Prepositions ✍️✍️
Usages of preposition are usually connected with space, time, decree and other usages.
☑️ At
Space (specific point) :
Meet me at the bus-stop in Mohammadpur.
Kamal lives at 5 Elephant Road.
Time (specific time) :
We arrived here at six o'clock.
The train leaves at 10:30.
Degree :
Water freezes at 0°C.
Water boils at 100°C.
Other Usages :
Mina is good at mathematics
They are at dinner.
☑️ About
Space (all around) :
He ran about the field.
I looked about the room.
Time (approximate) :
It is about 2 o'clock.
The bus will start about now.
Degree (approximate) :
The book costs about £ 5.
The temperature rose to about 40°C.
Other Usages (concerning):
They are talking about the weather.
He has written a book about tigers.
☑️ Above
Space (higher than) :
The clock is above the mantelpiece.
There are clouds above the mountains.
Degree :
The car costs above £ 300.
The temperature is above freezing point.
Other Usages :
The servant is above suspicion.
No politician should be above criticism.
☑️ Against
Space (contact) :
He is leaning against the wall.
Put the bicycle against the tree.
Time (conflict) :
He is working against the clock.
It was a race against time.
Degree (conflict) :
He played in the 1st Test against Australia.
They are two against four.
Other Usages
(internal) : I did it against my conscience.
(external) : He fought against heavy odds.
☑️ Around
Space (state) : There is a wall around the house.
(action) : The children are running around
the field.
Time (approximate) : I will see you around 5 o’clock.
Degree (approximate) :
The price of the refrigerator is around £ 250.
The distance is around 10 miles.
☑️ Before
Space (in front of) :
He stood before us.
The tea was set before him.
Time (earlier than) :
All this happened before 1980.
It was just before Eid.
☑️ Below
Space (lower than) :
The dolphin has gone below the surface.
The temperature has gone below zero.
Degree : The student is below average.
☑️ Between
Space (at an intermediate point between two entities) :
He sat between me and my brother.
Please see me between 4 and 5 o’clock.
Degree : The weight of the boy is between 5 and 5½ stone.
Other Usages : It is a matter between you and me.
☑️ By
Space (nearness) : I sat by the window.
Time (not later than) : Applications should reach this office by 15th August.
Degree (degree of failure):
He missed a first class by 4 marks.
He missed the train by 2 minutes.
Other Usages (without help) :
I did the work by myself.
☑️ For
Space (goal) : He left for London yesterday.
(distance) : There is no post office for three miles.
Time (duration) : He has been living in Rajshahi for five years.
Degree (exchange) : I bought the car for £ 1500.
Other Usages (reason) : Chapai-Nawabgonj is famous for mangoes.
(goal, purpose) : He is looking for a job.
☑️ From
Space (a starting point) : We travelled from Rajshahi to Rangpur.
Space (origin) : He is a man from Natore.
Time : The banks are open from 9 to 3.
Degree :
The temperature varies from 50 to
60 degrees.
Prices of potatoes range from Tk 10 to Tk 12.
Other Usages (source) : Paper is made from wood.
☑️ In
Space (enclosure) : Kamal is in the bedroom.
(area) : He lives in Dhaka.
Time (in a period) : The Second World War ended in 1945.
(future appointment) : Come in half an hour.
Other Usages (currency) : You can pay in pounds.
(language) : Write the letter in English.
☑️ Of
Space (names of geographical locations or institutions):
The city of Dhaka is the capital of
Bangladesh.
He is studying in the University of
Rajshahi.
Degree (fraction, portion) :
One of the boys is ill. 15
Other Usages (possessive): He is a friend of mine. .
(source) : This table is made of wood.
☑️ On
Space (contact) : There is a clock on the wall.
(along) : I live on/in the Elephant Road.
Time (day, date) : He came here on December 15th .
Other Usages (communication): I heard the news on the radio/on TV.
☑️ Over
Space (state of being above) : Many people in this country have no roof over their heads.
(Action above) : He jumped over the fence.
Degree (more than) : I have been waiting for you over an hour.
He is over 50.
Other Usages (communication) : The news came over the radio/TV.
☑️ Through
Space (penetrate) : He came in through the gate.
Time (duration) : The office is open from Saturday through Thursday.
Other Usages (endurance): We will stand by you through thick and thin.
☑️ To
Space (direction) :
He is going to town.
We travalled to Chittagong last week.
Time (until) : He works from 9 to 5.
(before) : It is a quarter to ten.
☑️ Towards
Space (in the direction of): He is walking towards the door.
Time : I will come to your place towards
the evening.
Degree : The temperature is moving toward 16 O°C.
Other Usages : They are working towards a lasting peace
☑️ Under
Space (below) : The cat is under the table.
Time (less than) : I will come back in under an hour.
Degree : The table costs under Tk 300.
📃 Further use of preposition :
1. by (agentive)— The snake was killed by Kamal.
2. by (means) — He went to Natore by car.
3. for (benefactive) - Mrs Hasina bought a necklace for her daughter.
4. for (proxy) — Hasan is ill. So his son manages the shop for him.
5. from (source) — I bought the car from a friend.
6. of (eliciting) —- He asked a favour of me.
7. of (separation) — A gang robbed me of my money.
8. to (recipient) — He gave the book to his friend.
9. to (direction) — We travelled to Chapai-Nawabgonj.
10. with (instrument) — The naughty boy broke the window with a stone.
✍️ Optional usage of preposition :
1. When the preposition for expresses a span of time:
I have lived in Rajshahi (for) twenty years.
(For) how long have you owned this car?
2. When the preposition on is used before the days of the week:
He will come (on) Monday.
I went to town (on) Saturday night/afternoon/morning.
3. In response to questions such as these:
How long have you lived here? (For) five years 17.
When did you get up this morning? (At) 7 o’clock.
❎ Zero usage of Preposition :
1. last, next, this, that + Noun --- no preposition :
I went to Dhaka last week.
He will come to Rajshahi next month.
I will go to town this afternoon.
He was busy that day.
2. every/all + Noun ----- no preposition :
She goes shopping every Friday.
He stayed at home all day.
3. Verbs of motion or direction + home, downtown or uptown ----- no preposition :
He went home/we ran home.
He is going downtown.
4. Verb + here/there --- no preposition :
He comes here once a month.
We go there quite often.
