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                 SIMPLE PREPOSITION

The use of a simple preposition often confuses the students. Hence they make errors while applying them in sentences. In this lesson, I shall give a list of their correct usages.

SIMPLE PREPOSITION BESIDE and BESIDES

Beside means by the side of and Besides means in addition to.

Incorrect : There is a bank besides our house.

Correct : There is a bank beside our house.

SIMPLE PREPOSITION

Incorrect: I sat besides Nitin.

Correct: I sat beside Nitin.

Incorrect: Beside pop music, she takes interest in classical dance.

Correct: Besides pop music, she takes interest in classical dance.

Incorrect : Beside English and Bengali, I can speak French.

Correct : Besides English and Bengali, I can speak French.

Incorrect : Beside teaching, I enjoy writing books.

Correct : Besides teaching, I enjoy writing books.

• BETWEEN and AMONG

We use the simple preposition Between to refer to two persons or things and we use Among to refer to more than two persons or things.

 

Incorrect : Misunderstandings have taken place among  the two sisters.

Correct : Misunderstandings have taken place between the two sisters.

Incorrect : A great deal of enmity was developed among the two nations.

Correct : A great deal of enmity was developed between the two nations.

Incorrect : I found a lot of differences among the wife and husband.

Correct : I found a lot of differences between the wife and husband.

Incorrect : There were frequent quarrels between the four brothers.

Correct : There were frequent quarrels among the four brothers.

Incorrect : There was non-cooperation between the party leaders.

Correct : There was non-cooperation among the party leaders.

Incorrect : They quarreled between themselves.

Correct : They quarreled among themselves.

 SINCE and FOR

Since indicates a particular point of time and For indicates a period of time.

Incorrect : We have been working for morning.

Correct : We have been working since morning.

Incorrect : My father has been in hospital for Wednesday.

Correct : My father has been in hospital since Wednesday.

Incorrect : It has been raining for previous week.

Correct : It has been raining since previous week.

Incorrect : We have been waiting for the bus since three hours.

Correct : We have been waiting for the bus for three hours.

Incorrect : She has been staying in Hyderabad since five years.

Correct : She has been staying in Hyderabad for five years.

Incorrect : I have been a lecturer in the college since six years.

Correct : I have been a lecturer in the college for six years.

• BETWEEN and AND

We must use the simple preposition Between and And together but not Between and To.

Incorrect : The meeting will take place between 6 to 8 p.m.

Correct : The meeting will take place between 6 and 8 p.m.

Incorrect : The board will hold the examinations between 15^th March to 30^th March.

Correct : The board will hold the examinations between 15^th March and 30^th March.

• SIMPLE PREPOSITION BY and WITH

We use By to refer to the Agent and we use With to refer to the Instrument.

 

Incorrect : They were killed with terrorists.

Correct : They were killed by terrorists.

Incorrect : He was killed by a revolver.

Correct : He was killed with a revolver.

Incorrect : The elephant was trapped with the hunters.

Correct : The elephant was trapped by the hunters.

Incorrect : He was murdered by an axe.

Correct : He was murdered with an axe.

• IN and AT

We use Simple Preposition In to refer to large and significant places, countries, districts, cities, and we use At to refer to small or insignificant places such as villages and small towns.

 

Incorrect : She was born in Araku Valley at Vishakapatnam.

Correct : She was born at Araku Valley in Vishakapatnam.

Incorrect : He lives in Krishnanagar at West Bengal.

Correct : He lives at Krishnanagar in West Bengal.

Incorrect : Shajahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra in New Delhi.

Correct : Shajahan built the Taj Mahal at Agra in New Delhi.

• SIMPLE PREPOSITION IN and INTO

We use In to refer to things at rest and we use Into to refer to things in motion.

Incorrect : She is  into the room.

Correct : She is in the room.

Incorrect : She went in the theatre.

Correct : She went into the theatre.

Incorrect : He jumped in the water.

Correct : He jumped into the water.

Incorrect : They are into the waiting room.

Correct : They are in the waiting room.

• ON and UPON

We use Simple Preposition On to refer to things at rest and we use Upon to refer to things in motion.

 

Incorrect : She sat upon a chair.

Correct : She sat on a chair.

Incorrect : The tiger sprang on the deer.

Correct : The tiger sprang upon the deer.

• SIMPLE PREPOSITION IN and WITHIN

In means at the end of a particular period and Within means before the end of a particular period.

Incorrect : We will sign the agreement within three days.

Correct : We will sign the agreement in three days.

Incorrect : We will deliver the goods in five weeks.

Correct : We will deliver the foods within five weeks.

Incorrect : I shall be back within a month.

Correct : I shall be back in a month.

Incorrect : You must return my money in two years.

Correct : You must return my money within two years.

• SIMPLE PREPOSITION AT and ON

We use  At  to indicate the exact point of time and we use On for a general point of time.

Incorrect : She will be here on five o’clock.

Correct : She will be here at five o’clock.

Incorrect : We usually have our lunch on two o’clock.

Correct : We usually have our lunch at two o’clock.

Incorrect: He returns from Delhi at Monday.

Correct: He returns from Delhi on Monday.

Incorrect: We shall begin the work at April 20^th.

Correct: We shall begin the work on April 20^th.

• SIMPLE PREPOSITION IN and BY

We use In for a period of time and we use By to indicate the completion of work at some point in time.

 

Incorrect: I met Ananya by the morningb

Correct: I met Ananya in the morning.

 

Incorrect: I shall type the letter by three hours.

Correct: I shall type the letter in three hours.

 

Incorrect: He will marry her in next July.

Correct: He will marry her by next July.

Incorrect: I shall complete my diploma in next year.

Correct: I shall complete my diploma by next t year.

Incorrect: We shall go to Kashmir by the summer.

Correct: We shall go to Kashmir in the summer.

Incorrect: They will finish the work by two weeks.

Correct: They will finish the work in two weeks.

Incorrect: They will publish my book in December.

Correct: They will publish my book by December.