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Using the 12 most common prepositions in English

 


What are Prepositions?

  • A preposition is a word that establishes a relation between the subject and the object in the sentence.
  • A preposition usually precedes a noun or a pronoun.
  • Here is a list of commonly used prepositions: above, across, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into, near, of, off, on, to, toward, under, upon, with and within.

Moving further, let’s discuss how to use prepositions. This will facilitate understanding of the usage of prepositions.

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  1. In front of: This is used to denote that something/someone is standing in front of another person/object.

For instance: The lecturer stands in front of the students.

  1. Behind: It is used to express the opposite connotation of In front of. It means at the back (part) of something/someone.

For instance: The car was parked behind the gate.

  1. Between/Among/Amidst

Often, we get confused while using these words and end up using the wrong word.

Between is used for two objects or things (or places).

For instance: There are mountains between Chile and Argentina.

Among is used for more than two persons/things.

For instance: The chief guest distributed prizes among the top performers.

Amid or Amidst is used for more than two persons/things (groups)

For instance: Amid her team members

  1. Across From / Opposite

Across from/opposite is similar to conveying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of something.

For instance: The girl lives across from a temple.

  1. 5. Next to / beside

Next to and beside refer to an object or a person that is at the side of another thing.

For instance: A security personnel stands next to the entrance gate.

  1. Near / Close to

Near and close to carry the same connotation as next to / beside. The only difference is the distance.

‘Next to’ is used to express a short distance, while ‘near’ is used to highlight a longer distance.

For instance: The bus stop is near the bank.

Understanding the correct order of adjectives.

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  1. On
  • On is used a preposition of time, place, and position.
  • This means it indicates ‘days of the week’.
  • ‘On’ is used to point out the position of a person or an object.

For instance: The bottle is kept on the table. (Indicates position)

The office will be open on Saturday. (This indicates time.)

  1. Above / Over

Above and over mean position higher than a reference point. In other words, ‘above’ or ‘over’ mean at a higher position than other object or person.

For instance: They put an umbrella over the table to avoid heat from the sun rays.

Over can also mean ‘covering the surface of something’

For instance: The mud is spread all over the floor.

  1. Under / Below

Under and below mean at a lower level w.r.t someone/something.

For instance: The boxes are under the table.

A river flows under a bridge.

Sometimes we use the word underneath instead of under and beneath instead of below. There is no difference in meaning though they are less common nowadays.

  1. Of/Off

‘Of’ denotes origin or cause, while ‘off’ denotes separation.

  1. To

After the verbs “Say / suggest / propose / speak / explain / reply / complain / talk / listen / write”, ‘to’ should be used if any object is present.

  1. No preposition

Verbs such as ‘discuss/describe/order/tell/demand’ do not require any preposition. The verbs directly take an object.

I hope that you enjoyed this article, and that it helps you with your understanding of the correct use of prepositions.

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