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Theory Introduction
Prepositions show relationships in time and space and relationships between ideas (logical relationships). Many words that can be used as prepositions can also be used as adverbs, but not all of them can. A preposition in a prepositional phrase is always followed by a noun, a pronoun, or another word that can replace a noun, such as an -ing form (Gerund). Always use an object form of a personal pronounafter a preposition. Prepositions: place
Opposites Some prepositions form pairs of opposites. up/down into/out of over/above in front of/behind Note: Over/aboveare often synonymous, so areunder/below,but overand undersometimes suggest movement. When we flew over Paris we couldn’t see much because we were above the clouds. Below us was the river which ranunder the bridge. Prepositions: time
Notes: • We use at with festivals and religious celebrations:at Easter • We say at night. But we can also say in the night meaning during. • We often use last/this/next with time words: We didn’t go on holiday last summer. I’m going home this weekend. I’ll see you next Monday. During versusfor. We rented a cottagefor the summer. He became ill during the summer. We spend all our time outsideduring the summer. • During versusin: They can both be used to refer to something that happens throughout a time period, from its beginning to its end, and so it is often possible to use either during orin: It’s very cold here during/in the winter. But: – We use in and not during when we want the time reference to sound more specific. So, for example, if we are contrasting one period of time with another, we use in: I last saw youin May, not July. – We useduring when we want to stress the idea of duration. She felt miserableduring the whole of that summer. – When the time reference is an activity rather than a time period, we useduring: She didn’t speak onceduring the meal Prepositions: position and movement
Notes: We usually useon rather thanonto. We useonto whenwe want to emphasize the movement from one place onto another: I drove onto the motorway. (I drove off another road and onto the motorway.) • arriveat/ina place getto/into a place getin (withoutplace) Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1217
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