ENGLISH

PREPOSITION

A preposition denotes the position that one person or thing occupies in relation to
the other. It is pre (before) because it is put before the noun or noun equivalent which is its
object.
E.g. The cat is under the bed.
Under in the above sentence is a preposition. It shows the relations of the cat to the bed
Generally, the use of preposition is made before the noun or the pronoun but sometimes it
is used after the noun or the pronoun.
E.g.
• What are you looking for?
Prepositions in Common Use:

After, about, above, across, against, around, before,

behind, below, beneath, between, beyond, by, for,
from, in, into, of, off, on, over, since, through, till
,towards, under, underneath, up, upon, with, within,
without, out, beside, down, besides etc.

KINDS OF PREPOSITIONS
1.Simple Prepositions: At, by, for, from, in, of, off, on, out, through, till, to, up, with etc.
2. Compound Prepositions Which are generally formed by prefixing a preposition to a
Noun, An Adjective or an Adverb.
About, above, among, behind, beside, between, underneath, within, without etc.
3. Phrase Prepositions (Groups of words used with the force of a single preposition.)
According to, in accordance with, in place of, because of, in comparison to, instead of, in
the event of, on account of, by virtue of, for the sake of, in order to, with reference to, with
regard to etc.
SOME COMMON PREPOSITIONS AND THEIR DIFFERENCES
Among, Between
Among is used for more than two persons or things; Between is used only for two :
E.g.
• Distribute these sweets among the poor students of the class.
• Distribute these books between Ram and Sham.
Among, In
Among is used before collective plural nouns; In is used before collective singular nouns.
E.g.
• I found him standing among the crowd.
• I saw him in the crowd.
Beside, Besides
Beside means by the side of. Besides means ‘in addition to’. It’s an adverb.
E.g.
• The son was sitting beside her mother.
• Besides his relatives, he invited his friends also.
In, within
‘In’ means at the expiry of a period of time in future; within means before the expiry of a
period of time in any tense.
E.g.
• She will return in a week.
• I shall finish my work within a week.
On, Upon
On is used for things at rest; Upon is used for things in motion.
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E.g.
• She is sitting on the floor.
• The cat sprang upon the sofa.
By, With
By denotes that agent or doer; With denotes the instrument with which anything is done.
E.g.
• Ravana was killed by Rama with an arrow.
• The bird was killed by the hunter with an arrow.
• He beat the dog with a stick.
‘By’ is used in future tense to express the time up to the last stage.
• We shall reach there by five O’clock.

After, In
‘After’ means at the end of a period of time in the past. ‘In’ means at the end of a period of
time in future.
E.g.
• I shall return your book in a week.
• He returned the book after a week.
For, From Since
‘For’ is used before a noun denoting a period of time with all the tenses.
‘From is used before a noun or phrase denoting a point of time, it is used in all the tenses.
From is generally followed by ‘to’ or till.
‘Since’ is used before a noun or phrase denoting some point of time and is always preceded
by a verb in the perfect continuous tense or third form of a verb.
E.g.
Use of ‘For’
• We have been playing cards for two hours.
• My elder brother has been ill for four days.
• She has lived in Delhi for four years.
Use of ‘From’
• We play from 5 pm. to 6 pm.
• She stayed with her uncle from the 15th of March to the 5th of May.
Use of ‘Since’
• I have been reading this book since morning.
• My father has been teaching in this school since 1972.
• He has not heard from his uncle since Monday last.
Above, Over
‘Above’ means ‘higher from’; Over is used in the following four senses:
• In the sense of the ‘above’ : At noon, the sun is over our heads.
• In the sense of ‘beyond’ : I cannot get over my disappointment,
• In the sense of superiority: God over all blesses for ever more.
• In the sense of ‘conclusion: It is all over with me.

Use of ‘Above’
• We flew above the clouds.
• He’s above stealing.
• For explanation, see the sentence above.
At, Towards
At denotes the idea of aim; Towards denotes the idea of destination.
E.g.
• He threw the stone at the cat.
• He went towards the house.
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At, In, On
‘At’ is used as follows:
• At is used with small towns and villages. He was born at Bagpat.
• ‘At’ is used before a noun denoting a definite point of time.
• He called on me at 9 p.m. yesterday.
‘In’ is used as follows :
(a) ‘In’ is used with the names of big cities, provinces and countries.

• His father lives in England.

• His younger brother lives in Kolkata.
(b) ‘In’ is used before the names of months and years.
‘On’ is used with dates and names of days.
• I joined college on the 26th April.
• He will leave/his hometown for Delhi on Wednesday next.

Remember

i. At can be used before a big city when one stays there for a short time en route to
some other place.
E.g.
• While going to Mumbai he will stay at Nagpur for three days.
ii. In is also used in the following phrases :
In the morning; In the evening;
In the afternoon; In winter; In summer
iii. ‘In’ also denotes a place inside anything. He travelled in a crowded bus.
iv. ‘At’ is used in the following phrases:
At night, At midnight, At noon, At day-break, At sun-set, At sunrise.
At home, At the station, At work, At play etc.
Below, beneath
Below means ‘of lower level in position, dignity and expectation’ etc.; Beneath means
‘under’.
Look at the following examples :
i. It is below my dignity to talk to her.
ii. They rested beneath the shade of a tree.
In, Into, To
‘In’ expresses rest or Motion inside anything. ‘Into’ expresses motion towards the inside of
anything or change from one medium to another. ‘To’ denotes motion from one place to
another.
E.g.
i. The boys are in the room.
ii. Translate this passage from English into Hindi.
iii. Every morning he goes to the temple.
Till, By, Of, Off
Till means up to or not earlier than.
By means not later than.
Of shows cause, source, separation, quality, content, possession, apposition, point of
reference, space and time etc.
Off shows separation at a near distance, and detached condition.

Same words followed by different prepositions in different context:

Word Preposition The Context
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Accompanied With Any non-living thing

Accompanied By Anything having life
Agree With A person
Agree To A proposal or plan
Agree Upon A point
Agree On A course of action
Adapted To A thing
Adapted For A course, because of one’s nature
Adapted From An author
Angry At A thing
Angry With A person
Apply For A position or for something
Apply To A person
Compare With To bring out similar qualities
Compare To Without analyzing
Confer On Meaning to give to
Confer With Meaning talk to
Correspond To A thing, denoting similarity
Correspond With Meaning to write to
Confide In Meaning to put faith in
Confide To Meaning to commit to one’s keeping
Dependent On A person
Employed At A certain place or salary
Employed For A purpose
Employed In An organization
Employed By A certain person
Liable For Debts
Liable To Authority
Proceed To A place
Proceed With A matter begun
Wait At A place
Wait For A person
Wait On A customer

Fix Prepositions after Nouns, adjectives and Verbs.

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Abstain from food Burden someone with a load

Abide by a statement Burst into rage
Abound with living things Buy a thing from a shop
Accede to a request
Acceptance of a favour Charge a person with
Arbitrate between two parties Cheat a person of his due
Annoyed at a thing Coincide with something else
Annoyed with a person Combat with difficulties
Accuse of a crime Commit to memory
Acquit of blame Committed against the law
Acquiesce in decision Common to man and woman
Adapt to circumstances Comply with a request
Adhere to a plan Compare something with another
Agree to a proposal Compensate a person for his loss
Agree with a person Call upon or on a person
Aim at a thing Call at the office
Alight from a carriage Call for punishment
Answer to a person Catch at an opportunity
Answer for conduct Caution a person against
Appeal to a person for a thing Cease from quarrelling
Appeal against an order Compete with a person
Approve of an action Compose of metal
Ascribe to a cause Conceal from others
Ask for a thing Concur with a person
Ask from a person Concur in an opinion
Aspire after worldly greatness Condole with a person
Assent to a proposal Conduce to health
Assure a person of safety Confer favour on a person
Avail oneself of a chance Confer with a person
Admit to or into a secret Confer about a thing
Confess to a fault
Bear with a person Confide in a person
Begin with the fact Conform to a rule or norm
Believe in one’s truthfulness Conform to one’s views
Belong to a person Congratulate a man on success
Bent on going Connive at other’s faults
Bequeath a thing to a person Consent to some proposal
Beset with danger Consign to destruction
Bestow a thing on or upon a person Consist of material
Betray into the enemy Consist in causes and results
Betray into his hands Consult with a person
Beware of some danger Consult on or about something
Blame of an offence Contribute to a fund
Blame a person for something Copy from a book
Blind to the danger Coverage to a point
Blush at the sight Convict a person of a crime
Boast of one’s skill Cope with a person
Borrow of or from a person Correspond with a person
Bring a thing under notice Correspond to something
Brood over past things Correspond about a subject
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Count on a thing (depend) Endow a person with benefits

Count for nothing Enter into one’s plans
Crave for or after happiness Entrust a person with something ,entitle to
Credit with good intentions a property
Cure a man of a disease Envy at other’s success
Escape from custody
Dash against a wall Excel in music
Drawn on a person Exchange my things with your things
Debar from an action Exclude from the class
Defer to man’s wishes Excuse him from paying the fine
Delight in poetry Exempt from duty
Deliver from a danger Expel from college
Demure to a statement Expostulate with a person
Depend on help Extricate from a danger
Desist from an attempt
Deprive a man of a thing Fail in one’s purpose
Despair of success Fall among rogues
Deter a (man) from action Fall in love with someone
Die of a disease Fall into difficulties
Die of some cause Fall in with a suggestion
Differ with a person Fall from the height
Differ on a subject Fall on the rival
Differ from anything Feed on milk
Differ to opinions Feed with milk
Digress from the topic Feed for the troubled
Dilate on a subject Fight against or with a person
Dip into a river Fight out the reason
Disagree with a person Finish with a program
Disapprove of anything Frown upon a person
Dispense with a man’s service Fill with something
Dispose off property or something Fish for words
Discharge from service Flirt with a person
Dissent from an opinion Fly into rage
Distinguish one thing from another Furnish a person with a thing
Distinguish between two things Furnish a thing to a person
Divide between two, among many
Divert a person from a path Gain on someone in competition
Divest someone of fear Get at the truth
Draw money on banks Get on with a matter
Dominate over a subordinate Get out of debt
Drive at some point Get to a journey’s end
Drop off a tree Glance at a sight
Dwell on some matter Glance over some writing
Grasp at a shadow
Elicit from a person Grapple with difficulties
Embark on board ship Grieve at or for an event
Embark in business Grumble at the change
Emerge from the hiding place Guard against or from danger
Employ in some work Guess at something
Encroach on other’s right
Hanker after worldly pleasure
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Happen at a time Live on small wages

Happen in a place Live for the family
Happen to a person Live within one’s means
Healed of a disease Look after one’s health
Hear of a news Lust after gold
Hesitate at bribing
Hint at the solution Make away with a thing
Hover over the rest Make out the meaning
Hush up a matter Mark upon a career
Marvel at one’s beauty
Impress an idea on a person Menace with punishment
Impress a person with an idea Merge into something larger
Increase in learning Mourn for the dead
Indict a person for a crime Murmur at one’s fate
Indulge in intoxicants
Indulge himself with wine Offend against traditions
Inform a man of an event Operate on a patient
Inform a person about a thing Originate in a place or thing
Initiate a man into bribery Overwhelm with goodness
Insinuate into one’s favour
Insist upon going Part from a person, with a thing
Inspire with patriotism Partake of some food
Introduce with someone Participate with the team
Introduce into a place Participate in the match
Intrude into your garden Persist in the denial
Invent in a factory Pertain to the answer
Invest with power Point at an object
Invite to a party Point to some result
Involve a man in a crime Possess oneself of the goodwill
Issue from the office Prefer one thing to another
Present him with a purse
Jest of sorrows Preside at a meeting
Jeer at a person Preside over a function
Join in work Prevent from falling
Join with a man/woman Pride oneself on something
Join to a thing Prohibit from drinking wine
Judge a person by his word Protect from less
Jump at an offer (readily accept) Purge the mind of superstition
Jump to a conclusion
Question on the subject
Keep from meeting Quake with fear
Keep to a position
Know of a secret Reconcile to misfortune
Reconcile with an enemy
Laments for the dead Refrain from an action
Laugh at something Reference at the success of another
Lay facts before someone Remonstrate against a person
Lay a person under obligation Replete with wealth
Listen to complaints Result from a cause
Live by labour Result in consequence
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Search for something lost

Search into a matter to examine
Slur over a matter
Smell of a fragrance
Smile at a challenge
Smile on a person
Span of time
Snap at a person
Strip a person off his possession
Subsist on a small income
Succumb to hardship
Sweep the dust off the surface
Sympathize with a person
Sympathize in his troubles

Tamper with the figure

Testify to a fact
Trade in thing
Trade with a company
Trespass against rules
Trespass on a man’s time
Trespass in a man’s premises
Trifle with a man’s feeling
Triumph over difficulties
Trust in person

Wait at a table
Wait on a person (to attend)

Yield to pressure
Yearn for beauty