Prepositions for Class 5

What are Prepositions?

A preposition is a word that is used in sentences to illustrate the relationship that nouns, pronouns or phrases have with other components of the sentence. Prepositions are usually found at the end of a sentence but before a noun or pronoun.
In, on, under, above, beside, behind, between, among, near, with, etc are some common prepositions. These prepositions are necessary for comprehending and correctly creating sentences in English.

Uses of Prepositions

In English grammar, prepositions play a vital role as these are words that show the link between other words in a sentence. They frequently represent the position or direction of something with respect to another. Let’s look into the uses of prepositions:

1. Prepositions are used to show where something is located.
2. Prepositions are used to indicate when something happens.
3. Prepositions are used to show the direction of movement.
4. Prepositions are used to indicate ownership or possession.
5. Prepositions are used in comparisons.
6. Prepositions are used to show the cause or reason for something.
7. Prepositions are used to indicate the agent responsible for an action.
8. Prepositions are used to express a condition or state. 

Types of Prepositions

1. Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions are words in a phrase that show the link between location or direction. They are simple words that assist us to grasp where we are or how one object is related to another. Here are some examples of simple prepositions:

1. Stacy lives in a penthouse.
2. The painting is hanging on the wall.
3. The ball is under the bed.
4. That fan is above my desk.
5. What would you choose between peanut butter or mayonnaise?
6. My car is parked outside the bank.

2. Compound Prepositions

Compound prepositions are made up of two or more words. They are employed in sentences to indicate the link between objects or persons. Here are some examples of compound prepositions:

1. He stood in front of the class to give his presentation.
2. Jack likes to sit next to my best friend in class.
3. The notebook is behind the vase on the shelf.
4. The birthday cake has candles on top of it.
5. The park is near to my house, so we can play there.

3. Phrase Prepositions

Phrasal prepositions are word combinations that function as a single preposition in a sentence to demonstrate the link between two items. They are made up of a preposition (a word that explains how one word is related to another) and one or more other words. Here are some phrasal prepositions:

1. The spider built its cobweb in the corner of the ceiling.
2. The cake had a cherry in the centre of the icing.
3. She walked across the bridge to get to the other side.
4. The keys are under the mat.
5. They went on a vacation to the beautiful island.

Commonly Confused Prepositions

Prepositions can be difficult to understand, therefore here is a list of a few prepositions that are frequently misunderstood.

1. In vs. On

In - We use "in" when something is enclosed or inside a space. For example, The dog is in the house.

On - We use "on" when something is on a surface. For example, The pen is on the table.

2. At vs. On

At - We use "at" to specify a specific location or point in time. For example, We will meet at the cafe.

On - We use "on" to specify days and dates. For example, We are trekking on the hills.

3. Under vs. Below

Under - We use "under" when something is covered or beneath another object. For example, My cat is hiding under the bed.

Below - We use "below" to describe something lower in position but not necessarily covered. For example, The fish swim below the surface of the water.

4. Between vs. Among

Between - We use "between" when referring to two things or people. For example, The ball is between John and Sarah.

Among - We use "among" when referring to more than two things or people. For example, Share the pastry among the three of you.

5. Beside vs. Besides

Beside - We use "beside" to indicate physical proximity or being next to something. For example, I sat beside my best friend in class.

Besides - We use "besides" to mean in addition to or as well as. For example, Besides pizza, they also serve pasta at the restaurant.