Bank Exams English Notes 2019 | Uses of Prepositions

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 to something else.

Kinds of Prepositions

1) Simple Prepositions : They are the simple words used as prepositions. 

For example, at, by, for, from, in, of, off,on, out, over, through, till, to, under, up, with.

2) Compound Prepositions : They are generally formed by prefixing a preposition (usually a = on or be = by) to a noun, an adjective or an adverb. 

For example,about, above, across, along, amidst, among, around, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, inside, outside, underneath, within, without.

3) Phrase Prepositions : When a group of words is used with the force of a single preposition, it is known as a phrase preposition.

For example, He succeeded in spite of obstacles.

4) Participial Prepositions: When the present participle of a verb acts as a preposition, it is known as a participle preposition.

For example, There have not been too many celebrations in recent times barring those happened after Diwali.

Rule: ‘In’ is used with names of countries and large towns; ‘at’ is more often used when speaking of small towns and villages.

Incorrect: He lives at Japan.

Correct: He lives in Japan.

Rule: ‘In and at’ are used in speaking of things at rest; ‘to and into’ are used in speaking of things in motion.

Incorrect : This week the song jumped at the top of the charts.

Correct: This week the song jumped to the top of the charts.

Rule: ‘Till’ is used for time and ‘to’ is used for place.

Incorrect: The office will remain open to six in the evening.

Correct: The office will remain open till six in the evening.

Rule: ‘With’ often denotes the instrument used by the agent.

Incorrect: The ball was hit by the bat.

Correct: The ball was hit with the bat.

Rule: Both ‘since and from’ are used before a noun denoting some point of time. However, while ‘since’ is preceded by a verb in the perfect tense, ‘from’ is used with the non-perfect tense.

Incorrect: India has been playing Test cricket from 1932.

Correct: India has been playing Test cricket since 1932.

Rule: While ‘since or from’ is used with a point of time, ‘for’ is used with a period of time.

Incorrect: The parcel has been lying here since 10 days.

Correct: The parcel has been lying here for 10 days.

Rule: ‘Beside’ means by the side of while ‘besides’ means in additions to.

Incorrect: He sat besides the chair.

Correct: He sat beside the chair.

Rule : ‘Between’ is used for only two things or persons while ‘among’ is used for more than two.

Incorrect: You have to choose among tea and coffee.

Correct: You have to choose between tea and coffee.

Rule: ‘Above and below’ merely denote position while ‘over and under’ also carry a sense of covering or movement.

Incorrect: The bird flew above the lake.

Correct: The bird flew over the lake.

Rule: ‘During’ is used when we are talking about the time within which something happens. ‘For’ is used when we are talking about how long something lasts.

Incorrect: There were few incidents of irregularity for the Emergency years.

Correct: There were few incidents of irregularity during the Emergency years.

Rule: The preposition “off” denotes “separation”, “at a distance from” or “far from” whereas the preposition “of” denotes cause, origin, quality, possession.

Incorrect: He put of his coat.

Correct: He put off his coat. (Separation)

Incorrect: He died off cancer.

Correct:He died of cancer. (Cause)

Rule: The word ‘compare’ is followed by ‘to’ when it shows that two things are alike. It is followed by ‘with’ when we look at the ways in which two things are like and unlike each other.

Incorrect: Sanath Jayasuriya’s batting may be compared with the sales of a useful book: they score fast right from the beginning.

Correct: Sanath Jayasuriya’s batting may be compared to the sales of a useful book: they score fast right from the beginning.

Rule : When we simply speak of a thing having got better, we talk of an improvement in it. When we compare two things, the second of which is better than the first, we talk of an improvement on the first thing.

Incorrect: There has been an improvement on the weather.

Correct: There has been an improvement in the weather.

Rule : ‘In’ means at the end of, while ‘within’ means before the end of, the said time duration.

Incorrect: We left at 5 o’clock expecting to come back in an hour and watch the 6 o’clock movie.

Correct: We left at 5 o’clock expecting to come back within an hour and watch the 6 o’clock movie.

1. The words “superior”, “inferior”, “senior”, “junior” etc. take the preposition “to” with them.

Incorrect: Ram is senior than Mohan.

Correct: Ram is senior to Mohan.

2. The words “prefer”, “preferable”, “preferred” also take the preposition “to” with them.

Incorrect: I prefer tea than coffee.

Correct: I prefer tea to coffee.

3. The words “Inspite of” and “despite” share the same meaning. The only difference is that ‘’inspite” takes the preposition “of” whereas ‘despite’ does not take any preposition.

Incorrect: Despite of bad weather, he went to school.

Correct: Despite bad weather, he went to school.

In the same way, the word “consist” takes the preposition “of” whereas “comprise” does not take any preposition.

Incorrect: The classroom comprises of twenty students.

Correct: The classroom comprises twenty students.

• Subject-Verb Agreement: English Language Notes for Bank and Other Competitive Exams
• Prepositions: English Language Notes for Bank and Other Competitive Exams (Download PDF)
• Conjunctions: English Language Notes for Bank and Other Competitive Exams (Download PDF)