What is preposition and how many types of prepositions are used in English ?

PREPOSITION

A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to show its relation with something else in the sentence.
Examples: a) I placed a book on the table.
                  b) I am fond of milk.
In the first sentences on shows the relationship between table and book.
In the second sentence the word of shows the relation between the adjective fond and milk.
These word are prepositions.
The Noun or Pronoun used after a Preposition is called its object.
It is always in the Accusative (objective).It is said to be governed by the preposition.

A preposition has no fixed meaning of its own.It derives its meaning from the context it is used in.

Kinds of Prepositions.

(i) SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS : at,by,for,in,of,off,on,out,through,till,to,up,with.

(ii)COMPOUND PREPOSITIONS : about,above,across,along,amidst,among,around,around,before,behind,below,beneath,beside,between,beyond,inside,outside,underneath,within,without.

(iii)PHRASE OR GROUP PREPOSITIONS: according to,in front,by means of,on account of,in place of,etc.

(iv)PARTICIPIAL PREPOSITION :passing ,concerning,considering,during ,not withstanding, pending, regarding,etc.

These are present participles which have come to be accepted as prepositions.
Several Prepositions can also be used as adverb such as;

I came the day before yesterday.(preposition)
I could not come before.(adverb)
The book is on the table.(preposition)
He moved on.(adverb)

A word is a prepositions when it governs a noun or pronoun ,but is an adverb when it does not.

Prepositions have been divided into three classes:

1 PREPOSITION OF TIME AND PLACE:

(at,on,in,by,to till/until,during,for,since,from,within,before,after,afterwords,then)

(i) At a time: at 8o'clock ,at noon,at midnight.
     At a age: at eighteen/at the age of children.

(ii) On a specific day/date: on sunday,on june 30th,on diwali day.

(iii) In a period: in march,in the morning/evening/afternoon,in winter,  in a month/year,in 1987,etc.

(iv)By sometime: before that time or at that time.

(v)From is used with 'to' or 'till/untill'.

(vi)To,till/until-till means 'upto'.Both are used with 'from'.'to'cannot be used without 'from'.'till',however,can be used alone.
E.g;We work from 8 a.m to /till 4 p.m
      We work till 4 p.m
until cannot be used with a negative verb.

(vii)During: It is used for known periods of time.Generally it is followed by the name of the period;the,this,that etc.+noun
E.g During office hours,during the summer,during that time during 1987.

(viii) For: It indicates that the action continues for the whole  period
E.g; I sleep for six hours.

(ix) Since expresses point of time.
It is used with the Perfect Tenses.It shows the definite time when the action began.He has beeen in bed since 6 a.m.

(x) In (at the end of time)
      Within (before that time)
E.g He will return in a week.(at the close of the week)
       He will return within a week .(in less than a week)

(xi)After is a preposition;afterwards is an adverb.'After' is followed by a noun,pronoun or gerund.
E.g After tea we went for a walk.
      We had tea and afterwords/then went for a walk.

2. PREPOSITION OF PLACE:(at,in,on)

(i) At: at a small specific village,at an address,at a specific place,at home,at work,at a river/lake/sea etc.
(ii)In: in a village/town/country/street/room/a building/ a forest.

(iii)On: for place of work when it is not a building,on a farm,on the railway,on an estate,etc.

(iv)To: I walk to school.
      Go to the G.T. Road
.
(vi) In: used for position
      E.g He is in bed,The milk is in the jug.

(vi)Into: used with the verb of motion
      E.g Pour the milk into the jug,He went into the house.

3. PREPOSITION OF TRAVEL AND PLACE:(from,to,by,on,in,into,at ,out,out of,off)

Read the below lines carefully to know the use of proposition of travel and movement:

• Travel by bus/train/car/boat/ship/aeroplane/air/sea.
• Travel on horse back/foot/bicycle.
• Travel from(one place) to (another place)
• Arrive in a country /town/village.
• Arrive at/get to a specific place (address,hotel,railway station,bus stand,river,etc.)
• Get in/into a vehicle.
• Get on/onto a horse, a bicycle 
• Get out of a vehicle
• Get off a horse ,a bicycle.

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