What's IN a Preposition?
Josef Essberger
Prepositions can be divided into:
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one-word prepositions (eg at, into, on)
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complex prepositions (eg according to, in spite of)
The name "preposition" (pre + position) means "place before". Prepositions usually come *before* another word, usually a noun or noun phrase:
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noun (I will meet you IN *London*.)
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pronoun (Give it TO *her*.)
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noun phrase (I'm tired OF *all this work*.)
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gerund (verb in -ing form) (It crashed ON *landing*.)
If a preposition does not come before another word, it is still closely associated with another word:
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*Who* did you talk TO?
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TO *whom* did you talk?
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I talked TO *Jane*.
Notice that many prepositions can also be adverbs:
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He walked DOWN the hill. (preposition)
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Please sit DOWN. (adverb)
A few prepositions can also be conjunctions:
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Everyone came BUT Tara. (preposition)
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I asked her BUT she didn't answer. (conjunction)
How many prepositions are there in English? It is not possible to give a definite answer, partly because complex prepositions are "open class", which means that new ones could be invented at any time. But for a list of almost all the one-word and complex prepositions in common use, see English Prepositions Listed which includes 370 example sentences.
Many words are associated with a particular preposition. When you learn a new word, try to learn the preposition associated with it. A good dictionary usually gives you examples.
Here are some common verbs that are associated with a particular preposition:
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to agree WITH somebody
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to agree ABOUT a subject
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to agree ON a decision
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to agree TO a proposal
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to arrive AT/IN a place
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to ask FOR something (but to ask a question/the time/directions etc)
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to borrow something FROM somebody
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to depend ON somebody/something
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to explain something TO somebody
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to insist ON -ing
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to laugh AT somebody/something
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to listen TO somebody/something
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to participate IN something
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to pay FOR something
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to be rude TO somebody
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to shoot AT somebody/something
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to smile AT somebody
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to succeed IN something
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to talk TO somebody
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to talk WITH somebody (US)
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to worry ABOUT something
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to write TO somebody
Here are a few common expressions with particular prepositions:
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to be afraid OF somebody/something
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to be angry WITH somebody
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to be angry ABOUT something
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to be bad AT something
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to be clever AT something
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to be good AT something
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to be interested IN something
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to be kind TO somebody
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to be nice TO somebody
