M. ARSALAN SIDDIQUIINSTRUCTOR at DUHS/ I U/ PACCIELTS/TOEFL/EFL/Business Englishmarsalansiddiqui@yahoo.com

Prepositions

Identify prepositions.Recognize prepositional phrases, objects of prepositions, and compound prepositions.Differentiate between infinitive phrases and prepositional phrases.

Recognize the functions of prepositional phrases as adjectives and adverbs.

Determine inclusion, exclusion, and placement of prepositions.

Objectives

Differentiate between commonly confused prepositions.

Use the correct idiomatic prepositional combinations.

Objectives

Use a preposition to connect the object of the preposition (noun or pronoun) to another word or set of words in a sentence.

Our manager recognizes our strengths and compensates for our weaknesses.

Top executives spend approximately 90 percent of their time with others.

The need for constant approval at work can be counterproductive.

Use of Prepositions

about behind during on throughout

above below except onto to

across beneath for opposite toward

after beside from out under

against besides in outside underneath

Common Prepositions

A compound preposition consists of a combination of words that is often considered as one preposition and connects the object of a preposition to another word or set of words.

Examplesaccording to in place of ahead ofin regard to along with in spite ofapart from instead of because ofby means of in front of out of

Compound Prepositions

ExamplesI gave the company tour on behalf of my

manager.In addition to Sara, we have five vice

presidents in our company.Because of my positive attitude, Mary chose

me as group leader.

Compound Prepositions

Use the objective case of a pronoun as the object of a preposition.

Objective Case her him you me us them it

whom We awarded the Web design project to

them.Between you and me, I prefer working

in the accounting department.

Objects of Prepositions and Pronouns

Do not omit a preposition when it is needed. The cancelled flight prevented Lynn from

going to the leadership seminar. Use separate prepositions when words cannot

be related to one object by the same preposition.Doug has knowledge of and experience with

various management techniques.

Inclusion of Necessary Prepositions

Use beside as a preposition to mean “by the side of” or “not connected with something.” Darrell usually sits beside me during

management staff meetings. Use besides as a preposition to mean “in

addition to” or “other than.”Besides Sherry, the manager promoted Joyce

and Bob.

Beside/Besides

Use between to refer to two persons, places, activities, ideas, things, or qualities.Our manager distributed the work between the

two programmers. Use among to refer to more than two

persons, places, activities, ideas, things, or qualities.I was among those who voted for Andy as the

team leader.

Among/Between

Use the preposition to to indicate “toward.” Please e-mail this message to all the other managers.

Use to as an infinitive or as a part of an infinitive phrase.

She plans to promote Gale next month. Use too as an adverb to indicate an “excessive amount” or “also.”

The president made the hiring decision too quickly. Our company is moving to Minneapolis too.

To/Too/Two

agree in (principle) agree on (plan) agree with (a person)

Agree in/Agree on/ Agree with

Oscar agreed in principle with the plan for the new building.The staff agreed on the need to lengthen our customer service hours.The managers agreed with the employees about replacing the copy machine.

live at (address, place) live in (area) live on (street, amount)

Live at/Live in/Live on

We decided that those lawyers must live at their offices.Most federal workers live in the Washington, D.C. area.I could not live on the salary that they offered me during the interview.

talk to (tell something to someone or to an audience)

talk with (converse with an individual or small group)

Talk to/Talk with

Have you talked to your coworkers about your concerns?Loretta and I talked with our manager about job sharing.

wait at (location)wait for (person, thing)wait on (customer)EXAMPLE:Please wait at the front door for a security

clearance.We waited for our manager’s response to the

scheduling problem.Waiting on a customer is always a first priority

for us.

Wait at/Wait for/Wait on

Prepositions Of Time

Janet was born___ Rochester__ December 22nd ___3 o'clock ___the morning. Rochester is ___the state of New York ___the United States. Now, she goes ___classes ___the university. She usually arrives____ the morning__ 8 o'clock. weekends, she likes driving __her friend's house__ Canada. Her friend lives ___Toronto. She usually arrives__ 9 __the evening and leaves__ Sunday morning. __Saturday, they often meet friends __a restaurant___ night, they sometimes go__ a disco. Summer___, July for example, they often go__ the countryside.

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