Proper Use of a prepositon

Question

I have looked around your site and have not found the exact
answer I have been looking for.

What are the rules of use for a preposition?
Also if possible, what are incorrect uses of one?

I thank you in advance for any help you all
can provide for me

Adieu,
Derek

Whl626 · Accepted Answer

Preposition is a pain in the neck for many leaners <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/4.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/4.gif' alt='Emotion: stick out tongue'/>. Experience plays an important role in determining which preposition is more appropriate in a sentence.

EnglishFanatic · Answer

Question about prepositon.

At that time I was doing something.
In that time I was doing something.
That time I was doing something.

Which one is correct? If several correct how they are different?
Thanks a lot for your response.

Andei.

Rommie · Answer

USUALLY...

A preposition is a single word which precedes a noun or noun-phrase. The resulting phrase is an adverb-phrase. For example:

"the table" = noun phrase
"ON the the table" = adverb phrase
"The book is on the table" = sentence, in which the adverb phrase "on the table" modifies "to be".

This rule is not universal, however. Some prepositions take things other than nouns. For example, the two-word preposition "in order" takes an infinitive verb.

"to listen" = infinitive verb phrase
"IN ORDER to listen" = adverb phrase
"I go there in order to listen" = sentence, in which the adverb phrase "in order to listen" modifies "to go".

(In olden days we would have said "for" where nowadays we say "in order).

The most common form of incorrect usage is choosing the wrong preposition.

Rommie

Rommie · Answer

"At that time" means "at a particular MOMENT" - say, for example, ten past three on Sunday afternoon.

"In that time" means "within a given INTERVAL" - say, the interval while you were at work yesterday.

Both of the above are adverb phrases, because the preposition converts the noun phrase "that time" into an adverb.

In your third example, you dropped the preposition. This is a sensible thing to do if you know that the listener will be able to mentally re-insert it. This in turn implies that you should only drop a preposition if you are sure that the listener will be in no doubt as to WHICH preposition to re-insert. Had I heard this example in real life, I would probably assume that the dropped preposition was "At" -- HOWEVER, English relies quite a lot on word order, and it would be UNUSUAL (though not forbidden) to do this sort of thing at the very start of a sentence. I would have reworded that as "I was doing something that time".

Incidently, the phrase "at that time" is used by people who are trying to sound pompous. The rest of us just say "then".

Rommie

Anonymous · Answer

As soon as possible can you inform me about the different use of Preposition..

thanks!!!!

Anonymous · Answer

0 please tell me the difination of preposition 0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi,02br
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00Have you looked up the definition in your dictionary? 02br
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00Best wishes, Clive 0-

Anonymous · Answer

0 to pass in any examination, all you have to use is your instincts to determine whether your sentence is correct.. 0-

Proper Use of a prepositon

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