English Plus
Topic: PREPOSITIONS OF TIME, PLACE, DIRECTION and AGENT
What is a preposition?
onoun with another noun,
to create a relation of a noun or Pi
mana sentence, Prep help link either the noun or
rb in a sentence. Prepositions are words that e ;
Posi fence in order to describe their relationship.
n the two words.
A preposi
adjective or ver
the pronoun with another word in
‘They help to understand the connection betwee!
What are the kinds of prepositions?
The kinds of prepositions are as follows:
1 A preposition of time is a preposition that permits you to discuss or converse
specific tme period such as 2 date on the calendar, one of the days of the week, or the
actual time a certain thing takes place. Prepositions of time are the same words as
prepositions of place, however they are used in a different way. ¥ou co” easily make
cre pestion of these prepositions, as they always talk over times rather than places.
in’, ‘at! and some
Prepositions of time - here's a lst of the time words that need ‘on’, ‘in
that don't need any preposition.
time In - months, years, centuries and long periods On - days and dates
clock in July ‘on Thursdays
at 7:30am —_in summer ‘on 5 march
at sunrise in the next century “on Republic Day
at sunset in the Ice Age ‘on my birthday
at noon in the summer ‘on 17 July
‘on 25 Dec 2000
at dinnertime in 1987
at bedtime _in the 1990s
at the moment _ in the past / future
‘on Christmas Day
‘on New Year's Eve
Preposition of Time Definition
We use prepositions to describe a relationship between other words in a sentence.
When we use prepositions of time there are 3 common ones, ‘at’ ‘in’ and ‘on’. When is
your anniversary? Mine is ON September 16. When do you eat lunch? I usually eat it AT
Foon, When does the school year begin in your country? In mine it begins IN July. A
preposition for time expresses when the action in the clause takes place. One or more
prepositions may be used in a series.
‘At— This preposition of time is used to discuss clock times, holidays and
festivals, and other very specific time frames including exceptions, such as “at
night.
In- This preposition of time is used to discuss months, seasor
a ns, rs,
sea com general times of day, and longer periods of time such tin
‘Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay
Page 1 0f8«n= This prepostion of time is used to discuss certain days of the week of
Portions of days of the week, specific dates, and special days such as “on New
Year's Day.”
FOR
We use for + a period of time expressing duration
for seven years - for three hours - for a week -
Tee lived in this house for eight years. They have been watching TV for four hours.
UNTIL
We use until/till to say how long a situation continues
Let's wait until it stops snowing. I stayed in bed until half past nine.
DURING
We use during + noun to say when something happens
during the big screen - during our holiday - during the night
We met a lot of interesting people during our vacation.
I fell asleep during the picture.
SINCE
We use since + a starting point, a specific time
since April - since 1987 - since 7 o' clock
Tt has been raining since ten o' clock. They've known each other since they were at
school.
FROM -TO
We use from - to + beginning and end of a period
Last evening we watched TV from 4 to 7 o' clock.
NO PREPOSITION
next week, year, month etc.
last night, year etc.
this morning, month etc.
every day, night, years etc.
today, tomorrow, yesterday
*Note that in some varieties of English people say ‘on the weekend" and “on
Christmas".
Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common
expressions:
in on
in the morning on Sunday morning
in the mornings on Tuesday mornings
in the afternoon(s) on Thursday afternoon(s)
in the evening(s) _ on Friday evening(s)
When we say every, last, next, this we do not also use at, in, on,
° I went to England last June. (not in last June)
° He's coming back next Monday. (not on next Monday)
1 go home every Easter. (not at every Easter)
Atty Erick Surposa Cabuslay Page 2 of 8° Well call you this evening, (not in this evening)
Il. A preposition of place is a preposition which is used to refer to a place where
something or someone is located. There are only three prepositions of place, however
they can be used to discuss an almost infinite number of places. Prepositions of Place
are used to show the position or location of one thing with another. It answers the
question “Where?”
Prepositions of place allow you to be very precise when talking about where an action
takes place in stories or when discussing important details for communication purposes.
‘* At A preposition of place which is used to discuss a certain location/ point
+ In—A preposition of place which is used to discuss an fenced / enclosed space
+ On—A preposition of time which is used to discuss a surface
Examples:
at Point in Enclosed Space on surface
at the comer inthe garden | ona ship
at the top of the page in my wallet___on the floor
atthe crossroads in London _—_on the carpet,
at the end of the road ina car ‘on the menu
at home ina boat on a page
at the entrance _ in the newspaper on an elephant,
Jow me m mples of Prey ns of Place:
In front of
= Aband plays their music in front of an audience.
+ The man standing in the line in front of me smells good.
Behind
Behind is the opposite of In front of. It means at the back (part) of something.
+ Who is that person behind the mask?
+ Tslowly down because there was a police car behind me.
Between
Between normally refers to something in the middle of two objects or things (or
places).
+ The number 5 is between the number 4 and 6.
+ There is a sea between England and France.
Across-From / Opposite
Across from and Opposite mean the same thing. It usually refers to something being in
front of something else BUT there is normally something between them like a street or
table. It is similar to saying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of something.
+ Llive across from a supermarket (= itis on the other side of the road)
+ _ The chess players sat opposite each other before they began their game.(=
‘They are in front of each other and there is a table between them)
Next to / Beside
Next to and Beside mean the same thing. It usually refers to a thing (or person) that is
at the side of another thing.
‘Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay Page 3 of 8+ He walked beside me as we went down the street.
* In this part of town there isn't a footpath beside the road so you have to be
careful.
Near / Close to
Near and Close to mean the same thing. It is similar to next to / beside but there is
more of a distance between the two things.
+ The receptionist is near the front door.
+ Our house is close to a supermarket.
On
On means that something is in a position that is physically touching, covering or
attached to something.
+ The cock on the wall is slow.
+ We were told not to walk on the grass.
‘Above / Over
‘Above and Over have a similar meaning. They both mean "at a higher position than X"
but above normally refers to being directly (vertically) above you.
+ Planes normally fly above the clouds.
+ Our neighbours in the apartment above us are rally noisy.
Over can also mean: physically covering the surface of something and is often used
with the word All as in All over.
+ There water all over the floor.
+ _ Taccidentally spilled red wine all over the new carpet.
Over is often used as a Preposition of Movement too.
Under / Below
Under and Below have a similar meaning. They mean at a lower level. (Something is
above it).
+ Your legs are under the table.
+ Miners work below the surface of the Earth.
IIL. A preposition of direction tells where to go or where to put something. Some
examples are to, on, onto, in, into, towards and through are used to describe the
direction. Prepositions of direction show us to where or in which direction something
moves.
‘The basic preposition of a direction is "to."
“To" indicates orientation toward a goal.
When the goal is real, such as a destination, "to" involves movement in the order of the
goal. When the goal is not a physical place, for instance, an action, "to" marks a verb; it
is dedicated as a participle and states purpose. The preposition may happen alone or
the phrase in order.
‘The two uses can also occur together in a single sentence: We flew from Paris to New
York to see our elder brother.
The other two prepositions of direction are combinations formed by adding
“to” to the interrelated prepositions of location.
Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay
LC
Page 4 of 8The preposition of location determines the meaning of the preposition of direction.
ON + TO = onto: signifies movement toward a surface
IN + TO = into: signifies movement toward the interior of a capacity
(To” is part of the directional preposition toward, ‘and the two mean about the same
thing.)
*On" and "In" have a directional meaning and can be used along with “o
+ The paper went into the litter can.
Point of subject: the paper is in the garbage can.
+The whale washed up onto the seashore.
Point of subject: the whale is on the shore.
In other cases, "to" is used as an ordinary preposition.
Verbs of communication: fisten, speak (but not tell), relate, appeal (in the sense of
plead,’ not ‘be attractive’)
Verbs of movement: move, transfer, go, drive/ run/ swim/ walk/ride/ fly, travel
nto” and “into.”
Note that ‘up to’ is often used to express movement to a person. The preposition 'to" is
‘sometimes used to indicate a specific position, especially if a person or object is facing
‘something. The preposition towards indicates movement in a particular direction.
“Through” usually suggests movement across an entire space, from one side of
something to another. The preposition “into” refers to movement from the outside to
the inside of a three dimensional space.
Preposition of Direction Definition
‘The most common prepositions used when expressing movement toward something are
-To, On (to), In (to). To, into, and onto relate to the prepositions of location at, in, and
on.
The core function of the preposition in is as an indicator of the position of something in
relation to the three-dimensional space that surrounds it. However, in can also be used
to express movement towards the inside of a container, place or area.
Uses of "Onto"
"Onto" can generally be replaced by “on" with verbs of motion.
‘Some verbs of motion express the idea that the subject causes itself or some physical
‘object to be located in a certain place
e The plane landed on the runway. (not “onto” the runway)
Maria hung the decoration on the Christmas tree. (not “onto” the tree)
° Joanna spilled her Coke on the rug. (not “onto” the rug)
° Sammy moved the chair onto) the deck.
° The farmer scattered seed on(to) the fertile ground.
° We're adding on a wing at the back of the building,
° We're adding a porch onto the house.
Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay Page $ of 8In "We're adding on a wing at the back of the
while in "We're adding a porch onto the house,
iding,” "on" is really part of the verb,
to” is a simple preposition.
‘Simple prepositions can combine with verbs, but compound prepositions cannot.
Except for "hang," which takes both "on" and “onto,” the following verbs all occur only
with “on,
Hang on / Hang onto the rope ("continue to grasp tightly”)
Carry on (“resume what you were doing”)
‘Sail on (“resume or continue sailing”)
Dream on (“continue dreaming"; a humorous way of saying "that is an
unachievable goal")
. Lead on (“resume or continue leading us")
+ Rock on (“continue playing rock music”)
Uses of “Into”
With verbs of motion, “into” and “in” are interchangeable except when the preposition
's the last word or occurs directly before an adverbial of time, manner, or frequency.
In this case, only “in” (or “inside") can be used.
+ The patient went into the doctor's office. The patient went in. (not "into”)
+ Our new neighbors moved into the house next door yesterday. ("to take up
residence in a new home")
+ Our new neighbors moved in yesterday.
In “Our new neighbors move in yesterday,” the last word is the time adverbial
yesterday, so the object of the preposition in can be omitted. Of course, in an
information question, “into” also can be last word except for an adverbial when its
object is questioned by a wh- word:
+ Now what kind of trouble has she gotten herself into?
+ Now what sort of trouble is she in?
Verbs signifying stationary position take only "on" or "in” with the ordinary meanings of
those prepositions. If a verb allows the object of the preposition to be omitted, the
construction may have an idiomatic meaning.
+ The cat sat on the mat.
+ The doctor is in his office.
+ The doctor is in. (‘available for consultation’)
“In(to)" has two special uses with "move." When “move in" is followed by a purpose
clause, it has the sense of "approach."
. The police moved in to rescue the hostages inside the building.
When “into” is used with move, it functions as an ordinary preposition to convey the
idea of moving something from one place to another.
+ We'll move your brother's old bed into your room.
‘At times it’s a little confusing to decide when to use in and when to use on.
+ I'min the car; Til be home in a minute. Its logical to be in a car.
Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay Page 6 of 8However,
+ Timon the bus; Ill be home in a minute.
+ Tinvon the plane; Tl be home in a few hours,
It's not so logkal to be on a bus or a train or a plane, yet that’s the way we say it
While you are on the plane, i.e. inside the plane, there is also a logo on the plane, and
‘two wings on the plane, though they're not inside with you.
Toltowards
The preposition to indicates movement with the aim of a specific destination, which can
be a place or an event
We went to London last week.
He came up to me and asked me what the time was.
She was carrying a suitcase and walking towards him.
He kicked the ball towards the goal.
‘Through and into
The preposition through refers to movement within a space which can be thought of as
three-dimensional
He put the money in / into his pocket.
Water runs through pipes to your house.
‘She swerved and crashed into the fence
Across, over and along
The prepositions across and over are used to talk about movement from one side of a
place to another. They usually refer to movement in relation to places which can be
thought of as two-dimensional, such as surfaces (e.g: a lawn) or lines (e.g: a river), for
example:
The thief climbed over the fence.
TH jump over the wall and open the gate.
There was a mirror above/over the sink.
followed Mr Jackson along the corridor.
Across is sometimes used to express position in relation to something which stretches
from one side of a place to another. Across, like over, is also used to show when
something is positioned on the opposite side of a place in relation to the speaker. The
reposition along is used to show movement following a line. Itis also sometimes used
to show a specific position in relation to a line, or to show when a group of things are
Positioned in a line next to something.
Prepositions of place and direction
Preposition Use Sentences
above higher than something _The picture hangs above my recliner.
across fom one side to the other You mustn't go across this river here.
After you.
Cid ‘one follows the other The cat ran after the mouse.
around in a circular way We're sitting around the campfire.
against. directed towards The bird flew against the window.
Atty. Erick Surposa Cabuslay Page 7 of 8
8dong hers ienting * ‘® They/re walking along the beach.
among ina group like being among birds.
by near He lives in the house by the river.
behind at the back of Our house is behind the church.
below lower than Death Valley is 86 metres below sea level.
' Our house is between the forest and
between is on each side Ihe schon.
beside next to Our house is beside the church.
close to near Our house is close to the mall.
down from high to low He came down the hill
from the place where it starts Do you come from Japan?
infront of he; pat that is in the Our house isin front of the mall
into entering You shouldn't go into the castle.
inside opposite of outside You shouldn't stay inside the dorm.
next to beside (ur house is next to the temple,
near close to Our house is near the temple.
onto moving to a place The cat jumped onto the roof.
cout of leaving The cat jumped out of the window.
off away from The cat jumped off the roof.
opposite on the other side Our house is opposite the bakery.
over above ‘The cat jumped over the wall.
outside opposite of inside Can you wait outside? :
past going near Go past the bank.
round ina cirde Wee sitting round the campfire.
through Spina From One Point £0 Me yoy shouldnt walk through the forest.
towards in the direction of We ran towards the play store.
to towards Can you come to me?
to towards Tike going to Dubai
up from low to high He went up the hill,
under below “The cat is under the table.
1V. Preposition for agent is used for a thing which is a cause of another thing in the
sentence. An "Agent Phrase" indicates someone or something that does an action on
the subject of the sentence wherein the action is always a passive verb. Different
prepositions are used by different devices, instruments or machines. These prepositions
are applied to indicate that an action conducted on a noun is caused by another noun,
when used in a sentence, The agent prepositions are “by” and “with”,
Examples:
This book is written by Shakespeare.
‘The room was decorated by Jack.
The tub is filled with water.
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