Oh, Prepositions Again!

FROM This preposition generally means the opposite of to see diagram.. Common expressions with from: from time to time occasionally.. OUT OF This preposition generally means the opposite

BASIC MEANINGS OF SOME PREPOSITIONS

The following diagram will give you a general idea of how prepositions work Often, however, the diagram will not help you to understand certain expressions containing prepositions For the following expressions which are not self-explanatory, a definition is given in parentheses Study the example sentences to understand the meaning of each expression

ABOVE, OVER

TO FROM

THROUGH

INTO OUT OF

BELOW, UNDER

******

DURING

This preposition should be distinguished from since and for

During is usually followed by a noun indicating time It indicates duration of time

- During our vacation, we visited many relatives across the country

- During the summer, we do not have to study.

FROM

This preposition generally means the opposite of to (see diagram)

- He came from Miami last night (opposite of to: He went to Miami.)

1 (a time / of a time ]

I Common usage of from: from (a place / to a pJace)

- He lived in Germany from 1972 to 1978 We drove from Atlanta to New York in one day.

2 Common expressions with from: from time to time (occasionally)

- We visit the art museum from time to time.

OUT OF

This preposition generally means the opposite of INTO (see the diagram)

- He walked out of the room angrily when John admonished him.

1 Common usage of OUT OF: OUT OF + noun (to lack, to be without)

- Maria went to the store because she was out of milk.

2 Common expressions with OUT OF:

a out of town (away)

- Mr Adams cannot see you this week because he is out of town.

b out of date (old)

- Don't use that dictionary It is out of date Find one that is up to date.

c out of work (jobless, unemployed)

- Henry has been very unhappy since he has been out of work.

d out of the question (impossible)

- Your request for an extension of credit is out of the question.

e out of order (not functioning)

- We had to use our neighbor's telephone because ours was out of order.

BY

This preposition generally means to go past a place or to be situated near a place

- We walked by the library on the way home Your books are by the window.

1 Common usage of BY:

a to indicate the agent in passive sentences

- Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare.

b by + specific time (before)

- We usually eat supper by six o'clock in the evening.

c by bus/plane/train/ship/car/bike (indicates mode of travel)

- We travelled to Boston by train.

2 Common expressions with BY:

a by then (before a time in the past or future)

- I will graduate from the university in 1983 By then, I hope to have found a job.

b by way of (via)

- We are driving to Atlanta by way of Baton Rouge.

c by the way (incidentally)

- By the way, I've got two tickets for Saturday's game Would you like to go with me?

d by far (considerably)

- This book is by far the best on the subject.

e by accident/by mistake (not intentionally, opposite of on purpose)

- Nobody will receive a check on Friday because the wrong cards were put into the computer

by accident.

This preposition generally means inside a place or enclosure It is the opposite of out.

- Dr Jones is in his office.

1 Common usage of IN:

a in a room/building/drawer/closet (inside)

- Your socks are in the drawer.

b in + month/year

- His birthday is in January Peter will begin class in 1997.

c in time (not late, early enough)

- We arrived at the airport in time to eat before the plane left.

d in the street

- The children were warned not to play in the street.

e in the morning/afternoon/evening

- I have a dental appointment in the morning, but I will be free in the afternoon.

f in the past/future

- In the past, attendance at school was not compulsory, but it is today.

g in the beginning/end

- Everyone seemed unfriendly in the beginning, but in the end everyone made friends.

h in the way (obstructing).

- He could not park his car in the driveway because another car was in the way.

i once in a while (occasionally)

- Once in a while, we eat dinner in a Chinese restaurant.

j in no time at all (in a very short time)

- George finished his assignment in no time at all

k in the meantime (at the same time, meanwhile)

- We start school in several weeks, but in the meantime, we can take a trip

1 in the middle

- Grace stood in the middle of the room looking for her friend, m in the army/air force/navy

- My brother was in the army for ten years.

n in a row

- We are going to sit in the tenth row of the auditorium.

o in the event that (if )

- In the event that you win the prize, you will be notified by mail.

p in case (if)

- I will give you the key to the house so you'll have it in case I arrive a little late,

q (get) in touch with, (get) in contact with

- It's very difficult to get in touch with Jenny because she works all day.

ON

This preposition generally means a position above, but in contact with an object

- The records are on the table.

1 Common usage of ON:

a on a day/date.

- I will call you on Thursday His birthday is on January 28.

b on the bus/plane/train/ship/bike

- It's too late to see Jane; she's already on the plane I came to school this morning on the bus.

c on a street (situation of a building)

- George lives on 16th Avenue.

d on the floor of a building

- Henry lives on the fifteenth floor of that building.

2 Common expressions with ON:

a on time (punctual, used for a scheduled event or appointment, more specific than in time).

- Despite the bad weather, our plane left on time.

b on the corner (of two streets)

- Thuân Kiêu Plaza is on the corner of Nguyên Huê Avenue and Le Loi Street.

c on the sidewalk Don't walk in the street Walk on the sidewalk.

d on the way (enroute)

- We can stop at the x grocery store on the way to their house.

e on the right/left

- Paul sits on the left side of the room and Dave sits on the right.

f on television/(the) radio

- The president's address will be on television and on the radio tonight.

g on the telephone

- Janet will be here soon; she is on the telephone.

h on the whole (in general, all things considered)

- On the whole, the rescue mission was well executed.

i on the other hand (however, nevertheless)

- The present perfect aspect is never used to indicate a specific time; on the other hand, the simple past tense is.

k on sale (offered for sale)

- The house will go on sale this weekend (offered at a lower than normal price)

- The regular price of the radio is £39.95, but today it's on sale for £25.

l on foot (walking)

- My car would not start so I came on foot.

AT

This preposition generally is used to indicate a general location It is not as specific as in Jane

is at the bank

1 Common usage of at:

a at + an address (see on, 1 a) George lives at 712 16th Avenue.

b at + a specific time The class begins at 3:10.

2 Common expressions with at:

a at home/school/work From nine to five, Charles is at work and his roommate is at school At

night, they are usually at home

b at night.

- We never go out at night because we live too far from town

c at least (at the minimum) We will have to spend at least two weeks doing the experiments.

d at once (immediately.) Please come home at once.

e at present/the moment (now) She is studying at the moment.

f at times (occasionally) At times, it is difficult to understand him because he speaks too fast.

g at first (initially) Jane was nervous at first, but later she felt more relaxed.

MISCELLANEOUS EXPRESSIONS WITH PREPOSITIONS

1 on the beach

- We walked on the beach for several hours last night.

2 in place of (instead of)

- Mai Bình is going to the meeting in place of his brother, who has to work.

3 for the most part (mainly)

- The article discusses, for the most part, the possibility of life on other planets.

4 in hopes of (hoping to)

- John called his brother in hopes of finding somebody to watch his children x

5 of course (certainly)

- Of course, if you study the material very thoroughly, you will have no trouble on the examination.

6 off and on (intennittently)

- It rained off and on all day yesterday.

7 all of a sudden (suddenly)

- We were walking through the woods when, all of a sudden, we heard a strange sound.

8 for good (forever)

- Ms Vân is leaving Buôn Ma Thuột for good.

PRATICE

Write the correct preposition in the following sentences There may be several possible answers for some blanks.

(1) the summer, we went (2) the beach every day We stayed (3) a lovely motel right (4) the beach (5) the morning we would get up (6) 9:30, have breakfast, and then spend four hours (7)

the pool (8) all the other guests (9) 1:00 we would have lunch (10) our room (11) we would eat something light like sandwiches and fruit (12) the afternoon we would return (13) the pool area and sit (14) the sun (15) a while (16) night we would take long walks (17) the beach or visit some friends who lived (18) 520 San Dolores (19) San Marimer Beach.

Many people from (20) (21) town stayed (22) that motel Like us, they had been coming (23) that same motel (24) 1975 Most (25) them were (26) San Juke City (27) time time we would eat out (29) a nice restaurant, where we (31) did not have to wait long (32) the waitress to serve

us (31) June it is usually very crowded, but this year (32) least, it was not as crowded as (33) the past Once (34) a while we went (35) the movies (36) the theatre (37) the corner (38) San Fantima Street and San Kulo Avenue We arrived there (39) no time (40) all (41) car We sat (42) the middle (43) the theatre, (44) the tenth row The film started (45) 7:00 sharp, so we got there just (46) time to buy some popcorn and find our seat (47) first, I thought I would not enjoy it, but (48) the end, it turned (49) to be a very interesting movie (50) the whole, it was an

enjoyable evening

We decided to get a Coke (51) (52) the machine, but unfortunately it was (53) (54) order So

(55) place (56) the Coke, we decided to get some ice cream (57) the sweet shop which was

located (58) the corner (59) San Sauloses Ave and San Hannus St

(60) returning (61) our motel, I decided to finish reading my novel It is (62) far the most exciting book that James H Cook has ever written (63) the most part, hisbook deals (64) a

group (65) archeologists who went (66) Egypt (67) hopes (68) discovering some pharaoh's tomb (69) accident they uncovered a plot to smuggle the treasures (70) (71) Egypt (72) course the archeologists got (73) touch (74) the authorities, who had heard some rumors about

smuggling off and (75) All (76) a sudden, one day the police showed up and caught them (77)

the act and arrested them

ANSWER KEY

1 During 2 to 3 at 4 on 5 In 6 at 7 in (at, around, near) 8 with 9 At 10 in 11 For 12 In (During) 13 to 14 in 15 for 16 At 17 on (along) 18 at 19 in 20 out 21 of 22 at 23 to 24 since 25 of 26 from 27 From 28 to 29 at 30 for 31 Injpuring) 32 at 33 in 34 in 35 to 36

at 37 on 38 of 39 in 40 at 41 by 42 in 43 of 44 fn 45 at 46 in 47 At 48 in 49 out 50 On

51 out 52 of 53 out 54 of 55 in 56 of 57 at 58 on (at) 59 of 60 After (Upon) 61 to 62 by

63 For 64 with 65 of 66 to 67 in 68 of 69 By 70 out 71 of 72 Of 73 in 74 with 75 on 76.

of 77 in