Prepositions

Prepositions for Time

These words describe the aspect of time

• Before (providing info prior to a point of time)
  • Can you take out the garbage before you leave the house?
• After (providing info at a point of time)
  • The bats comes out after the sun goes down.
• Until (precision ending)
  • You have until midnight to save the princess.
• At (precise at a point of time)
  • The vampire wakes at 10 pm.
• For (duration)
  • I've been a chef for forty years.
• In (bounded duration)
  • In Middle Age, folks were using woods to create fire.
• On (specific point of time)
  • On the 4th of July, Americans celebrate their national day.
• By (precision at the end; deadline)
  • The place has better to be cleaned by 3pm, buddy.
• Since (precision at the beginning; start point)
  • Since 1974, our company only produces potteries.

Prepositions for Space

These words describes the aspect of space, direction and vector. Some prepositions are usable for both time and space.

• Over (directional - went on top of something)
  • The cat hopped over the fence.
• Inside (directional - entering into a space)
  • The cat went inside the box.
• Outside (already not within a space)
  • The cat sits outside of the box.
• In (already within a space)
  • There's a bunny in the box.
• Out (directional - moving outside from a space)
  • There's a bunny went out of the box.
• From (directional - originate somewhere else other than here)
  • He came from Miami.
• To (directional - heading to specific direction)
  • We're going to Miami.
• At (a precise location)
  • We stood at the entrance.
• By (next to something)
  • The house by the mill is haunted.
• Off (directional - move away from)
  • She hopped off the rock.
• On (a surface)
  • The cat sits on the carpet.
• Through (directional - penetrate into the space)
  • It's hard to drive through the city during hot day.
• Throughout (directional - moving outwards in all directions)
  • The delicious smell spreads throughout the house.

Prepositions for Matter (Not Time and Space)

These words are use like prepositions but not in the mean of expressing time and space.

• About (describing specific subject)
  • Tell me about yourself!
• By (describing the acting entity)
  • The book was written by Sudhir.
• For (describing a use)
  • It's for chipping wood.
• Of (describing ownership/origin)
  • The green dragon of Inverness.
• With (describing a linking of 2 ideas together)
  • There goes that snail with the painted shell.

Compound Prepositions

These words describe space, time, procedures, and providing options for 2 or many things. They are usable for both literal usage or metaphorical usage.

• Between (considering 2 entities)
  • Literal use - The firefly zipped between the raindrop.
  • Metaphorical use - Between "Humdinger" and "Police Cat", I want to watch the former.
• Among (considering collectively)
  • Literal & Metaphorical Use - Among all others, Ashley shines brightly in baseball.
• Around (surrounding an entity; not straight to the point)
  • Literal Use - The fox runs around the tree.
  • Metaphorical Use - The mayor talked around the issue.
• Against (opposite; opposition)
  • Literal Use - Rudy leaned against the tree.
  • Metaphorical Use - The crowd is against the harassment case.
• Within (inside but without precision)
  • Literal Use - There is a frog within the pond but we are unsure where its precise location.
  • Metaphorical Use - I can tell she likes him from within my heart.
• Without (not with)
  • Literal and Metaphorical Use - I guess we are going without him.
• Inside (in/within regardless precision)
  • Literal Use - What's inside the box?
  • Metaphorical Use - What's inside her mind?
• Beyond (went across a point and go further)
  • Literal Use - Beyond those mountains, there is a kingdom.
  • Metaphorical Use - That sweet taste is beyond comprehension.

Prepositional Phrases

Word chunk begins with prepositions, representing as nouns, adverbs and adjectives. Examples:

• Danielle blew the horn with the strength of a giant.
  • with the strength - adverb to "blew the horn
  • strength of the giant - adjective to the strength
• To steal the Queen's diamonds would be a serious crime.
  • To steal the queen's diamonds - expressing stealing as a noun
• I would enjoy exploring the Cathedral of Glass.
  • of Glass - adjective to cathedral
• The undiscovered country, from whose bourns no traveler returns.
  • from whose bourns - expressing adjective to the undiscovered country
  • no traveller returns - adjective to verb + adverb, also representing death

Caveat

• Be careful when forming such sentences: it can leads to confusion. Make sure the sentence is not too long and carrying no selective meaning.
• Example:
  1. I knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith.
     • Is the man or the wooden leg named Smith?
     • Clarified sentence: I knew a man, named Smith, has a wooden leg.

Coordinated Conjugations

Unite 2 independent ideas sequentially and regardless positions. Both ideas are expressible in their respective sentences. These prepositions follows FANBOYS short-form:

• For (expressing reasons)
  • I do not eat buttons, for they are not food.
    • I do not eat buttons.
    • Buttons are not food.
• And (combines 2 entities)
  • The kangaroo robbed the bank and torched the saloon.
    • The kangaroo robbed the bank.
    • The kangaroo torched the saloon.
• Nor (combines untrue entities)
  • She won't leave the tree nor speak to human.
    • She won't leave the tree.
    • She won't speak to human.
• But (exception)
  • We use every materials but chewing gums.
    • We use every materials.
    • We don't use chewing gums.
• Or (provide options for selection)
  • We can drink or eat at that cafe.
    • We can drink at that cafe.
    • We can eat at that cafe.
• Yet (contrast)
  • I want to leave, yet I can't.
    • I want to leave.
    • I can't leave.
• So (show consequences)
  • He didn't eat so he fainted.
    • He didn't eat.
    • He fainted.

Subordinating Conjugations

Unite 1 independent clause and 1 dependent clause. One of the idea expression (sentence fragments) must depends on another idea in order to carry out its meaning.

Example:

• Although she love Sir Reignald, Lady Penolope hates his pranks.
  • Unlike coordinated conjugations, you can't split "Although she love sir Reignald" since it doesn't carry any meaning on its own.
    • It depends on "Lady Penolope hates his pranks" to express the contrast reasoning of Lady Penolope hates.

These prepositions are the common versions:

• After
• Although
• As
• As if
• Because
• Before
• Even if
• Even-though
• If
• If only
• like
• rather than
• since
• that
• though
• when
• where
• whereas
• whenever
• whether
• which
• while

Correlative Conjugations

Using 2 prepositions together to form a matching set.

1. Either ... or
   • Either the wall goes or I do.
2. Neither ... nor
   • Neither Jia nor Becca like Howard.
3. Both ... and
   • Both Bigby and Ladoux were big criminal.
4. As ... so
   • As goes Kansas, so goes America.
5. Whether ... or
   • Whether you like shrimp or chocolate, there is more in that food fair.
6. If ... then
   • If I read the manual completely, then I can master the use of this machine.
7. Just as ... so as
   • Just as Joanna is eating, so as Alicia.
8. Not only ... but (so/also)
   • Not only he is good at football but also swimming.
9. Although ... nonetheless
   • Although the ship is damaged, nonetheless it reached the dock for repairs.
10. Although ... yet
    • Although Maria hates traveling, yet she went to Florida for friends' visit.
11. As ... as
    • Get the canopy up as soon as possible!
12. Not Withstanding ... yet
    • Not withstanding the cost of gamble, yet he still continues to play.
13. Since ... therefore
    • Since we're given time, therefore we proceed with the project.
14. So ... that
    • So the ship sailed years go, that dog is still waiting at the dock.
15. Where ... then
    • Where she goes, then he follows.
16. Where ... there
    • Where she goes, there is always a fragrant left behind.
17. Whether ... or
    • Whether you complete it or otherwise, it doesn't bring good result.

Superstitions in Using Prepositions

There are 2 critical superstitions about using prepositions to take note of:

Using Preposition To Start A Sentence

It is perfectly fine. It was originated as a concern when people doesn't manage sentence fragment dependency properly. Hence it is best assumed not to start one to avoid this concern.

However, you should only use it for:

• rhetorical effect
• informal use
• only speaking; not writing/editing

Examples

1. But the question remains: what is art?
2. Because I said so! (Sentence fragment)
   • Join with: who said circle's angle can go beyond 360 degree? Because I said so.
   • Join with: why eat this orange? because I said so.

Using Preposition to End A Sentence (terminal prepositions)

It is perfectly fine. It was originated due to different styles assumed to be grammar rules. It originated from Latin influence as preposition simply means "Prae Posito".

Examples

1. To put the cart before the horse.
   • Latin: Ante equum carrum ponere.
   • Latin: Carrum ponere Ante equum.
2. It's crazy world we live in.
3. That's not the behavior I put up with.
4. With which up, I will not put.

Checklist for Reviewing Prepositions

1. What is the actual idea of the subject / object?
   1. What are the correct aspect? (Time / Space / Matter)
   2. Is the preposition used correctly?
2. How many ideas being expressed through preposition phrases?
   1. Is the sentence too long, causing confusion via selection?
   2. By breaking them, is the confusion cleared?
3. Are the ideas expressible in their respective form?
   1. YES - Coordinated / Correlative Conjugations
   2. NO - Subordinated Conjugations
4. Is/Are the selected preposition(s) making sense compared to the original idea?
   1. Correct use for time / space / matter.
   2. If the preposition is at the start of the sentence, is it for informal use?