Preposition - 2 | English Grammar Basic - Class 10 PDF Download

Relations Expressed by Prepositions

Prepositions are words used to express various relations between other words within a sentence. These relations can pertain to time, place, agency, manner, cause, possession, measure, contrast, and inference. 

1. Time

Prepositions can indicate time, showing when something happens.

• After: Indicates something happening later in time.
  • Example: After his death.
• At: Used for specific points of time.
  • Example: At an early age.
• Before: Indicates something happening earlier in time.
  • Example: Arrived before me.
• Behind: Indicates being late.
  • Example: Behind time.
• By: Indicates a deadline.
  • Example: By three o' clock.
• During: Indicates the entire duration of an action or event.
  • Example: During the whole day.
• For: Indicates the length of time.
  • Example: For many years.
• From: Indicates the starting point of time.
  • Example: From January 1, 2001.

2. Place

Prepositions can indicate place, showing where something happens or is situated.

• About: Indicates movement around an area.
  • Example: Went about the world.
• Across: Indicates movement from one side to another.
  • Example: Ran across the road.
• Against: Indicates leaning or being in contact with something.
  • Example: Leaned against the wall.
• Among: Indicates being in the midst of a group.
  • Example: Fell among thieves.
  • Example: Quarrelled among themselves.
• At: Indicates a specific point or location.
  • Example: At death's door.
• Athwart: Indicates something positioned across.
  • Example: Athwart the deck.
• Before: Indicates being in front of something.
  • Example: Stood before the door.
• Behind: Indicates being at the back of something.
  • Example: Stood behind the curtain.
• Into: Indicates movement towards the inside.
  • Example: Fell into a ditch.
• Near: Indicates proximity.
  • Example: Lies near the heart.
• On: Indicates position on a surface.
  • Example: Kolkata is on the Hooghly.
• Over: Indicates position higher than something.
  • Example: The cliff hangs over the sea.
• Round: Indicates movement around something.
  • Example: Tour round the world.
• Through: Indicates movement within something.
  • Example: Marched through the town.
• To: Indicates direction towards a point.
  • Example: Came to the end of the road.
• Towards: Indicates direction.
  • Example: Travelled towards Goa.
• Under: Indicates position below something.
  • Example: Lay under the table.

3. Agency, Instrumentality

Prepositions can indicate the means or instrument by which an action is performed.

• At: Used to indicate the method of sale.
  • Example: Sell goods at auction.
• By: Indicates the agent or means of an action.
  • Example: Sent the parcel by post.
  • Example: Was stunned by a blow.
  • Example: Was destroyed by fire.
• Through: Indicates the medium or channel.
  • Example: Heard through a friend.
• With: Indicates the instrument used.
  • Example: Cut it with a knife.

4. Manner

Prepositions can indicate the manner in which something is done.

• By: Indicates a gradual process.
  • Example: Dying by inches.
• With: Indicates the manner or attitude.
  • Example: Fought with courage.
  • Example: Worked with enthusiasm.
  • Example: Won with ease.

5. Cause, Reason, Purpose

Prepositions can express the cause, reason, or purpose of an action.

• For: Indicates purpose or benefit.
  • Example: Laboured for the good of humanity.
  • Example: Did it for our good.
• Of: Indicates reason or cause.
  • Example: Died of fever.
• From: Indicates cause or reason.
  • Example: Suffers from govt.
  • Example: Died from fatigue.

6. Possession

Prepositions can express possession or ownership.

• By: Indicates something in someone's possession.
  • Example: There was no money by him.
• Of: Indicates ownership.
  • Example: The church of Bethlehem.
  • Example: A man of means.
• With: Indicates a characteristic or feature.
  • Example: The boy with grey hair.

7. Measure, Standard, Rate, Value

Prepositions can express measurement, standard, rate, or value.

• At: Indicates rate or level.
  • Example: He charges interest at nine per cent.
• By: Indicates the unit of measure.
  • Example: Stories like these must be taken at what they are worth.
  • Example: Cloth is sold by the meter.
  • Example: I am taller than you by five inches.
  • Example: It was one by the tower-clock.

8. Contrast, Concession

Prepositions can express contrast or concession.

• After: Indicates contrast with effort and result.
  • Example: After every effort, he failed.
• For: Indicates contrast between one thing and many.
  • Example: For one enemy, he has a hundred friends.
  • Example: For all his wealth, he is not content.
• With: Indicates concession despite faults.
  • Example: With all his faults, I adore him.

9. Inference, Motive, Source or Origin

Prepositions can indicate inference, motive, source, or origin.

• From: Indicates origin or reason.
  • Example: From what I know of him, I hesitate to trust him.
  • Example: The knights were brave from gallantry of spirit.
  • Example: He did it from gratitude.
  • Example: Light emanates from the Sun.
  • Example: From labour health, from contentment springs.
  • Example: This is a quotation from Shakespeare.
  • Example: His skill comes from practice.

Some Important Prepositions

Since and For

• Since is used before a point of time.
• For is used before a period of time.

Examples:

• Monica has been here since last Monday.
• I did not see you for a long time.

Since and From

• Both since and from are used before a point of time.
• Since is preceded by a verb in the perfect tense, while from can be used with any tense.

Examples:

• John has started rowing from (or since) last Monday.
• John started rowing from yesterday (Not since).
• John starts rowing from today (Not since).
• John will start rowing from tomorrow. (Not since)

Before, By and Within

• Before and by are used with a point of time.
• Within is used with a period of time.

Examples:

• You must reach here before (or by) 8 o'clock. (Not within)
• Henry came back within an hour. (Not before).

Note:

• By means not after the specified limit or time.
• Before means any time within the specified limit of time.

Examples:

• You must come back by 5 pm. (not after 5 pm.)
• You must come back before 5 pm. (any time before the clock strikes five)

In and Within

• In means at the end of.
• Within means before the end of.

Examples:

• The game will end within an hour (before the hour is passed).
• The game will end in an hour (at the end of, and not exceeding an hour).

In and Into

• In refers to a position already inside something.
• Into refers to movement towards the inside of something.

Examples:

• John was in the garden.
• Mary went into the garden.

In and At

• In refers to a wider space or time than at.

Examples:

• Come at 8 o'clock in the morning.
• The Taj is at Agra in India.

In and After

• In is used about future time.
• After is used about the past.

Examples:

• Fred will come in a few minutes (not after).
• Arthur left after an hour (not in).

On and At

• On is used before a particular date or day.
• At is used before a particular hour.

Examples:

• I shall come on Friday at 5 o'clock.

Between and Among

• Between is used about two persons or things.
• Among is used for more than two persons or things.

Examples:

• Divide the mango between Ram and Sham.
• Distribute all the chocolates among the pupils.
• The money was divided not between his two sons only but among all his dependants.

Beside and Besides

• Beside means by the side of.
• Besides means in addition to.

Example:

• Besides my son, my cousin also sat beside me.

By and With

• By is used with the doer or agent.
• With is used before the instrument with which a person does a thing.

Examples:

• The tiger was not shot by me.
• The tiger was shot with a rifle.

Except and Excepting

• Except (preposition) means without.
• Excepting (participial preposition) means not excluding.

Examples:

• All the boys except John went there. (Preposition = without)
• All the boys not excepting John went there. (Participial preposition = not excluding)
• All the boys went there, John not being excepted. (verb)

Special Prepositions

(a) Than

• Than is usually a conjunction but sometimes used as a preposition.

Examples:

• I cannot accept less than fifty rupees for this article.
• I speak of Keats, than whom there is none greater as a poet.

(b) But

• But usually a conjunction, means except or with the exception of when used as a preposition.

Examples:

• What can he do but die?
• All our ambitions death defeats, but one.
• None but the brave deserves the award.
• She returned all her gifts but one.
• All is lost but honour.

(c) A

• Sometimes used as a weakened form of the preposition on.

Examples:

• The house is a building.
• I meet her once a week.
• Rice is twenty rupees a kg.
• His wages are thirty rupees a day.

Prepositions with Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs

Nouns Followed by Preposition OF

• Covetous of
• Defrauded of
• Abhorrence of
• Assurance of
• Doubt of
• Experience of
• Proof of
• Result of
• Deprived of
• Desirous of
• Charge of
• Distrust of
• Failure of
• Observance of
• Want of

Adjectives Followed by Preposition OF

• Accused of
• Acquitted of
• Apprised of
• Assured of
• Bought of
• Cautious of
• Composed of
• Confident of
• Covetous of
• Defrauded of
• Afraid of
• Apprehensive of
• Aware of
• Bereft of
• Certain of
• Characteristic of
• Conscious of
• Convinced of
• Deprived of
• Desirous of

Verbs Followed by Preposition OF

• Acquit of
• Beware of
• Despair of
• Die of
• Divest of
• Dream of
• Repent of
• Taste of
• Boast of
• Complain of
• Disapprove of
• Dispose of
• Heal of
• Judge of

Nouns Followed by Preposition FOR

• Affection for
• Ambition for
• Appetite for
• Aptitude for
• Capacity for
• Compassion for
• Craving for
• Desire for
• Pretext for
• Relish for
• Anxiety for
• Apology for
• Blame for
• Candidate for
• Compensation for
• Contempt for
• Esteem for
• Fitness for
• Remorse for
• Reputation for

Adjectives Followed by Preposition FOR

• Anxious for
• Celebrated for
• Designed for
• Destined for
• Eminent for
• Fit for
• Conspicuous for
• Customary for
• Eager for
• Eligible for
• Good for
• Grateful for

Verbs Followed by Preposition FOR

• Atone for
• Canvass for
• Care for
• Clamour for
• Feel for
• Hope for
• Mourn for
• Pine for
• Start for
• Stipulate for
• Sue for
• Wish for
• Yearn for

Verbs Followed by Preposition ON

• Comment on
• Decide on
• Deliberate on
• Depend on
• Determine on
• Dwell on
• Embark on
• Encroach on

Nouns Followed by Preposition TO

• Access to
• Accession to
• Allegiance to
• Alternative to
• Antidote to
• Antipathy to
• Approach to
• Assent to
• Attachment to
• Attention to
• Concession to
• Disgrace to
• Dislike to
• Encouragement to
• Enmity to
• Exception to
• Incentive to
• Indifference to
• Invitation to
• Key to

Adjectives Followed by Preposition TO

• Abhorrent to
• Acceptable to
• Incidental to
• Inclined to
• Indispensable to
• Indulgent to
• Injured to
• Irrelevant to
• Immaterial to
• Impervious to
• Limited to
• Lost to
• Natural to
• Necessary to
• Accessible to
• Impertinent to
• Indebted to
• Indifferent to
• Inimical to
• Insensible to
• Favourable to
• Hurtful to
• Indigenous to
• Liable to
• Loyal to
• Material to
• Obedient to
• Obliged to

Verbs Followed by Preposition TO

• Accede to
• Adapt to
• Allude to
• Apologize to
• Aspire to
• Assent to
• Attribute to
• Belong to
• Consent to
• Contribute to
• Adhere to
• Allot to
• Appoint to
• Ascribe to
• Attain to
• Attend to
• Conduce to
• Conform to
• Lead to
• Listen to

Adjectives Followed by Preposition IN

• Absorbed in
• Abstemious in
• Accomplished in
• Accurate in
• Assiduous in
• Backward in
• Defective in
• Deficient in
• Enveloped in
• Fertile in
• Bigoted in
• Correct in
• Experienced in
• Diligent in
• Foiled in
• Honest in

Verbs Followed by Preposition IN

• Involve in
• Persist in
• Acquiesce in
• Dabble in
• Delight in
• Employ in
• Enlist in
• Excel in
• Fall in
• Glory in
• Increase in
• Indulge in
• Persevere in

Nouns Followed by Preposition WITH

• Acquaintance with
• Alliance with
• Bargain with
• Compromise with
• Conformity with
• Enmity with
• Intercourse with
• Intimacy with
• Relations with

Adjectives Followed by Preposition WITH

• Acquainted with
• Afflicted with
• Compatible with
• Compliant with
• Contented with
• Contrasted with
• Delighted with
• Deluged with
• Beset with
• Busy with
• Consistent with
• Contemporary with
• Conversant with
• Convulsed with
• Disgusted with
• Drenched with

Verbs Followed by Preposition WITH

• Associate with
• Bear with
• Clash with
• Coincide with
• Comply with
• Condone with
• Credit with
• Deluge with
• Disagree with
• Dispense with
• Fill with
• Grapple with
• Expostulate with
• Intrigue with
• Meddle with

Verbs Followed by Preposition FROM

• Abstain from
• Alight from
• Cease from
• Debar from
• Derogate from
• Desist from
• Detract from
• Deviate from
• Differ from
• Digress from
• Dissent from
• Elicit from
• Emerge from
• Escape from
• Exclude from
• Preserve from
• Prevent from
• Prohibit from

Nouns Followed by Preposition FROM

• Respite from
• Inference from
• Abstinence from
• Cessation from
• Deliverance from
• Descent from
• Digression from
• Escape from
• Exemption from