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Perfect Stranger Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Grammar question no. 37 - are they adverbs or prepositions?

Howdy,

I'm reading about prepositions of place and I'm a bit surprised because the book I'm reading lists the following lexical items as adverbs and adverbs in phrase form:
  • inside
  • here
  • there
  • underground
  • at home
  • over there
Now, the thing is that the word inside seems to be a preosition, not an adverb... What about up or down or in and out? Are they prepositions or adverbs? There and here sound to me like demonstrative pronouns...

What do you think about it?

Thanks
  

Top answer

It depends on context. Life has its ups and downs . - noun I tried to up the price.

— Fivejedjon

  • It depends on context.
  • Life has its ups and downs .
  • - noun I tried to up the price.
  • - verb I'm waiting for the up train.
  • -adjective He looked up .
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15 Answers
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It depends on context.

Life has its ups and downs. - noun
I tried to up the price. - verb
I'm waiting for the up train. -adjective
He looked up. - adverb
He ran up the hill. - preposition
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fivejedjonHe looked up. - adverbHe ran up the hill. - preposition
Thanks Fivejedjon. How can I make sure whether up is a prepiosition or an adverb?

What about inside?
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Only context can tell.
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fivejedjonOnly context can tell.
So inside can be both an adverb an a preposition?
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It can function as both an adverb and a preposition.
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Thanks Fivejedjon. One final thought.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs so...

She went indside ---> we have an adverb of place here, don't we?

She is inside ---> the same?

I can't think of a sentence where inside would be a preposition though...
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Perfect StrangerI can't think of a sentence where inside would be a preposition though...
Let me give you the inside story on the royal birth.
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I'm sorry but I'm utterly confused. I think I need further explanation.

What's the role of the preposition of place? To describe sb's or sth's position.
What's the role of an adverb then?
fivejedjonLet me give you the inside story on the royal birth.
And here inside looks like an adjevtive...
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Perfect StrangerAnd here inside looks like an adjevtive...
It is functioning as an adjective in that sentence.
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fivejedjonIt is functioning as an adjective in that sentence.
OMG! So a preposition can be an adjective at the same time? Grammar leaves me speechless...
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