AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
KINDS OF PREPOSITION
(4) Double Prepositions
Preposition are of different kinds.
Double Prepositions include from behind, from beyond,
(1) Simple Prepositions from within etc. where, often two prepositions are used
Simple Prepositions include at, by, for, from, in, on, of, with the same object.
off, to, through, up, with, out, till, etc. For example,
Of these, at, by, with, in and on are used after verbs indi- The mischief was done from behind the screen.
cating rest in a place.
The news came from beyond the Atlantic.
For example,
Somebody shouted from within the room.
Moni is at Darjeeling.
I sat by John. (5) Disguised Prepositions
I was in the garden. Disguised Prepositions include ahunting, ashore (a =
The keys were with me. on), o"clock (o" = of), once a week, two rupees a day (a =
The book was on the table. on)
To, from, of, through and up are used after verbs indi- For example,
cating motion. We jumped overboard at 3 o" clock and swam ashore.
For example, (6) Detached Prepositions
I went to London. Detached Prepositions are those which are far removed
Tom came from his house. from their objects.
You came of a high family. For example,
We went through the field. Whom did you speak to?
Jack and Jill went up the hill. (7) Phrasal Prepositions
Let us start for school. Phrasal Preposition or Phrase Prepositions are the
(2) Compound Prepositions groups of words which are used with the force of a single
Compound Prepositions include above, across, along, preposition.
amidst, around, about, among, amongst, before, behind, be- For example,
low, beneath, beside, between, beyond, into, inside, out- Jack succeeded by means of hard labour.
side, undereath, within, without, etc.
Compound Prepositions are generally formed by pre-
̄
fixing preposition to a Noun, Adjective or an Adverb. by
For example, James failed on account of his negligence.
above = on + by + up ̄
across = on + cross for
into = in + to The object to a Preposition may also be a Descriptive
adverb, an Adverbial phrase or a Noun clause.
(3) Participial Prepositions (a) Adverbs as objects to a Preposition
Participial Prepositions include barring, concerning, con- John is by for the best boy of his class.
sidering, during, expecting, judging, notwithstanding, regard-
He will have reached home by then.
ing, respecting etc. are the present participles of verbs.
These participles have acquired the character of preposi- Much might happen between now and then.
tions, no longer needing the prop of a noun to cling to. He left at once to come back before now.
For example, From here to there is a long distance.
Barring accident, the mail will arrive in time. (b) Adverbial phrases as objects to a Preposition
̄ The ship suddenly came to view from beyond the
expecting, horizon.
apart from. He did not reach till long after midnight.
Concerning yesterday"s murder, many persons were (c) Noun clauses as objects to a Preposition
̄ arrested. He informed me of what had happened there.
about It depends on whether you can go or not.
Considering the quality, the price is too high. A list of Phrasal Prepositions
̄ according to agreeably to
taking into account along with away from
Notwithstanding the resistance offered by him, he because of by dint of
̄ was arrested. by means of by reason of
in spite of by virtue of by way of
Touching this matter, I have not as yet made up my conformably to for the sake of
̄ mind. in accordance with in addition to
with regard to in (on) behalf of in case of
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