Important Rules of English Prepositions

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A preposition is a word used before a noun or a pronoun to show how it is related to the other part of the sentence.

For example : The book is on the table, He went to school by bus.

Let's have a look at some important points you should know about Prepositions :

• 'In' is used before the names of big cities and places while 'at' is used before the names of small places.
• Eg : The Heavy water plant is at Manuguru in Khammam.
• 'To' and 'into' are used with things in motion and 'In', 'On' and 'At' are used with things without motion.
• Eg : 

• He is going to the station.
• The snake crawled into the hole.
• He is sitting on a chair.
• The book is on the table.
• 'At' is used before venue and time.
• 'On' is used before day and date.
• 'In' is used before month and year.
• Eg :
• The meeting is held at Gandhi Bhavan
• The class starts at 8:AM
• He will come on Monday.
• Christmas comes in December.
• 'By' is used for any mode of transport.
• Eg  : He came by bus.
• Note : you should say "He came on foot".
• 'With' is used before instruments and 'By' is used before agents.
• Eg : He was killed by a robber with a knife.
• 'Since' is used with point of time in perfect tenses.
• 'From' is used with point of time in non-perfect tenses.
• 'For' is used with point of time in all tenses.
• Eg : 
• He has been in hospital since Monday.
• He was working here from 1980.
• He worked here for 5 years.
• 'Beside' means by the side of 
• 'Besides' means in addition to.
• Eg :
• Our institute is beside the Park.
• He owns a car besides a scooter.

Some verbs are followed by different prepositions in different occasions.

• Agree :
• with a person
• to a thing
• Eg :
• I can not agree with you.
• I can not agree to your suggestion.
• Differ :
• with a person
• from a thing.
• Eg :
• I differ with my colleagues in this matter.
• My car differs from his car.
• Angry :
• with a person.
• at a thing.
• Eg :
• The teacher is angry with you.
• The teacher is angry at your remark.

Various verbs, nouns and pronouns are followed by a particular preposition. Being a competitive exam aspirant, you are advised to take note of all such important prepositions.

Some examples :

• Insist - on
• Congratulation - on
• Invite - to
• Conform - to
• Excel - in
• Associate - with
• Marry - to
• Prevent - from
• Desist - from
• Abstain - from
• Convict - of
• Accuse - of
• Deficient - in
• Deprived - of
• Different - from
• Indifferent - to
• Disperse - with
• Dispose - of
• Aspire - to
• Jealous - of
• Zealous - for

That's all for now friends. In our next post we shall work with some example exercises. Happy Reading :)

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