Prepositions in English are a service part of speech. They reflect temporal, spatial, causal or other types of relationships between two significant words. In Russian, cases are used for these purposes, while in English, word order and prepositions are used to construct constructions. You should study the rules for using prepositions in English in order to correctly compose sentences.

All English prepositions can be divided into:

• Simple or simple;
• Compound or complex;
• Derived or production;
• Composite or composite.

The vast majority of prepositions have the Simple form. These include, for example, against (against, with, on, to, under), the preposition in (in, for, by, on, with), about (about, about, on, about, about).

Compound includes several components. These include whereupon (after which, as a result of which), within (in, inside).

Derived come from words of other parts of speech. These include, for example, concerning (about, on).

Composite uses when forming phrases. They consist of a word from another part of speech and one or two prepositions. These include, for example, because of (due to), with regard to (in relation). Any element of a compound preposition cannot be shortened or expanded - it is a single whole unit. The meaning of Composite is directly dependent on the significant word included in its composition.

Adverbs and prepositions in English

Some English prepositions have the same spelling as adverbs. They can be distinguished from each other only by the role they play in the design. Adverbs carry their own meaning and in some cases define the verb. In addition, adverbs, as a rule, receive logical stress. Prepositions only reflect the relationships between significant parts of speech.

To better understand the difference, consider an example:

The guests were led above. – The guests were taken upstairs. In this case, above is an adverb, since it has its own meaning and answers the question “where?”

There is only clear sky above me. “Above me there is only clear sky.” In this case, we will use above as a preposition, since it expresses the spatial relationship between 2 words.

Grammatical meaning

As mentioned above, English uses prepositions instead of cases. In this case, they are not translated, and the noun to which the preposition refers is placed in the required case.

Preposition of– corresponds to the genitive case (“whom? what?”). For example, This is the hat of Mr. Brown. - This is Mr. Brown's hat.

Preposition to– corresponds to the dative case (“to whom? to what?”). For example, You should give such a difficult task to a more experienced specialist. – You should give such a complex task to a more experienced specialist.

Preposition by answers the questions “by whom? how?". This is the active instrumental case. Nouns that are used in conjunction with this preposition are used to describe an actor or force that performs actions. For example, This book is written by a famous journalist. — This book was written by a famous journalist.

Preposition with answers the question “with what?”. This is the instrumental instrumental case. The noun with which this preposition is used characterizes the instrument of action. For example, Such toys are cut with a knife. – Such toys are cut out with a knife.

Preposition about– corresponds to the prepositional case (“about whom? about what?”). For example, Anna likes stories about spies. – Anna likes stories about spies.

The semantic meaning of prepositions

Some prepositions of the English language have several meanings, these include the prepositions in, to, at. And others, on the contrary, have only one, for example, till, among.

However, the same verbs in combination with different prepositions also have different meanings. For example, let's take the preposition to before verbs in English: to look for – “to search” and to look after – “to look after”.

Prepositions can have the following meanings, presented in the table below:

Used values	Design in English	Translation
Attitude of isolation	to tell something from something	distinguish something from something
The meaning of the course of action	in a positive way	Optimistic
Similarity relationship	You are like me.	You look like me.
Goals	I did it just for entertainment.	I did this just for fun.
The meaning of relativity	He is very smart for a kid.	He is very smart for a child.
Temporary relationship	after sunrise	after dawn
Relationship relationship	to take part in the contest	to take part in the competition
Causal relationships	dislike someone for being a coward	not loving someone because of their cowardice
Attitude to the field of activity	But I sing terrible!!	But I sing terribly!
Spatial relationships, including the meaning of movement	up the stream	upstream
Object relation (what the action is directed towards)	shout at somebody	yell at someone
Meaning of concession	in spite of bad weather	despite the bad weather
Origin, material	A table made of glass.	Glass table.
Relations corresponding to the instrumental case in Russian. A noun with the preposition by is used to describe an actor or force, with a preposition with - an instrument of action	Such kind of painting must be executed with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers.	This type of painting is done with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers.
The meaning of belonging or being part of something	a decline in sales	decline in sales
Definition value	people under threat	people are under threat

Where should the preposition appear in the sentence?

Typically, a preposition that expresses the relationship between 2 words comes between them.

For example: He plans to return in October. – He plans to return in October.

If there are one or more adjectives, a preposition is placed before them. This is the basic rule for how adjectives and prepositions are used:

For example: She is sitting under a big old apple tree. “She’s sitting under a big old apple tree.”

However, there are exceptions to this rule:

• Special questions when the preposition is at the end of the sentence. For example, Who am I supposed to send it to? - Who should I send this to? But some people want to put a preposition before a question word. This is necessary to give the design a more official sound. For example, To whom am I supposed to send it? – Who should I send this to? Both options are composed correctly.
• In subordinate clauses with prepositions and in sentences that begin with relative and conjunctive pronouns. For example, What I’m really surprised about is this nasty weather. – What I'm really surprised about is this terrible weather.
• In passive designs. For example, This problem must be taken care of. – This problem needs to be solved.
• In exclamatory sentences. For example, What a terrible thing to brag about! -What a terrible thing to show off!
• In some constructions with a gerudium or an infinitive. For example, He is impossible to work with. “It’s impossible to work with him.” It's a too noisy place to live in. “This is too noisy a place to live.”

Prepositions in English are quite easy to remember, and the rules of use are clear to everyone.

Common prepositions and how they are used

Below we will look at the most common prepositions and in what meaning they should be used.

The first meaning of the preposition is place. For example, Jack is at school now. Jack is at school now.

The preposition at, used in English, can have the meaning of time. For example, We will be back at 5 p.m. – We will be back at 5 pm.

The preposition on can be used to indicate place. For example, I love fresh snow on the ground. – I love fresh snow on the ground.

Used to indicate time. For example, They forecast sunny weather on Tuesday. – Sunny weather is predicted for Tuesday.

And also for on in English they are used to indicate the scope of activity. For example, After a short speech on modern ecology problems Mr. Litz answered several questions. – After a short speech on the topic of modern environmental problems, Mr. Litz answered several questions.

Belongs to the group “prepositions of place”. For example, I saw the remote in my room. – I saw the TV remote control in my room.

The preposition can also mean geographical location, but unlike at, which means a point on a map, in in English is used when talking about a large area with houses and streets.

For comparison:

We had a change of plane at Budapest on our way to Roma. – On the way to Rome we had a transfer in Budapest.

Pete lives in New York. – Pete lives in New York.

It is advisable to use these prepositions in English to indicate time. It is worth noting that in means a somewhat extended time period. For example, Gorky park is so beautiful in October. – Gorky Park is so beautiful in October. Here it is worth drawing a parallel with at, denoting a specific point in time. For example, We leave at 6 o’clock. – We leave at 6 o’clock.

The use of this preposition is advisable when it is necessary to indicate the topic of conversation. For example, I would like to tell you about the harm of smoking. – I would like to tell you about the dangers of smoking.

And also to indicate the direction or place where you should move. For example: Walk about the square and meet me in 10 minutes. – Walk around the square and meet me in 10 minutes.

If a rough estimate is given, this preposition is also used. For example, It must be about 2 o’clock. It should be about 2 o'clock now.

This preposition conveys the meaning “above or above.” For example, Our neighbor above is so loud. “Our upstairs neighbor is so loud.”

Its second meaning is “more than and above.” For example, Above 2000 visitors took part in the expo. – More than 2,000 visitors took part in the exhibition.

This preposition is the opposite of Above and means “below, under.” For example, I love flying on airplanes and seeing only clouds below me. – I love flying on airplanes and seeing only clouds below me.

The preposition is used when talking about time in the sense of “after.” For example, After we finish packing the furniture it must be loaded on the truck. “After we finish packing the furniture, it will need to be loaded onto the truck.

It also belongs to the group of “prepositions of place” and is used in the meaning “behind something or someone.” For example, Don’t run, the dogs will run after us. “Don’t run, otherwise the dogs will run after us.”

The preposition is the antonym of After and serves to indicate time in English in the sense of “before, before”, for example, You must tell me a tale before I go to sleep. - Before I go to bed, you must tell me a story. And also to indicate a place in the meaning of “before”, for example, You keep stopping before each shop window. – You always stop in front of every shop window.

A preposition that corresponds to an active force or person. In other words, it plays the role of the agentive instrumental case in the Russian language. For example, This violin was made by a famous master. – This violin was made by a famous master.

It can mean a period after which some action must be performed. For example, The plane will land by midnight. — The plane will land before midnight.

The preposition is also used when talking about a way or means of doing some work. For example, I’ve started my business by selling oranges. – I started my business selling oranges.

In addition, the preposition can mean place in the sense of “near, at, near.” For example, I know a lovely place by the lake nearby. I know a wonderful place near a lake nearby.

The preposition for is used to mean “for” when talking about any goal. For example, We’ve decorated the room for your return! – We decorated the room for your return!

Used when talking about compensation or price. For example, You did not even thank us for all our help. – You didn’t even thank us for all our help. You must pay for the dinner in Euros. – You must pay for lunch in euros.

A preposition is used when talking about a reason. For example, You were fired for always coming late. – You were fired for constantly being late.

When they talk about time in the sense of “during.” For example, I was on vacation for the last 2 weeks. - I spent the last 2 weeks on vacation.

A preposition is used when talking about an object in whose favor a certain action was performed. For example, I voted for another candidate. – I voted for another candidate.

This preposition belongs to a group called “prepositions of movement in English”. It is used when talking about the direction of action in the sense of “from whom or from where.” For example, I did not hear from him for 8 years. – I haven’t heard anything about him for the last 8 years.

It is also possible to use this preposition when we are talking about the starting moment of performing an action. For example, This bank is working from 10 to 16. – This bank is open from 10 to 16 hours.

This preposition acts as the genitive case and answers the questions “whom?” what?" and is not translated into Russian. For example, This is the dictionary of our teacher. – This is our teacher’s dictionary.

In addition, a preposition can highlight one object from a group. For example, One of your children has broken my window. - One of your children broke my window.

It is also suitable for use when talking about materials. For example, Such huts are made of clay. “Such huts are built from clay.

This preposition corresponds to the dative case in Russian and can mean direction. For example, Throw the ball to me! - Throw me the ball!

We have looked at the rules and use of basic English prepositions. To consolidate the material, you should independently compose several sentences with each preposition. In this way, you can learn to accurately use and place prepositions.

Pretext- this is an auxiliary part of speech that reflects spatial, temporal, causal or other types of relationships between two significant words.

In Russian, such relationships are often expressed using cases, but in English, cases are rudimentary and prepositions and word order are most often used to construct sentences.

Prepositions in English are a service part of speech and, as a result, cannot be used independently or changed. Prepositions are not considered parts of a sentence.

Although they are traditionally considered a separate part of speech, prepositions are often very close in meaning to adverbs and conjunctions.

Forms of English prepositions

English prepositions are divided into simple (simple), derived (derived), complex (compound) and composite/phrasal (composite/phrasal).

Simple The overwhelming majority of English prepositions have the following form:

At - at, near, in, on

In - in, on, for, through

About - about, around, at, by

Against- against, facing towards, on

Before - before, earlier, before

Derivatives prepositions come from words of other parts of speech:

Concerning- regarding, regarding

Including - including, including

Depending - depending

Granted - provided that

Complex prepositions include several components:

Composite or phrasal English prepositions represent a phrase. They include a word from another part of speech and one or two prepositions:

Because of - because of

Instead of - instead

By virtue of - in force, on the basis

For the sake of - for the sake of

With regard to - relatively, in relation to

Moreover, none of the elements of a compound preposition can be expanded, shortened or changed in any other way - they all remain a whole unit.

The meaning of a compound preposition is closely related to the meaning of the significant word in its composition.

Differences in the use of English prepositions with the Russian language

Some verbs that require a preposition in English are used without it in Russian, and vice versa:

To ask for- ask

To wait for- wait

To look for- search

To listen to- listen

To belong to- belong

To care for- be in love

To explain to- explain

To answer - answer on

To climb - get up on

To cross - go over through

To doubt - doubt V

To enter - enter V

To fight - fight With

To follow - follow behind

To join - join To

To leave - leave from

To need - to need V

To play - play V

To affect - influence on

How to distinguish a preposition from an adverb

Some English prepositions have the same spelling as adverbs, and they can only be distinguished by their role in the sentence. Prepositions in English only reflect the relationships between significant parts of speech. Adverbs carry their own meaning and can define a verb. In addition, they usually receive logical emphasis.

This lesson will cover in detail the topic: Using the preposition of to express the genitive case in English.

Theoretical part.

In Russian, in order to express certain relationships between words in a sentence, we use cases. Very often in speech we use the genitive case. To use it in English, you need to use the preposition of.

You can use this preposition with nouns that denote both animate and inanimate objects.

Example:
the roof of that building – the roof of that building.
the wall of the room – the wall of the room.

As you can see, the preposition of comes before a noun with all its determiners.
The theoretical part of this lesson is short and ends here. To make it easier to understand the topic, carefully study the practical part.

Practical part

1) Let's study the lyrics of the song by the German disco group Boney-M - Rasputin (Rasputin).

…He could preach the Bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire…
Translation:
... He could read the Bible like a real preacher
He was full of ecstasy and fire.
But he was also one of those teachers
Which many women desire...

In this example, pay attention to the second line. Full of ecstasy and fire - full of ecstasy and fire. Full (of what?) – genitive case.

2) Consider the lyrics of the song by American musician Ben Moody - Wishing Well.

…Enforce the years of hatred
For everything I know to be
The part of me…
Translation:
...All the years of hatred
For everything I know they will be forced
Be a part of me...

In this example, the preposition of is contained in the third line. The part of me - part (who?) of me.

3) Let’s turn to the words of the song by the American hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas - Don’t Lie.

… I admit that I have been a little immature
Fucking with your heart like I was the predator
In my book of lies I was the editor
And the author...
Translation:
...I agree that I was a little inexperienced
And played with your heart like a predator
In my book of lies I was the editor
And by the author...

In this example, the preposition of is contained in the third line: In my book of lies - in my book of (what?) lies.

4) Let's study the lyrics of the song by the German group Helloween - I Want Out (I want to break out).

…There’s a million ways to see the things in life
A million ways to be the fool
In the end of it, none of us is right
Sometimes we need to be alone…
Translation:
…There are many ways to perceive things in life
Many ways to be stupid
At the end of this, none of us will be right
Sometimes we need to be alone...

In this example, the preposition of is contained in the combination In the end of it - at the end (of what?) of this.

5) The last example is based on the lyrics of the song We Are The Fallen - I Am Only One.

… I'm on my own here and
No one's left to be the hero of
This fairy tale gone wrong…
Translation:
...I'm here alone and
There's no one left to be a hero
This fairy tale that ended...

In these lines the preposition of is contained in the following combination: the hero of this fairy tale - the hero of this fairy tale.

This is where the practical part ends, repeat the theory again and remember the rule. Listen to your favorite songs and repeat the necessary rules. Combine business with pleasure.

From this lesson you need to remember the following words:

roof - roof, roofing
Bible [‘baib(ə)l] - Bible
wall - wall
preacher [‘pri»tʃə] - preacher
full - complete
desire - (passionate) desire
ecstasy [‘ekstəsi] - ecstasy, frenzied delight
also [‘ɔ:lsəu] - also
well - well
enforce - force, force (to do something), force
hatred [‘feitrid] - hatred
to lie - to lie, to deceive
to admit - admit, agree
immature - immature
predator [‘predətə] - predator
editor [‘editə] - editor
author [‘ɔ:θə] - author
fairy tale - fairy tale
right - right

The preposition is also an exception, which is due to the quantity and ambiguity of this part of speech. This article will help you sort out its meaning, functions in a sentence and classification.

In contact with

Functional part of speech

A preposition (in English preposition) is a function word that expresses various relationships between words in sentences and phrases. Shown relationship between nouns and pronouns with other words.

The Russian language expresses such relationships using six-case endings or similar endings with corresponding prepositions.

Important! The use of prepositions in has a special meaning, which is due to the presence of a small number of such parts of the word as the ending, which often expresses interverbal relations.

Meaning

Table of the most common words with the translation

Preposition	Translation (Translation)	Examples
on	on	The dairy is on the dressing-table. I'll go to the beach on Sunday.
in	V	They buy everything in the supermarket.
at	in, at	I am at home. Come at ten o'clock.
under	under	Don't go under this bridge.
in front of	front	The flowers are in front of the building.
across	through	Go across the bridge.
near	Near	The house is near the shop.
between	between	The books are between the copybooks.
among	among	Be among people.
to	To	Come to me. I go to school at 8 o’clock.
into	in (in)	Put pencils into the pencil-box.
towards	towards	Let's walk towards the fields.
from	from	Don't run away from this dog. He is from Russia.
until	before	They waited until the evening.
till	bye, until	Don’t buy ice-creams till we come.
before	before, before	He came before her.
after	after	Let's go out after classes.
out of	from (from within)	She ran out of the flat.

The table showed that prepositions have multiple meanings in English. The result of this is compliance one English word from several Russians.

So, on corresponds to Russian:

• on: The vase is on the windowsill.
• in: I will go out on Saturday.
• by: I’ve got the test in English.
• about: The students have a lecture on Pushkin.
• from: Everything depends on you, etc.

The preposition at in English is used to denote:

• location (on, in, at, at): I am at home; at the desk;
• time: Lessons start at eight o'clock; at the night.

The preposition by in English is comparable to the Russian instrumental case: The article was written by that scientist; indicates location (near, at, near): She has a rest by the see.

The preposition in in English indicates a place (in): in the building; and time: in 2000, in the afternoon. Also, the preposition in in English means “through” (any period of time): in 3 hours.

The preposition of in English is compared to the genitive case. Also translated as “about” (“relatively”): Think of it.

The Russian preposition often has different translations, it all depends on the context.

Russian "na" corresponds to:

• on: There are carpets on the floor.
• in: Office in the attic.
• at: Don't look at the photo like that.
• into: Please translate to .

Functions of cases

Conclusion

Preposition – an indispensable element of speech, indicating the relationship between words and phrases. All prepositions in English replace cases and perform the functions inherent in endings in the Russian language.

Use of prepositions - Use of prepositions in English

The main three categories of prepositions according to lexical meaning (use):
1. Prepositions of time
2. Prepositions of place
3. Prepositions of direction
In its pure form, there are practically no only prepositions of time, place or direction. The lexical meaning of a preposition directly depends on its position in a sentence, so in most cases the same preposition can have two or more lexical meanings.

Table of prepositions in English

Table of lexical meaning (use) of English prepositions

Pretext	Lexical meaning of preposition		Example	Translation
at [æt]	time	in (in hours and minutes)	He came at 5 o"clock.	He came V five hours.
	place	on, at, around	You can buy the cabbage at the market.	You can buy cabbage on market.
			Let's meet at the car.	Let's meet at/near cars.
on [?n]	time	in (in days and dates)	We will visit Donald on Friday.	We'll visit Donald V Friday.
	place	on	The TV remote control is on the sofa.	The TV remote is lying on sofa
	about any topic	oh oh	I like magazines on fishing.	I love magazines O fishing.
in [?n]	time	in (in months and years); after (after a certain period of time)	Dorothy was born in June.	Dorothy was born V June.
			The examination will start in three hours.	The exam will begin through three hours, three o'clock.
	place	V	Mr. Milton is not in the office at the monent.	At this time Mr Milton is not V office.
to	direction	in, on; to (where?)	They are going to the theatre.	They are coming V theater.
			Philip is walking to work. Note: The word home is used without the preposition to. Philip is going home.	Philip is coming on work. Philip goes home.
			She is coming to his car.	She comes up To your car.
		Without translation	Give this pen to me.	Give me this pen ( to whom?) to me.
into [??ntu?]	direction	in (inside)	We are coming into the flat.	We're coming in V apartment.
from
	direction	from , from , from	My father is coming back from the theatre.	My father is coming back from theater
			Sylvia is coming back from work.	Sylvia returns With work.
			Samuel is coming back from his friends.	Samuel returns from friends.
		from	I have got a reprimand from the chief. I have got a letter from Lewis. What do you want from me?	I was reprimanded from boss I received a letter from Lewis. What do you want from me?
before	place	before, before	Lewis left the room before John.	Lewis left the room before John.
until till [?n?t?l]	time	before	She won't come back till the end of the month.	She won't come back before end of the month.
about [??ba?t]	time	near	Walter returns home at about seven o'clock in the evening.	Walter returns home near seven o'clock in the evening.
	place	about, around	Harry is wandering about the house.	Harry wanders around/near Houses.
		O	We are talking about a new movie.	We are talking O new movie.
for	time	during	Nicole has been learning Spanish for two years.	Nicole is learning Spanish during two years.
	direction	V ; to/without translation	The train left for London one hour ago.	The train has left V London an hour ago.
			My son has gone for a walk.	My son is gone on walk/( Where?) walk.
	dative case in Russian (to whom?, to what?)	for /without translation	I have bought a gift for my girlfriend.	I bought a gift For his girlfriend/( to whom?) to his girlfriend.
of [?v]	genitive case in Russian (whom?, what?)	Without translation	Malcolm was invited for a meeting of ex classmates.	Malcolm was invited to a meeting ( whom?) former classmates.
	prepositional case in Russian (about whom?, about what?)	o	We are talking of a new movie.	We are talking O new movie.
with	instrumental case in Russian (with whom?, with what?)	s/so ; together with/with	My husband is flying to Spain with his colleagues next week.	My husband is flying to Spain with/together with his colleagues next week.
	The action occurs with/with the help of something.	Without translation	I moved the cabinet with my hands.	I moved the closet ( how?/How?) by hand.
	Actions come from/because of something.	from, with	She has turned pale with fear.	She turned pale from/with fear.
			The teacher widely opened his eyes with amazement.	The teacher opened his eyes wide from surprise.
by	place	at /near (with) /near /about	Joseph stood for a while by the door and knocked.	Joseph stood for a while time near/at/near door and knocked.
	instrumental case in Russian (by whom?, what?) This includes cases where an action is performed in a certain way.	Without translation; with/without translation	Recently I have read a book that is written by a very famous writer.	I recently read a book written by a very famous writer.
			Her mother prefers traveling by car.	Her mother prefers to travel on car/( How?) car.
after [???ft?(r)]	time	after	Isabel usually walks after breakfast.	Isabella usually walks after breakfast.
since [s?ns]	time	With	Daniel has been learning Chinese since he graduated from school	Daniel is learning Chinese With graduation.
during [?dj??r??]	time	in continuation, during. The use of this preposition in the lexical meaning of time resembles the preposition for. The difference is that for indicates the duration of an event, while during indicates the period of time during which the action occurred.	Mark was sleeping during the film.	Mark was sleeping during film.
between	place	between	My house is between the grocer and the parking.	My house is located between grocery store and parking.
near nearby / [?n??(r)?ba?]	place	about, near, at	My house is nearby the parking.	My home is near/at /near parking.
in front of [?n fr?nt ?v]	place	in front, opposite, in front	A school bus stopped in front of my house.	The school bus stopped against of my house/ before my home.
behind	place	behind, behind, behind, after	He is behind the door.	He behind the door
			Sharon is walking behind us.	Sharon is coming behind/behind us.
			I am behind the woman in this queue.	I am standing behind woman/ behind women in this line.
across [??kr?s]	place	through	Why is your dog looking across the road so wary?	Why is your dog staring? through the road so warily?
above [??b?v]	place	above, above	There are thousands of dragonflies above our heads.	They fly over our heads thousands dragonflies
			Neighbors above we are Portuguese migrants.	Neighbours above we are migrants from Portugal.
over [???v?(r)]	place	above	Look! Our aircraft is flying over the sea.	Look! Our plane is flying by above by sea!
under [??nd?(r)]	place	under	My dog ​​likes sleeping under the table.	My dog ​​loves to sleep under table
below	place	under, below	Her flat is below Michael's.	Her apartment is located under apartment/below Michael's apartment.
along [??l??]	place	along, along	Anthony is driving along the highway.	Anthony is coming By/along highway.
round around / [??ra?nd]	place	behind, around	Robbers turned round the corner.	The robbers turned the corner.
			Alan is driving around the parking looking for some free place.	Alan rides around parking, looking for free space.
past	place	by	Lewis went past a flower shop and didn't buy flowers.	I passed by flower shop and didn't buy flowers.
through [θru?]	place	through, through	Postman pushed the letter through the door gap.	The postman slipped a letter through/through door crack.
out of	direction	from	Ann has just gone out of the room.	Ann just left from rooms.

As you can see, prepositions in English- It is not so difficult.