Error in Use of Preposition for Competitive Exams

A preposition is a word used with a noun or pronoun to show its relation to some other word in a sentence.

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Preposition of Time

1. At is used

(i) With a definite point of time

Examples:

I usually get up at 5 o’clock.

She leaves her house every day at 9 a.m.

(ii) With festivals

Examples:

He will come at Holi.

2. In is used

(i) With the parts of the day. (With noun, use at),

(Months, seasons and years)

Examples:

He takes a walk in the afternoon.

In summer the weather is warm.

(ii) With the future tense referring to the period in which action may take place.

Examples:

You must be careful in future.

3. On is used:

(i) with days and dates.

Examples:

My brother will arrive on Monday.

My birthday is on the first of June.

4. By refers to the latest time at which an action will be over.

Examples:

The examination will be over by 5 p.m.

5. For is used with perfect continuous tense showing the duration of action.

Examples:

I have been here for three years.

6. Since is used with the point of time when action begins and continues:

Examples:

He has been ill since last Tuesday.

Since 1980, Shalini has lived in Delhi.

7. From refers to the starting point of action.

Examples:

This water came from a spring.

She came from USA.

Preposition of Position

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1. At refers to an exact point.

Examples:

The tourist stayed at the Tourist Hotel.

He studied at Oxford.

2. In refers to larger areas.

Examples:

He lives in Bombay.

3. Between is used for two persons or two things.

Examples:

Share these sweets between him and me.

It is a secret between you and me.

4. Among is used with more than two persons or thing but before the word which starts with a consonant letter.

Examples:

Divide the sweets among the three boys.

5. Amongst is also used with more than two persons or things but before the word which starts with a vowel letter.

Examples:

Divide the sweets amongst us.

6. Above is used for higher than.

Examples:

The sun rose above the horizon.

We were flying above the clouds.

7. Under is used for vertically below.

Examples:

It is shady under the trees.

8. Below is used for lower than.

Examples:

When the sun sets it goes below the horizon.

Your work is below average.

9. Over is used for vertically above.

Examples:

There is an aircraft coming over.

The bathroom is over the kitchen.

10. Beneath means a lower position.

Examples:

The ground was slippery beneath her.

Prepositions of Direction

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1. To is used to express motion from one place to another.

Examples:

We walked to the river and back.

2. Towards refers to direction.

Examples:

He saw me running towards him.

She glanced towards the mirror.

3. Into denotes motion towards the inside of something.

Examples:

She fell into a ditch.

4. At refers to aim.

Examples:

He aimed at the bird.

5. For denotes direction.

Examples:

I will leave for Pune today.

The Minister left for the U.K.

6. against shows pressure.

Examples:

She cleaned the edge of her knife against the plate.

He leaned against a tree.

7. Off refers to separation.

Examples:

He was wiping sweat off his face.

Kim fell off his chair in a swoon.

8. From refers to the point of departure.

Examples:

The man parted from his friends.

We scrambled from our trucks and ran after them.

Other Uses of Preposition

1. about shows nearness.

Examples:

I was about to go to bed when there was a knock at the door.

His father is about to retire.

2. along stands for in the same line.

Examples:

She led them along the corridor.

The current passes along the wire here.

3. After refers to sequence

Examples:

She came after me.

Soon after, Faraday began his researches into electricity.

4. across means from one side.

Examples:

He blew a cloud of smoke across the table.

She ran across the field.

5. before stands for in front of.

Examples:

A thief was brought before the judge.

The garage is before the road.

6. Behind means at the back of.

Examples:

She sat down behind the hedge.

The sun went behind a cloud.

7. Beyond means on the farther side of.

Examples:

This is beyond his power.

Love is beyond all human control.

8. beside means by the side of.

Examples:

I sat down beside my wife.

9. Besides means in addition to

Examples:

He is guilty of five killings and more besides.

Besides being a teacher, he is a skilled crafts man.