English - Connecting Words and Phrases Preposition - Quick Guides | English

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Study GuideEnglish–Connecting Words and Phrases: Prepositions,Conjunctions, and Interjections1.PrepositionsPrepositions are small but powerful words. They help show the relationship between anoun orpronounand another word in a sentence. In simple terms, prepositions tell uswhere,when,how, orwhysomething happens.Look at these examples. Theprepositionsare italicized, and theobjects of the prepositionsareunderlined:•The catunderthe fence•The catbetweenthe fenceandthe house•Everyoneexceptthe girlinthe blue dress•A letteraboutusNotice how each preposition connects one idea to another and helps give more detail.1.1Using Pronouns After PrepositionsWhen apronounfollows a preposition, it must be in theobjective case.That means we use words likeme, him, her, us,andthem—notI, he, she, we,orthey.For example:•A letter aboutus(notwe)1.2Recognizing PrepositionsPrepositions aren't as obvious as nouns and verbs, so they are not always easy to recognize. Look fora word that establishes a relationship with another word. For example, in the previous phrases, how iscatrelated tofence?The cat isunderthe fence. How isEveryonerelated to thegirl?Thegirlis left outof the groupEveryone. How isgirlrelated todress?She isinit. Table 1 shows several wordscommonly used as prepositions.

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Study GuideMost prepositions are single words, but some are made up ofmore than one word. These are calledcompound prepositions.Here are some common compound prepositions:•according to•because of•in front of•instead of•in spite of•next toEven though they have more than one word, they work together as a single preposition.1.3Avoiding Common Preposition MistakesPrepositions are often overused. One common mistake is adding a preposition when it isn’t needed.

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Study GuideCompare these sentences:•Correct:Where have you been?Incorrect:Where have you beenat?•Correct:Where is Nick going?Incorrect:Where is Nick goingto?The extra preposition doesn’t add meaning, so it should be left out.1.4Don’t Use More Than One Preposition When One Is EnoughSometimes writers accidentally usetwo prepositionswhen only one is needed.•Correct:Don’t gonearthe water.Incorrect:Don’t gonear tothe water.•Correct:The book felloffthe table.Incorrect:The book felloff ofthe table.Keeping it simple makes your writing clearer and stronger.1.5Ending a Sentence with a PrepositionYou may have heard the rule that a sentence shouldnever end with a preposition. Today, this rule isnot strictly enforced. Many writers still avoid it, but ending with a preposition is acceptable—especially if it sounds more natural.Compare these pairs:•More formal:It is a commentto whichI will not respond.•More natural:It is a comment I will not respondto.•More formal:withwhichto write•More natural:I bought a pen to writewith.Both versions are correct. Choose the one that fits your tone and sounds best to you.

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Study Guide2.Quiz: PrepositionsQuestion 1Identify the preposition(s) in the following sentence.The dark‐haired boy sat beside the trailer parked on the abandoned lot.Answer ChoicesWhich words in the sentence are prepositions?•sat, parked•dark-haired, abandoned•beside, onCorrect Answerbeside, onWhy This Is Correct•besideshows where the boy sat in relation to the trailer.•onshows where the trailer was parked in relation to the lot.Both words connect nouns and help explainlocation, which is exactly what prepositions do.Question 2Which group lists ONLY prepositions?Answer Choices• down, next to, above, through, in front of• jump, leap, walk, scream, laugh, sing, drive• light, blue, straight, best, dry, fast, coiled

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Study GuideCorrect Answerdown, next to, above, through, in front ofWhy This Is Correct• All the words in this group show location or direction.• They connect nouns or pronouns to other words.• The other choices include verbs and adjectives, not prepositions.Question3Identify the prepositional phrase in the following sentence.According to the director, our salary increase is scheduled to take effect July 1.Answer Choices• to take effect• According to the director• is scheduledCorrect AnswerAccording to the directorWhy This Is Correct•According tois a compound preposition.•the directoris the object of the preposition.• Together, they form a prepositional phrase explainingsource or authority.Question4Which sentence shows an INCORRECT use of a preposition?

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Study GuideAnswer Choices• Where is she going to?• He parked his car beside of the house.• Both a and bCorrect AnswerHe parked his car beside of the house.Why This Is Correct•besidealready functions as a complete preposition.• Addingofis unnecessary and incorrect.• Sentence A is informal but commonly accepted in everyday English.Question5Which sentence shows a CORRECT use of a preposition?Answer Choices• The little boy was standing near to the front of the parked truck.• The little boy was standing in front of the parked truck.• Both a and bCorrect AnswerThe little boy was standing in front of the parked truck.Why This Is Correct•in front ofis a standard and correct compound preposition.•near tois generally considered incorrect in formal English.

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