Prepositions in English
Important rules of Prepositions with explained example
Rule 1 : Across – On the opposite side of
My Cousin lives across the river.✔
Across – From one side to another
The boy swam across the river ✔
Across – both sides
He threw the luggage across his shoulders ✔
Come Across – means meet accidentally / suddenly
When I was going to market, I came across an old friend. ✔
I suddenly came across him
I came across him. ✔
Rule 2 : Between
Used for two persons / things.
She is sitting between munni and sheela. ✔
Among
Used with more than two persons /things
The principal distribute d prizes among the winners ✔
Amid or Amidst
Used for more than two persons /things (groups)
Amid his friends ✔
It was hard to hear amid all the cheering. ✔
Rule 3 : During – denotes duration.
During the war, many people suffered hardship. ✔
We go to Darjeeling during summer every year. ✔
Rule 4 : From – is used with past /future tenses.
I stayed there from Monday to Wednesday. ✔
I will start my preparation from Monday next. ✔
Rule 5 : Of – denotes origin / cause
She comes of a rich family (origin) ✔
He died of Malaria (cause) but she died in an accident. ✔
Off – denotes ‘separation’
A button has come off. ✔
He is off duty today. ✔
Rule 6 : After a preposition, a pronoun under objective case should be used.
He depends on I. He depends on me. ✔
Rule 7 : When two words are connected by ‘and / or’ etc., the prepositions should be mentioned clearly to be used with them. He was surprised at as well as pleased with her performance. ✔
She is conscious and engaged in her work. She is conscious of and engaged in her work ✔
Rule 8 : No preposition should be used with the noun ‘Home’ except when it is followed by an adjective in the possessive case, say go to home / arrive home / reach home / get home.
I went to his home / He went home. ✔
He decided to go to Krishna’s home. ✔
Rule 9 : After transitive verbs such as ‘Discuss/Describe/reach/order/tell/demand/attach/resemble/ridicule etc. no preposition is used. The verbs directly take an object. The poet describes about the beauty of nature.
The poet describes the beauty of nature. ✔
He ordered for two cups of tea. He ordered two cups of tea. ✔
Rule 10 : After the verbs “Say / suggest /propose / speak / explain / reply /complain / talk / listen / write” the proposition “to” should be used if any object is used. He did not reply me. He did not reply to me. ✔
You never wrote me. You never wrote to me. ✔
He suggested her that she should eat less. He suggested to her that she should eat less. ✔
Rule 11 : Since – Denotes point of time
For – denotes period of time.
They should be used with present tense or the present perfect continuous tense / past perfect tense / past perfect continuous tenses.
I know her since 2011.
I have known her since 2011. ✔
He is working in the bank for the past 3 years.
He has been working in the bank for the past 3 years. ✔
Rule 12 : After the verb “Enter”
the preposition “into” should not be used except when it is used with reference to agreement or conversation.
He entered into the premises without any permission.
He entered the premises without any permission. ✔
They entered a hot discussion. They entered into a hot discussion. ✔
Rule 13 : Wait for – Await.
He is awaiting for the reply. He is awaiting the reply. ✔
Despite – inspite of.
Despite of his hard work, he failed in the examination. Despite his hard work he failed in the examination. ✔
This book comprises of 5 chapters.
This book comprises of 5 chapters. ✔
This book consists of 5 chapters. ✔
Rule 14 : Dispose of – Sell away.
He disposed off his scooter. He disposed of his scooter. ✔