PREPOSITION

We use prepositions of location to show us where an object is which are as below:

On, above, beneath, under, underneath, out, in front of, at the back of, behind, in, inside, outside, in the centre of, in the middle of, down, up, beside, near, at, between, among, below.

For example:

- After weeks at sea, it was wonderful to feel firm ground beneath our feet once more.

- Standing between the two adults was a small child.

- As hard as she tried, she always fell behind the other swimmers in the races.

- I was standing just near enough to hear what they were saying.

We use preposition of direction to show us where an object is moving which are as below:

To, from, over, into, out of, round, up, down, through, towards, upwards, downwards, across.

For example:

- He struggled through the crowd till he reached the front.

- She held the umbrella over both of us.

- She kept glancing towards the phone.

- They're building a new bridge across the river.

'Over' is used for movement from one side to another, normally in an upward direction or across something.

For example:

- Fakrullah glanced at the clock over the door.

- The aeroplane flew over the building.

- The trees' branches intertwined to form a dark roof over the path.

'Among' is used when and object is surrounded by other objects.

For example:

- The sailors divided his money among themselves.

- I saw a few familiar faces among the crowd.

- The cost should be shared equally among the three of you.

'At' is used to:

a. Preposition of place:

i. shows the exact location and specific address.

For example:

- My house is at No. 12, Jalan Prima.

- Erman is standing at the railway station.

b. Preposition of time:

i. shows a specific time.

For example:

- School starts at 7.30 every morning.

- In theory, women can still have children at the age of 50.

'On' is used to:

a. Preposition of place: 

i. shows position on a street or road.

ii. shows position on a surface.

For example:

- We parked the car on Fifth Avenue.

- The coins are on the floor.

- Kamil lives on Pangkor Island.

b. Preposition of time:

i. shows a day or date.

For example:

- The Safety Campaign will commence on Wednesday.

- I was born on 12th January.

'In' is used to:

a. Preposition of place:

i. refer to an enclosed area.

For example:

- My uncle is in his bedroom.

b. Preposition of time:

i. shows a time frame.

ii. shows part of the day.

For example:

- The train leaves in an hour.

- I heard a commotion early in the morning.

a. We use 'along' for things that are placed from one end to the other.

For example:

- Flowers are planted along the road.

b. 'Along' is also used when someone or something is moving in a constant direction.

For example:

- The couple enjoyed walking along the beach.

a. We use 'against' when someone or something is pressing on another object.

For example:

- Samy is leaning against the wall.

b. 'Against' is also used to talk about the physical contact made by two objects.

For example:

- The waves are crashing against the cliffs.