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Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsPrepositionsarewordsorshortphrasesthatidentifythespatial(inspace),directional(thedirectioninwhichsomethingismoving),ortemporal(intime)relationshipofoneormorepeopleorthingstootherpeopleorthings.Prepositionscommunicateabstractrelationshipsaswellasconcreteones.Whilealllanguageshaveprepositions,Englishhasaparticularlylargenumberofthem,withimportantdifferencesofnuancebetweensimilarprepositions.Thishandoutwillgiveanoverviewofprepositions,coveringspatial,directional,andtemporalprepositions.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionToUsesof"To"

Thebasicprepositionofadirectionis"to."

TO:signifiesorientationtowardagoal

Whenthegoalisphysical,suchasadestination,"to"impliesmovementinthedirectionofthegoal:

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WeflewfromNewYorktoParis.(Or)WeflewtoParis.

Whenthegoalisnotaphysicalplace,forinstance,anaction,"to"marksaverbitisattachedasaninfinitiveandexpressespurpose.Theprepositionmayoccuraloneorinthephraseinorder.Thetwousescanalsooccurtogetherinasinglesentence:

WeflewfromNewYorktoParistoseeourfather.

Theothertwoprepositionsofdirectionarecompoundsformedbyadding"to"tothecorrespondingprepositionsoflocation.

Theprepositionoflocationdeterminesthemeaningoftheprepositionofdirection.

ON+TO=onto:signifiesmovementtowardasurface

IN+TO=into:signifiesmovementtowardtheinteriorofavolume

("To"ispartofthedirectionalprepositiontoward,andthetwomeanaboutthesamething.)

Thefrogjumpedontothelilypad.

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Themilkwentintotheglass.

Withmanyverbsofmotion,"on"and"in"haveadirectionalmeaningandcanbeusedalongwith"onto"and"into".

Thisiswhy"to"isinsideparenthesesinthetitleofthehandout,showingthatitissomewhatoptionalwiththecompoundprepositions.Thus,thefollowingsentencesareroughlysynonymous:

Thepaperwentintothegarbagecan.

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Thecrabwashedupontotheshore.

Totheextentthatthesepairsdodiffer,thecompoundprepositionconveysthecompletionofanaction,whilethesimpleprepositionpointstothepositionofthesubjectasaresultofthataction.Thisdistinctionhelpsusunderstandhowdirectionalandlocationalprepositionsarerelated:theystandintherelationshipofcauseandeffect.

Thepaperwentintothegarbagecan.

Positionofsubject:thepaperisinthegarbagecan.

Thecrabwashedupontotheshore.

Positionofsubject:thecrabisontheshore.

Seethesectionsbelowforsomeexceptionstothisrule.

Usesof"to"

Tooccurswithseveralclassesofverbs.

Verb+to+infinitive

Verbsinthisgroupexpresswillingness,desire,intention,orobligation.

Willingness:bewilling,consent,refuse

Desire:desire,want,wish,like,ask,request,prefer

Intention:intend,plan,prepare

Obligation:beobligated,have,need

Irefusetoallowyoutointimidatemewithyourthreats.I'dliketoaskherhowlongshe'sbeenskiing.Iplantograduatethissummer.HenryhadtopayhistuitionattheBursar'soffice.

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Inothercases"to"isusedasanordinarypreposition.

Verbsofcommunication:listen,speak(butnottell),relate,appeal(inthesenseof'plead,'not'beattractive')

Verbsofmovement:move,go,transfer,walk/run/swim/ride/drive/fly,travel

Exceptfortransfer,alltheverbsinlistedherecantaketowardaswellasto.However,"to"suggestsmovementtowardaspecificdestination,while"toward"suggestsmovementinageneraldirection,withoutnecessarilyarrivingatadestination:

Theplanewasheadedtowardastormcloud.

Thegolfballrolledtowardthehole.

Herearesomemoreexamples:

Drivetowardthecitylimitsandturnnorth.(Driveinthedirectionofthecitylimitsturnoffmaybebeforearrivingthere.)Takemetotheairport,please.(Iactuallywanttoarriveattheairport.)

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

1/15/2015 PurdueOWL

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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionOntoUsesof"Onto"

"Onto"cangenerallybereplacedby"on"withverbsofmotion.

Thehatwenton(to)hishead.

Herearesomemoreexamples:

Dietrichjumpedon(to)themat.Huanfellon(to)thefloor.Athenaclimbedon(to)thebackofthetruck.

Someverbsofmotionexpresstheideathatthesubjectcausesitselforsomephysicalobjecttobesituatedinacertainplace(comparethethreeexampledirectlyabove).Oftheseverbs,sometakeonly"on".Otherstakebothonandonto,withthelatterbeingpreferredbysomespeakers.

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Heputthesocksonhisfeet.

Herearesomemoreexamples:

Theplanelandedontherunway.(notontotherunway)SamhungthedecorationontheChristmastree.(notontothetree)Heplacedthepackageonthetable.(notontothetable)JoannaspilledherCokeontherug.(notontotherug)Samirmovedthechairon(to)thedeck.Thecraneloweredtheroofon(to)thehouse.Thebabythrewthepoton(to)thefloor.

Verbstakingonly"on"arerare:setmaybeanotherone,andsoperhapsisput.Otherverbstakingbothprepositionsareraise,scatter(whenittakesadirectobject),pour,andadd.

Thefarmerscatteredseedon(to)thefertileground.We'readdingonawingatthebackofthebuilding.We'readdingaporchontothehouse.

In"We'readdingonawingatthebackofthebuilding"onisreallypartoftheverb,whilein"We'readdingaporchontothehouse"ontoisasimplepreposition.Thiscontrastpointstoafairlyimportantandgeneralrule:

Simpleprepositionscancombinewithverbs,butcompoundprepositionscannot.

Notealsothatin"Thefarmerscatteredseedon(to)thefertileground",theword"on"hasitsordinarymeaningofapositiononasurface,butinthiscasethesurfaceisverticalratherthanhorizontalthesideofabuilding.

Thereareanumberofverbprepositioncombinationswhichareformallylike"addon"buthavethemeaning"ofcontinuingorresuminganaction"whenusedintheimperativemood.

Exceptforhang,whichtakesbothonandonto,theyalloccuronlywithon.Themeaningsofthesecombinations,someofwhichareidiomatic,aregiveninparentheses.Notallofthemhavetheforceofacommand.

Hangon(totherope)('continuetograsptightly')carryon('resumewhatyouweredoing')sailon('resumeorcontinuesailing')dreamon('continuedreaming'ahumorouswayofsaying'thatisanunattainablegoal')leadon('resumeorcontinueleadingus')rockon('continueplayingrockmusic')

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Driveon!(Or,Keepdrivingtowardthecity).

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionIntoUsesof"Into"

Withverbsofmotion,"into"and"in"areinterchangeableexceptwhentheprepositionisthelastwordoroccursdirectlybeforeanadverbialoftime,manner,orfrequency.

Inthiscaseonlyin(orinside)canbeused.

Spikeislyinginhishouse.(Notinto.)

Herearesomemoreexamples:

Thepatientwentintothedoctor'soffice.Thepatientwentin.(notinto)

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Ournewneighborsmovedintothehousenextdooryesterday.('totakeupresidenceinanewhome')Ournewneighborsmovedinyesterday.

In"Ournewneighborsmoveinyesterday",thelastwordisthetimeadverbialyesterday,sotheobjectoftheprepositionincanbeomitted.Ofcourse,inaninformationquestion,"into"alsocanbelastwordexceptforanadverbialwhenitsobjectisquestionedbyawhword:

Nowwhatkindoftroublehasshegottenherselfinto?Nowwhatsortoftroubleisshein?

Verbsexpressingstationarypositiontakeonly"on"or"in"withtheordinarymeaningsofthoseprepositions.

Ifaverballowstheobjectoftheprepositiontobeomitted,theconstructionmayhaveanidiomaticmeaning.

Thecatsatonthemat.Thedoctorisinhisoffice.Thedoctorisin.('availableforconsultation')In(to)hastwospecialuseswithmove.

When"movein"isfollowedbyapurposeclause,ithasthesenseof"approach".Thelionmovedinforthekill.

Thepolicemovedintorescuethehostagesinsidethebuilding.

In"Thelionmovedinforthekill."and"ThePolicemovedintorescuethehostagesinsidethebuilding""in"ispartoftheverb,so"into"cannotbeusedWecannotsay:"Thelionmovedintoforthekill."

When"into"isusedwithmove,itfunctionsasanordinaryprepositiontoconveytheideaofmovingsomethingfromoneplacetoanother.

We'llmoveyourbrother'soldbedintoyourroom.

Amanisjumpingintothepool.

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Themanisinthepool.

Thepersonisplacinggroceriesintotheshoppingbag.

Thepersonhascompletedputtinggroceriesinthebag.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

1/15/2015 PurdueOWL

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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipAPrepositionsofspatialrelationshipsdealwith"where"thesubjectofthesentenceisor"where"theactionistakingplace.

Above

Writeyournameabovetheline.

Across

Drawalineacrossthepage.

Against

Sheleansagainstthetree.

Aheadof

Thegirlisaheadoftheboy.

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Along

Thereislacealongtheedgeofthecloth.

Among

Heisamongthetrees.

Around

Drawacirclearoundtheanswer.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipBBehind

Theboyisbehindthegirl.

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Below

Writeyournamebelowtheline.

Beneath

Hesatbeneaththetree.

Beside

Thegirlisstandingbesidetheboy.

Between

Sheisbetweentwotrees.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipFOFrom

Hecamefromthehouse.

Infrontof

Thegirlisinfrontoftheboy.

Inside

Heisinsidethehouse.

Nearby

Thereisatreenearbythehouse.

Off

Hishatisoff.

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Outof

Hecameoutofthehouse.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipTWThrough

Shewentthroughthedoor.

Toward

Sheiswalkingtowardthehouse.

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Under

Heishidingunderthetable.

Within

Pleasemarkonlywithinthecircle.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.Summary:

Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofTime,Place,andIntroducingObjectsPrepositions

Prepositionsarewordsorshortphrasesthatidentifythespatial(inspace),directional(thedirectioninwhichsomethingismoving),ortemporal(intime)relationshipofoneormorepeopleorthingstootherpeopleorthings.Prepositionscommunicateabstractrelationshipsaswellasconcreteones.Whilealllanguageshaveprepositions,Englishhasaparticularlylargenumberofthem,withimportantdifferencesofnuancebetweensimilarprepositions.Thishandoutwillgiveanoverviewofprepositions,alongwithapracticeactivity.

PrepositionsforTime,Place,andIntroducingObjects

Onisusedwithdays:

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IwillseeyouonMonday.TheweekbeginsonSunday.

Atisusedwithnoon,night,midnight,andwiththetimeofday:

Myplaneleavesatnoon.Themoviestartsat6p.m.

Inisusedwithotherpartsoftheday,withmonths,withyears,withseasons:

Helikestoreadintheafternoon.ThedaysarelonginAugust.Thebookwaspublishedin1999.Theflowerswillbloominspring.

Toexpressextendedtime,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:since,for,by,fromto,fromuntil,during,(with)in.

Shehasbeengonesinceyesterday.(Sheleftyesterdayandhasnotreturned.)I'mgoingtoParisfortwoweeks.(Iwillspendtwoweeksthere.)ThemovieshowedfromAugusttoOctober.(BeginninginAugustandendinginOctober.)Thedecorationswereupfromspringuntilfall.(Beginninginspringandendinginfall.)IwatchTVduringtheevening.(Forsomeperiodoftimeintheevening.)Wemustfinishtheprojectwithinayear.(Nolongerthanayear.)

Toexpressnotionsofplace,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:totalkaboutthepointitself:in,toexpresssomethingcontained:inside,totalkaboutthesurface:on,totalkaboutageneralvicinity,at.

Thereisawaspintheroom.Putthepresentinsidethebox.Ileftyourkeysonthetable.Shewaswaitingatthecorner.

Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeinghigherthanapoint,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:over,above.

Hethrewtheballovertheroof.Hangthatpictureabovethecouch.

Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeinglowerthanapoint,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:under,underneath,beneath,below.

Therabbitburrowedundertheground.Thechildhidunderneaththeblanket.Werelaxedintheshadebeneaththebranches.Thevalleyisbelowsealevel.

Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeingclosetoapoint,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:near,by,nextto,between,among,opposite.

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Shelivesneartheschool.Thereisanicecreamshopbythestore.AnoaktreegrowsnexttomyhouseThehouseisbetweenElmStreetandMapleStreet.Ifoundmypenlyingamongthebooks.Thebathroomisoppositethatroom.

Englishusesthefollowingprepositionstointroduceobjectsofthefollowingverbs.

At:glance,laugh,look,rejoice,smile,stare

Shetookaquickglanceatherreflection.(exceptionwithmirror:Shetookaquickglanceinthemirror.)Youdidn'tlaughathisjoke.I'mlookingatthecomputermonitor.Werejoicedathissaferescue.Thatprettygirlsmiledatyou.Stopstaringatme.

Of:approve,consist,smell

Idon'tapproveofhisspeech.Mycontributiontothearticleconsistsofmanypages.Hecamehomesmellingofalcohol.

Of(orabout):dream,think

Idreamoffinishingcollegeinfouryears.Canyouthinkofanumberbetweenoneandten?Iamthinkingaboutthisproblem.

For:call,hope,look,wait,watch,wish

Didsomeonecallforataxi?Hehopesforaraiseinsalarynextyear.I'mlookingformykeys.We'llwaitforherhere.YougobuytheticketsandI'llwatchforthetrain.Ifyouwishforan"A"inthisclass,youmustworkhard.