WHAT IS A PREPOSITION?

We use them in front of nouns or noun phrases, pronouns or gerunds to express a relationship between one person, thing, event, etc. and another. Some relationships expressed by prepositions are: SPACE TIME CAUSE MEANS Prepositions always have an object: The chair I was sitting on was very shaky.

PREPOSITIONS: CHARACTERISTICS
Prepositions may take the form of: single words (at) or two or more words (apart from) One-syllable prepositions are normally unstressed in speech while prepositions of two or more syllables are normally stressed on one of the syllables After prepositions we must use the object form of pronouns (between you and me)

WHEN A WORD IS A PREPOSITION, ADVERB OR CONJUNCTION?

A preposition governs an object, so it is always related to a noun, a noun phrase, pronoun or gerund. An adverb particle does not govern an object, so it is more closely related to a verb. Some words function both as prepositions and as adverb particles: when they are followed by an object, they function as prepositions (We drove round the city). When no object is stated, they function as adverb particles (We drove round). Unlike prepositions adverb particles are stressed in speech.
About, above, across, after, along, around, before, behind, below, beneath, beyond, by, down, in, inside, near, off, on, opposite, outside, over, past, round, through, under, underneath, up, without.

Words that are used only as prepositions: against, at, beside, despite, during, except, for, from, into, of, onto, per, since, till/until, to, toward(s), upon, via, with and prepositions ending in ing: excepting, regarding Words that are used only as adverb particles: away, back, backward(s), downward(s), forward(s), out, upwards. Some words can be used as prepositions (when followed by an object) or as conjunctions (when followed by a clause):after, as, before, since, till, until.

MOVEMENT AND POSITION

Position in space in relation to a point (place or event): at the cinema a line (place we think of in terms of length): across the road. a surface (a place we think of as a flat area): on the wall. area or volume (a place which can enclose): in the car.

Movement or lack of movement: a preposition takes on the idea of movement (fly under) or lack of movement (stop under) from the verb in the sentence. Some prepositions combine either with movement verbs or with position verbs: We drove along + object / We were along + object. Adverb particles: He went out (movement). Hes out (position) Direction and destination: the difference between direction and destination can often be expressed by contrasting prepositions. The choice depends on whether we are referring to a point, a surface, or an area.

TIME

The prepositions at, on and in refer not only to place, but also to time. We can refer to approximate time with approximately, about, around, round, or round about. AT: exact time, meal times, festivals, age, etc. ON: days of the week, parts of the day, dates, day +date, particular occasions, anniversaries, festivals, etc. IN: parts of the day, months, years, seasons, centuries, festivals, periods of time.

PARTICULAR USES OF PREPOSITIONSAND PARTICLES

Pair of prepositions and particles: round and round, up and down, etc. PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES: Some of these phrases have metaphorical or idiomatic uses which extend their time/place associations: common pattern preposition + noun + preposition. (on time, out

of breath, in danger of, etc.) ADJECTIVES + PREPOSITIONS: absent from NOUN + PREPOSITIONS: noun usually take the same prepositions as the adjectives or verbs they relate to: successful in / success in

VERB + PREPOSITION/PARTICLE: NON-PHRASAL AND PHRASAL

One of the characteristics of the English verb is that it can combine with prepositions and adverb particles. We call these combinations PHRASAL VERBS. Essential combinations: listen to Non-essential combinations: drink up Idiomatic combinations: make up (invent) The combination of verb + preposition or particle can be described as a phrasal when the two or the three parts are in common association and yield a particular meaning which may either be obvious or idiomatic.

FOUR TYPES OF VERB + PREPOSITION/PARTICLE

Type 1: verb + preposition (transitive): get over (an illness). Non- separable. Type 2: verb + particle (transitive): bring up (the children). Separable. Type 3: verb + particle (intransitive): come about (happen). Not followed by an object. Type 4: verb + particle + preposition (transitive): run out of (matches).