USE OF CERTAIN PREPOSITIONS

 

Use of About:

1_ ‘About’ is used to denote the state of all round from a centre; as:-

Look at the fields about Oxford.              

2_ ‘About’ is used to denote the state of ‘at a place near to’; as:-

He dropped the pen somewhere about here.

3_ ‘About’ is used to indicate ‘on the subject of’; as:-

Tell me all about it.               

4_ ‘About’ is used to show the state of ‘in or round’; as:-

He was walking about the town.              

Use of Above:

1_ ‘Above’ is used to denote the state of ‘on top of’; as:-

The Sun rose above the horizon.    

2_ ‘Above’ is used to denote the state of ‘more than’; as:-

The temperature was above 40^o C.

3_ ‘Above’ is used to indicate the state of ‘beyond the reach of’ as:-

His conduct has been above all praise.    

Use of Across:

1_ ‘Across’ is used to express ‘from one side to another side of’; as:-

He ran across the road.                  

2_ ‘Across’ is used to denote the state of ‘to or on the other side of’ as:-

The house is located across the road.

3_ ‘Across’ is used to denote the state of ‘at or forming an angle with’; as:-

She lay with her arms across her breast.

Use of After:

1_ ‘After’ is used to indicate some period of time in the past; as:-

He returned to Delhi after a week.

2_ ‘After’ is used in the sense of ‘behind’; as:-

Shut the door after you.

Use of Along:

1_ ‘Along’ is used to denote the state of ‘through the length of’; as:-

They walked along the road.         

Use of Alongside:

1_ ‘Alongside’ is used to denote the state of ‘close to the side of’; as:-

The car was moving on the road alongside river.

Use of Along with:

1_ ‘Along with’ is used to denote the state of ‘together with’; as:-

I went to the tea party along wih her.     

Use of Among:

1_ ‘Among’ is used for more than two units; as:-

The Rajputs quarrelled among themselves.  

Use of Around:

1_ ‘Around’ is used to denote the state of ‘on every side of’; as:-

Earth moves around the Sun.                  

Use of At:

1_ ‘At’ is used with small places, towns and villages; as:-

Meet me at the Railway station.               

2_ ‘At’ is used to express a definite point of time; as:-

He met me at 4 a.m.                        

3_ ‘At’ is used to express engagement in an activity’; as:-

I am at work.                         

4_ ‘At’ is used to indicate the particular position of a thing; as:-

Open your book at page forty.      

5_ ‘At’ is used to denote the place of residence; as:-

He is at home now.                

6_ ‘At’ is used to express a value or rate; as:-

The train is running at full speed.

Use of Before:

1_ ‘Before’ is used to denote a point of time; as:-

The sun will rise before seven o’ clock.

2_ ‘Before’ is used in the sense of ‘in front of’; as:-

She danced before me.

Use of Behind:

1_ ‘Behind’ is used to denote the state of ‘in or to the rear of’; as:-

The boy stood behind the tree.                 

2_ ‘Behind’ is used to denote the state of ‘inferior to’ as:-

Mohini is behind other girls of her class in music.

Use of Below:

1_ ‘Below’ is used to denote the state of ‘beneath the surface of’; as:-

The dead Sea is below sea-level.               

Use of Beside:

1_ ‘Beside’ is used to denote ‘by the side of’; as:-

He sat beside me.                   

Use of Besides:

1_ ‘Besides’ is used to denote ‘in addition to’; as:-

Besides giving him advice, I gave him some money.

Use of Between:

1_ ‘Between’ is used for two persons or things; as:-

He divided his property between his two sons.

Use of Beyond:

1_ ‘Beyond’ is used to denote ‘at or to the further side of’; as:-

Don’t go beyond the river.    

2_ ‘Beyond’ is used to denote ‘more than’; as:-

Don’t remain out beyond midnight.

3_ ‘Beyond’ is used to denote the state of ‘outside the scope’; as:-

He has nothing beyond his provided fund.

Use of By:

1_ ‘By’ is used to express the doer of the action or agent; as:-

The rat was killed by Ram with a stick.  

2_ ‘By’ is used to denote nearness; as:-

He sat by me.                         

3_ ‘By’ is used to express ‘through the agency or means of’; as:-

This book was written by my father.

4_ ‘By’ is used as a standard or unit; as:-

Sugar is sold by the kilogram.                 

5_ ‘By’ is used to express time; as:-

What is the time by your watch?             

6_ ‘By’ is used to explain the method of work done; as:-

I caught him by the arm.      

7_ ‘By’ is used in mild Oaths; as:-

I swear by God.                     

Use of Down:

1_ ‘Down’ is used to express downward motion; as:-

He was walking down the street.    

2_ ‘Down’ is used to denote ‘from the top to the bottom of’; as:-

Prices fall down to the satisfactory level.

Use of For:

1_ ‘For’ is used to denote some period of time in the future; as:-

The Sun will not rise for an hour.  

2_ ‘For’ is used in respect of an indefinite time; as:-

I have not seen her for five days.    

Use of From:

1_ ‘From’ is used to denote a point of time. To, till or until follow it according to action or sense; as:-

He worked from morning to evening.

2_ ‘From’ is used to express giver or sender; as:-

I have received a letter from my father at Amritsar.

3_ ‘From’ is used to express time that is starting point; as:-

Start working here from today.     

4_ ‘From’ is used to denote reason, cause or motive; as:-

He is suffering from fever.     

5_ ‘From’ is used to denote thing or person avoided or deprived; as:-

He is away from his parents.

Use of In:

1_      1_ ‘In’ is used for countries and big cities; as:-

He is in England these days.  

2_ ‘In’ is used in speaking of things at rest; as:-

The stars are in the sky.                            

3_ ‘In’ is used to denote ‘before a period of time’ in future; as:-

I will be back in a week.                 

4_ ‘In’ is used to denote the state of wrong or right; as:-

I am not in the wrong.          

5_ ‘In’ is used to express an environment or a particular condition; as:-

My town is in pleasant surroundings.

Use of Into:

1_ ‘Into’ is used to express motion or direction to a point; as:-

She jumped into the well.               

2_ ‘Into’ is used to express motion within; as:-

They marched into the hall.  

3_ ‘Into’ is used to express a change of state; as:-

Water was changed into ice. 

Use of Of:

1_ ‘Of’ is used to denote belonging or connection; as:-

The army of India is very powerful.        

2_ ‘Of’ is used to express identity or close relation; as:-

He comes of a noble family.            

3_ ‘Of’ is used to denote origin or cause; as:-

He died of fever.                    

Use of Off:

1_ ‘Off’ is used to denote position; as:-

There is an island off the coast.      

2_ ‘Off’ is used to denote state of being away; at or to a distance; as:-

This street is off the main road.      

3_ ‘Off’ is used to denote the state of abstaining from; as:-

They are off smoking.           

4_ ‘Off’ is used to denote the state of being temporarily not attracted by; as:-

Keep off the long grass.                  

Use of On:

1_ ‘On’ is used to denote exact time; as:-

Meet me on Sunday.             

2_ ‘On’ is used to express the state of things being at rest; as:-

A book is lying on the table. 

3_ ‘On’ is used to denote basis or cause; as:-

This story is based on facts.  

4_ ‘On’ is used to explain a condition; as:-

He is on leave today.             

Use of Over:

1_ ‘Over’ is used to express a state of being above; as:-

Hold an umbrella over your head.

2_ ‘Over’ is used to express a state of being stable on the surface; as:-

Spread a cloth over the table.                  

3_ ‘Over’ is used to denote a position higher than; as:-

Mr. Basaati is over him in the office.       

4_ ‘Over’ is used to denote a state of being more than; as:-

He taught her for over an hour.               

Use of Since:

1_ ‘Since’ is used to express a definite time in past and present; as:-

I have not seen him since last month.      

2_ ‘Since’ is used to denote a point of time in past; as:-

I have been staying here since Monday last.

Use of Through:

1_ ‘Through’ is used to denote ‘from end to end or side to side of’; as:-

Can you see through the glass?      

2_ ‘Through’ is used to denote ‘from beginning to end of’; as:-

People got bored and could not sit through the night.

3_ ‘Through’ is used to express being ‘by means of’; as:-

I knew it through newspaper.        

Use of To:

1_ ‘To’ is used to express a direction; as:-

Ceylon is to the south of India.                

2_ ‘To’ is used to denote a state of comparison; as:-

I prefer milk to tea.               

3_ ‘To’ is used to convey a message; as:-

Be kind to the poor.              

Use of Under:

1_ ‘Under’ is used to denote being ‘in or to a position lower than’; as:-

The cat is under the table.     

2_ ‘Under’ is used to denote being inferior to; as:-

Mr. Gill is under him in the office.

3_ ‘Under’ is used to state being less than; as:-

Children under ten years of age have to go to school.

Use of Underneath:

1_ ‘Underneath’ is used to denote being ‘at or to a lower place than’; as:-

The grass was dry underneath the tree.

Use of Up:

1_ ‘Up’ is used to denote in motion; as: -

He was climbing up the hill.           

2_ ‘Up’ is used to denote growth; as: -

Prices rose up to the unacceptable level.  

Use of Upon:

1_ ‘Upon’ is used to express to be in motion; as:-

The cat sprang upon the table.                

2_ ‘Upon’ is used to express a time; as:-

Once upon a time, a noble king ruled over India.

3_ ‘Upon’ is used to express particular sense of a verb; as:-

I hit upon a nice plan.           

4_ ‘Upon’ is used to express a condition; as:-

Tables were turned upon him.       

Use of With:

1_ ‘With’ is used for an instrument or means used; as:-

I cut the apple with a knife.  

2_ ‘With’ is used to express agreement or disagreement; as:-

I am agree with my friend.   

3_ ‘With’ is used to denote a cause; as:-

He is dying with hunger.       

4_ ‘With’ is used to denote manner; as:-

Our soldiers fought with bravery.  

5_ ‘With’ is used to denote possession; as:-

He filled his pocket with coins.       

Use of Within:

1_ ‘Within’ is used to denote being during the period in future; as:-

I shall be here within two days.      

Use of Without:

1_ ‘Without’ is used to denote not having or feeling or showing; as:-

You must not travel without a ticket.