PREPOSITION
A preposition connects a noun (with or without an article) or a pronoun to some other word. Prepositions are the “little words of English”.
Examples:
- It stands on hills.
- The swagman jumped into the billabong.
- England is over the sea.
- She told the good news to him.
For example:
- a) I live in Delhi.
- b) I live at Mehrauli in Delhi.
For example:
- a) He is in bed.
- b) He is at the top of the class.
- c) He ran to school
- d) He jumped into the river.
- e) The snake crawled into its hole.
For example:
- a) He sat on a chair.
- b) The cat sprang upon the table.
For example:
- a) He slept till eight o’clock.
- b) He walked to the end of the street.
For example:
- a) He killed two birds with one shot.
- b) He was stabbed by a lunatic with a dagger.
For example:
- a) I have eaten nothing since yesterday.
- b) He has been ill since Monday last.
From is also used before a noun or phrase denoting some point of time but is used with non-perfect tense.
For example:
- a) I commenced work from 1st January.
- b) He will join school from tomorrow.
For is used with a period of time.
For example:
- a) He has been ill for five days.
- b) He lived in Bombay for five years.
For example:
- a) I shall return in an hour. (means I shall return at the end of an hour).
- b) I shall return within an hour. (means I shall return before the end of an hour).
For example: Scarcely had he gone, when (not than) a policeman knocked at the door.
For example: Such goods are made for export, and are seldom or never used in this country.
- a) This is as good, if not better than that. (Wrong)
- b) This is as good as, if not better than, that. (Right)
- c) This is as good as that, if not better. (Right)
For example:
- a) Beside the ungathered rice he lay.
- b) Besides being fined, he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
- a) The bird flew above the lake. (Wrong)
- b) The bird flew over the lake. (Correct)
Here over is used to denote upward position and movement also.
- a) There are few incidents of irregularity for the emergency years. (Wrong)
- b) There are few incidents of irregularity during the emergency years. (Correct)
For example:
- a) Sanath Jayasuria’s balling may be compared to the sales of a useful book, they score right from the beginning. (Wrong)
- b) Sanath Jayasuria’s batting may be compared with the sales of a useful book; they score right from the beginning. (Right)
- c) If we compare Delhi University with the regional ones, we find the former to be much more efficient. (Wrong)
- d) If we compare Delhi University to the regional ones, we find the former to be much more efficient. (Right)