probably know the first two from certain tenses and adjective forms. Apart from that, participles are also used to shorten sentences.
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
The present participle is the ing-form. You surely know this form:
from progressive / continuous tenses (e. g. Present Progressive) – I am speaking.
as an adjective form – The film is interesting.
as a gerund – He is afraid of flying.
Not the exceptions in spelling when adding `ing`:
Exception
Example

final e dropped (but: ee is not changed)
come – coming (but: agree - agreeing)

final consonant after short, stressed vowel is doubled
sit – sitting

final consonant l after vowel is always doubled (in British English)
travel – travelling

final ie becomes y
lie – lying

The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit
Example: The girl sat crying on the sofa.
The present participle can also be used after verbs of the senses if we do not want to emphasise that the action was completed. (see Infinitive or Ing-Form)
feel, find, hear, listen to, notice, see, smell, watch
Example: Did you see him dancing?
Furthermore, the present participle can be used to shorten or combine active clauses that have the same subject.
Example: She left the house and whistled. – She left the house whistling.
PAST PARTICIPLE
The past participle is the participle that you find in the third column of lists with irregular verbs. You surely know this form:
from perfect tenses (z. B. Present Perfect Simple) – I have spoken.
from passive voice – The letter was written.
as an adjective form – I was bored to death.
For irregular participle forms see third column of irregular verbs. Regular verbs form the past participle by adding ed, however, note the following exceptions in spelling:
Exceptions when adding ed
Example

after a final e, only add d
love – loved

final consonant after a short,