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NOTE:
One can give thousands of examples. There is no grammatical rule to describe
why a particular preposition is used along with a particular word to convey a
particular meaning.
These combinations have come out of mere conventions and usages.
You would yourself be using such phrases in your writings and speeches without
your even being aware of them.
There are two ways, a preposition can be used.
The first is as in the following phrases:
Examples:
1. On the table
2. In the year
3. With his friend
4. From the village
5. At the post office
6. Between the books
7. Underneath the tables
In sentences such as mentioned above, the preposition is written before
the noun that governs it.
That is why it is called pre-position.
Few prepositions are in the forms of two-words, three-words, four-words.
According to, in addition to,
The second way in which a preposition is used is after a verb, adjective or
adverb.
Few are followed by or preceded by a certain words to provide a fixed meaning.
Examples:
1. Go after
2. Endow with
3. Participate in
4. Divide into
5. Confine to
6. Abstain from
7. Conform to
8. Affection for
9. Pity towards
10. Alliance with
11. Acquaintance with
12. Distrust of
13. Result of
14. Access to
15. Opposition to
16. Incidental to
17. Deficient in
18. Acquainted with
19. Delighted with
20. Accused of
21. Fond of
22. Anxious about
23. Grateful for
24. Tantamount to
'In', 'at', and 'on' have similar meanings, but there are conventions about their
usages.
IN is used before large places such as a country, state or city.
Examples:
1. In India
2. In Texas
3. In New York
ON is used before middle sized places such as a road, train, plane, ship etc
Examples:
1. On Mount road
2. On Parliament road
3. On the East coast
AT is used to denote an exact spot.
Examples:
1. At the door
2. At 7 Oclock
IN is also used to denote a very small place
I was staying in a room at Door No.43 on Anderson Street in Boston on East
Examples:
1. At dawn
2. In the morning
3. At noon
4. In the afternoon
5. At dusk
6. At night
The preposition between must be used when referring to two things or
persons.
Examples:
1. The problem between Jack and Jill was solved by their parents.
2. This train is playing between New York and Chicago.
When more than two things or persons are involved, the correct preposition to
be used is among.
Examples:
1. Among all the students in this class, John is the most intelligent.
2. He dose not show partiality among his three children
3. There is not a good understanding among the Parliamentarians of the ruling
party.
Examples:
1. Buttercups are avoided by the grazing animals because of the bitter juices.
2. By the time Columbus arrived at America in 1492, other Europeans had
already reached the New York.
3. In times of war, people must take precautions against not only actual violence
but also acts of sabotage.
4. Between Stephen and his sister, the latter is the taller one.
5. Despite the road block, the police allowed us to enter the restricted area to
search for our friends.