Preposition definitions and use

Preposition definitions and use

• subpage of Parts of speech entry on Prepositions

• preposition is a part of speech that indicates a relationship between two nouns or a verb and a noun
• prepositions introduce a "prepositional phrase" which acts as to modify another noun or verb
• prepositional phrases are used to indicate relationship, location, distance, time, ownership, etc.

see Parts of Speech: Preposition

Deciphering Prepositions

• prepositions are sometimes considered "idiomatic," or without a set rule as to their use
  • idiomatic = "used just because it is used that way, without a set rule"
• however, there is a logic to prepositions and prepositional phrases that students of English can learn
• ex.
  • She arrived on time says something very different from She arrived in time
    • on time indicates she arrived at the scheduled or expected time
    • in time indicates she arrived before it was too late, likely that she arrived just before the event started
  • The dog dish is on the cage v. The dog dish is on the outside of the cage v. v. The dog dish is in the cage v. v. The dog dish is on the inside of the cage v.
    • on indicates the dish is sitting on top of the cage
    • on the outside of indicates the dish is attached to an outside wall of the cage
    • in indicates the dish is inside the cage
    • on the inside of indicates the dish is attached to an inside wall of the cage
  • The meeting was rescheduled from Tuesday v. The meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday
    • from indicates that the original time was Tuesday
    • for indicates that the meeting was changed to Tuesday
  • The kid acted up v. The kid acted out