In English, prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They indicate location, direction, time, manner, and other relationships. Prepositions are usually short words, and they often convey the idea of where something is, when something happened, or how something is done.
1. Verb + Preposition:
- Many verbs are followed by specific prepositions based on the meaning they convey.
- Examples: care about, complain about, hear about, know about, talk about, warn about, wonder about, write about, aim at, fire at, laugh at, look at, point at, shout at, yell at, choose between, decide between, differentiate between, distinguish between, apply for, forgive for, depend on, insist on, rely on, speak to, stay with, go out with, play with.
2. Adjective + Preposition:
- Adjectives are often followed by specific prepositions based on their meaning.
- Examples: worried about, skilled at, surprised at, good at, responsible for, disappointed in, frightened of, aware of, kind to, cruel to, generous of, good of, polite to.
3. Noun + Preposition:
- Certain nouns are followed by specific prepositions based on their meaning.
- Examples: information about, need for, reputation for, experience in, increase in, knowledge of, influence on, experience with.
4. Prepositional Phrases: by, in, at, on, of:
- These prepositions are used in various contexts for different meanings:
- by: passive voice, how something is done, transport, chance
- in: expressions of emotions, private matters, contact, debt, danger, quantity expressions
- at: expressions of location, expressions of time (at first, at the end)
- on: purpose, reason for being somewhere (on holiday, on business), expressions of quantity
These rules help determine the appropriate prepositions to use in different contexts based on the verbs, adjectives, nouns, and prepositional phrases.