Prepositions

 Prepositions

Prepositions are a class of words that indicate relationships between nouns, pronouns and other words in a sentence. Most often they come before a noun.

Prepositions are classified as simple or compound.

Simple prepositions are single word prepositions- across, after, at, along, among, before, between, by, below, during, from, in, into, of, on, to, under, with and without are all single word prepositions.

For example:

The book is on the table.

Compound prepositions are more than one word. in between and because of are prepositions made up of two words. in front of, on behalf of are prepositions made up of three words.

For example:

The book is in front of the clock.

Read the sentences in the passage:

Shourab lives at Shahbag in Dhaka. He goes to college by car. Sometimes he goes on foot. He starts from home at 7.30 a.m. I go to college by rickshaw. I start early in the morning. There was a heavy rain yesterday and the roads went under water. So he was absent from college.

Find out the prepositions from the passage.

Uses of prepositions:

In:1.‡Kvb wKQzi g‡a¨ 2.eo ¯’v‡bi c~‡e© 3.‡ekx mg‡qi c~‡e© 4. FZy/gvm/mKvj/weKvj Gi c~‡e©,
He is in the room. Rahim lives in Canada.Bangladesh became free in 1971.I was there in Autumn.He will come in May. He goes to school in the morning. They came here in the evening.

At: 1.jÿ¨e¯‘i c~‡e© 2.‡QvU ¯’v‡bi c~‡e© 3. Aí mg‡qi c~‡e© 4.ivZ,eqm,`ycyi,AvPiY,
He threw a stone at me. He lives at Mirpur. He gets up at 7am. Rahim goes to the office at night.He went to the London at four/ the age of four.
They came here at noon. I was annoyed at his conduct.

On: 1.‡Kvb wKQzi Dci w¯’i Ae¯’v 2.w`b/Zvwi‡Li c~‡e© 3.‡iwWI, wUwf, KwgwU(m`m¨)
The book is on the table. He will come on Monday next. They will join the work on 28 July. I enjoyed the drama on the TV. He was the member on the committee.

Over: duvKv Ae¯’vq Dc‡i,
The fan is moving over my head.

Under: duvKv Ae¯’vq wb‡P,
The ball is under the table.

Above:GKB Z‡j Av‡M A‡_©,
The light is above the board.

Below: GKB Z‡j c‡i A‡_©,
The board  below the light.
By: ‡Kvb wKQzi cv‡k/hvbevn‡bi c~‡e©/cÖwZwbwai c~‡e©,
He sat by the fire. He came here by bus.The work was done by Rahim.

Beside : gvby‡li cv‡k,
He sat beside me.

Of : Gi ,
The legs of the chair are broken.

Off : wew”Qbœ A‡_©, Della cut off her hair.

For :R‡b¨,
 I waited for you.

From : n‡Z,
He came from Dhaka .

With: 1.h‡š¿i c~‡e© 2.Kv‡ivi cÖwZ/Dci |
We write with pen. He became angry with me.

Between: `yB‡qi g‡a¨,
Divide the apple between the two girls.

Among: A‡b‡Ki g‡a¨,
Divide the apple among the  girls.

Without: e¨vwZZ/Qvov,
We cannot live without air.

Within : ‡Kvb mg‡qi g‡a¨,
He will return within 7 days.

Into: MwZkxj Ae¯’vq cÖ‡ek/cZb,
The ball fell into the pond.

Beyond: evB‡i,
It is beyond by means to buy a car.

To: w`‡K / cÖwZ,
Marufa goes to school.

Towards : wbw`©ó w`‡K,
He ran towards me.

Through: ga¨ w`‡q,
He peeped through the window.

Across: AvovAvwofv‡e,
There is a dam across the river.

Along:eivei,
He walked along the river side.

Around: Pviw`‡K,
There was ice all around Musa Ibrahim.

About:cÖvq/m¤ú‡K©,
There were about 200 people.
I know nothing about the matter.

After: c‡i/wcQ‡b/AvKv•Lv/‡`Lvïbv,
He came here after me.
I ran after the thief.
I do not hanker after money.
He looks after her parents.

Behind: Avov‡j/ wcQ‡b,
Do not speak ill of others behind them.
There is a mango tree behind the kitchen.
More uses of prepositions:

At:

a)      They left home at dawn.

b)     I reached home at night.

c)      He is now at home.

d)     They came at noon.

Similarly –(at school, at the door, at a distance, at present, at war, at cinema etc.)

e)      He left school at 12.  (or, at the age of 12. Or at 12 years old)

f)       He was then ______ work.

g)      The examination is ______ hand (near).

h)     There is a beggar standing ______the door.

i)       He can see better ______a distance.

j)       I could not know him ______first sight.

k)     The train ran ______ full speed.

l)       He could not finish the work ______a setting.

m)   He sold the thing ______a loss.

n)     He bought the goods ______taka 200.

o)     Pure milk is dear ______present.

By:

a)      They travelled by boat/rail/car etc.

b)     He came by air/land/water.

c)      They work ______day or ______night.

d)     He sent a letter ______post or ______hand.

e)      We informed him ______letter or ______telephone.

f)       Eggs are sold ______the dozen.

g)      He sat______ me.

h)     We paid ______ cheque.

i)       He knows me ______ name.

j)       He is older than you ______ 5 years.

k)     It is four P.M ______my watch.

l)       We defeated them ______two goals to one.

m)   Can you finish the ______ tomorrow?

n)     The man died ______ accident.

o)     The teacher pulled him ______ the ear.

p)     I did it ______ mistake.

For:

a)      I am speaking for my class.

b)     She cried out ______fear.

c)      He was silent ______shame.

d)     We heard a cry ______for help.

e)      He ran away ______life.

f)       The house is ______sale.

g)      Hope ______the best, prepare ______the worst.

h)     Plant a new tree ______every tree you cut down.

i)       What is Dhaka famous ______?

j)       He did the job ______nothing.

k)     He was sent to prison ______stealing.

l)       They are the passengers ______Khulna.

m)   The girl is tall ______her age (enough tall compared with her age).

n)     In the desert ______miles and miles there is no house.

o)     He is not getting ready ______ school.

p)     They voted ______ him.

In:

a)      He is ______ danger.

b)     They dry fish ______the sun.

c)      I did this ______ his presence/ absence.

d)     I am ______ difficulty.

e)      His party was ______ power.

f)       We write ______black ink.

g)      Cut the apple ______two.

h)     He lived ______luxury.

i)       People ______general are ignorant of health rules.

j)       They were ______love.

k)     It is a novel ______three parts.

l)       Do you know the man ______white dress?

m)   The books were packed ______ bundles.

n)     You may pay the amount ______part.

o)     He was talking ______a loud voice.

p)     You should pay ______advance.

q)     He is young ______years but old ______wisdom.

r)      He will come ______September.

(in despair, in doubt, in wonder, in public, in secret, in private, in fun, in tears, in writing)

On:

a)      We met him on the road.

b)     He was ______the way to Mymensingh.

c)      Mahdi went there ______duty.

d)     Dhaka is ______the Buriganga.

e)      He lives ______a small income.

f)       He said this ______oath.

g)      This story is based ______fact.

h)     He fainted and fell ______to the floor.

i)       He retired ______a small pension.

j)       He bought the machine ______credit.

k)     His father bought a car ______hire.

l)       He came here ______business.

m)   This is payable ______ demand.

n)     He gave a lecture ______Shakespeare.

o)     There is a big home ______the main road.

p)     He is coming ______Monday.

q)     He is ______our committee.

To:

a)      When do you go to bed?

b)     He sang ______the harmonium.

c)      What is he ______you?

d)     He rose ______high rank.

e)      I was sitting with my feet ______the fire.

f)       This is ______my liking.

g)      He is a secretary ______the MD.

h)     Japan is ______the east of Bangladesh.

i)       Mother sang her baby ______sleep.

j)       It is a quarter ______six.

k)     Do not start until the lights change from red ______green.

l)       The fruit is sweet ______the taste.

m)   He tore the letter ______pieces.

n)     This picture is true ______life/ nature.

o)     It was ______ my advantage.

p)     The house was ______fire.

Under:

a)      He holds a post ______Government.

b)     I do not like to work ______him.

c)      The case is now ______trial.

d)     The criminal is ______sentence to death.

e)      The building is ______construction.

f)       India ______Mohgals was very prosperous.

g)      How long can you stay ______water?

h)     Your application is ______consideration.

i)       This is a road ______repair.

j)       The cat is ______the table.

k)     We passed ______many bridges.

l)       Fish move ______water.

m)   He is an officer ______the rank of captain.

n)     We found ten acres of land ______paddy.

o)     This is a matter ______discussion.

Above:

a)      We were flying ______the clouds.

b)     The sun rose ______the horizon.

c)      The temperature has been ______the average recently.

d)     It weighs ______or over ten tons.

e)      His conduct is always ______suspicion.

f)       The sky is ______the earth.

g)      A soldier should value honour ______life.

h)     Do not live ______your means.

i)       The applicants must be ______21 years of age.

j)       He is ______meanness and deceit.

k)     He now ______fifty.

l)       There is nothing in this shop ______tk. 200.

Over:

a)      Spread a cloth over the table.

b)     The birds flew ______my head.

c)      Tie a piece of cloth ______the top of the pitcher.

d)     He held an umbrella ______my head.

e)      We had a pleasant talk ______a cup of tea.

f)       They climbed ______a wall.

g)      The river is ______50 miles long.

h)     He spoke for ______an hour.

i)       The wires ______the streets are dangerous.

j)       Mr. khan is ______you in the office.

k)     He is famous all ______the world.

l)       He ruled ______a vast empire.

Against:

a)      Public opinion was ______this proposal.

b)     We were going ______the current.

c)      They voted ______him.

d)     He hit his head ______the wall.

e)      It is an injection ______rabies.

f)       Place the ladder ______the wall.

g)      He was leaning ______a pillar.

h)     The rain was beating ______the wall.

i)       She was married ______her will.

j)       Take precaution ______fire.

With:

a)      It is a coat ______two pockets.

b)     The hills are covered ______snow.

c)      A baby ______no clothes came here.

d)     We write ______ a pen.

e)      What’s your business ______?

f)       He was trembling ______fear.

g)      It is a habit ______with some people.

h)     Did you see it ______your own eyes?

i)       He was standing ______his hands in his pockets.

Notice:

Ø  In/ On/To ('in’ within a boundary, ‘on’ the boundary, ‘to’ away from the boundary)

a.       Bhaluka is in Mymensingh.

b.       The Garo Hills are on the north of Mymensingh.

c.       Japan is to the east of Bangladesh.

Ø  Since/ For ('since’ denotes a point of time & ‘For’ denotes period of time)

হতে/থেকে- since

যাবৎ/ধরে-for

They have been playing for two hours since morning.

Ø  In/After ( ‘in’ is used for future action & ‘after’ is used for past action)

They will return in a week.

He returned after a week.

Ø  In time/ On time (in time= not late, early enough, on time= on schedule, just time)

We reached the station in time.

The plane took off on time.

                                       

                                                   Exercise:

Fill in the gaps with prepositions from the box:

with

by

at

for

in

over

on

under

to

against

         i.            They reached the destination ______noon.

       ii.            The steamer was going ______current.

     iii.            Do you like tea ______sugar?

     iv.            A good teacher teaches ______example.

       v.            Is he now ______the room?

     vi.            The leader is speaking ______his people.

   vii.            The plan flew ______our house.

 viii.            There is nothing new ______the sun.

     ix.            When do you go ______bed?

       x.            Is Mr. Hossain a teacher ______the staff?