Prepositions Part 3
A preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show in what relation the person or thing denoted by it stands in regard to something else. There are over 100 prepositions in English. This is a very small number compared with the vast number of nouns, adjectives and verbs found in English. Here are some of the prepositions used in English:
By means of
If you do something by means of a particular instrument, method or process, you use that instrument, method or process to do it.
We can protect children from certain diseases by means of vaccination.
Close to
If you are close to a situation or state, you are almost in that situation or state.
I sensed that she was close to tears.
Concerning
You use the preposition ‘concerning’ to indicate the subject matter of something that is said, written or thought of.
The Government will pass new laws to allay public fears concerning the restructuring of public organisations.
Considering
You use ‘considering’ to show that you are taking a certain fact into account.
Considering the circumstances, it was an impressive win for the government.
Contrary to Depending on
We use ‘depending on’ to indicate a variable factor that will affect a situation.
Different methods of teaching are adopted depending on the intelligence of students.
Despite
‘Despite’ is used to introduce something which makes a situation you are mentioning seems surprising.
The Government has implemented many development projects despite heavy criticism by the Opposition.
If something is behind a thing or person, it is on the other side of you.
Lucy walked behind her husband.
If you shut a door behind you, you do so after going through it.
Sam entered the room and shut the door behind him.
If you are behind someone, you support them.
Don’t worry, our organisation is behind you.
Down
If you go down a road, you go along it towards one end of it.
I saw her walking down to her car.
Due to
If a situation or event is due to something, it exists as a result of it.
Due to inflation the cost of living is going up.
During
If something happens during a period of time, it happens continuously between the beginning and end of that period.
Vegetarian societies will grow slowly during the next 100 years.
Except / excepting
We use these prepositions to introduce the only things or people that your main statement does not apply to.
There was nothing left for me to eat except a few slices of bread.
Except for
This is used to introduce the only things or people that your main statement does not apply to.
At the party I recognised all the faces except for one man who was wearing a mask.
Excluding
This is used to introduce someone or something that is not part of a group that you are talking about.
Television is watched by a large number of people in cities and villages excluding those living in remote areas.
Following
Following a particular event means after that event.
Following an emergency meeting, the government declared a special holiday.
For
If something is intended or done for someone, they are intended to have it.
Why are you doing all this for me?
If you work for a company, they employ you.
I have worked for three newspaper organisations in Sri Lanka.
Following nouns are usually followed by ‘for’:
Admiration, advertise, affection, affinity, aim, apply, appreciation, bargain, campaign, contempt, disdain, dislike, disregard, disrespect, disaster, distaste, enthusiasm, fight, fish, forage, grope, hatred, hunt, look, love, lust, mania, nostalgia, partiality, passion, scavenge, search, send, wait, weakness
From
The following verbs are usually followed by ‘from’:
Appeal, ban, bar, beg, borrow, buy, cadge, call, clamour, come, conceal, deflect, detach, deter, disconnect, discourage, disqualify, dissuade, elicit, extort, get, glean, guard, hanker, hide, hope, hunger, inherit, keep, long, lust, obtain, pine,pray, press, prevent, protest, receive, remove, separate, shelter, shield, stop, take,wish, withhold, yearn
If something is made from a particular substance, that substance is used to make it.
The company is making soap from coconut oil.
