1. Sohail Ahmed
M.A English
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2. Identify prepositions.
Recognize prepositional phrases, objects of
prepositions, and compound prepositions.
Differentiate between infinitive phrases and
prepositional phrases.
Recognize the functions of prepositional phrases as
adjectives and adverbs.
Determine inclusion, exclusion, and placement of
prepositions.
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3. Differentiate between commonly confused
prepositions.
Use the correct idiomatic prepositional combinations.
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4. Use a preposition to connect the object of the
preposition (noun or pronoun) to another word or set
of words in a sentence.
Our manager recognizes our strengths and
compensates for our weaknesses.
Top executives spend approximately 90 percent of
their time with others.
The need for constant approval at work can be
counterproductive.
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5. about behind during on throughout
above below except onto to
across beneath for opposite toward
after beside from out under
against besides in outside underneath
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6. A compound preposition consists of a combination
of words that is often considered as one preposition
and connects the object of a preposition to another
word or set of words.
Examples
according to in place of ahead of
in regard to along with in spite of
apart from instead of because of
by means of in front of out of
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7. Examples
I gave the company tour on behalf of my manager.
In addition to Sara, we have five vice presidents in our
company.
Because of my positive attitude, Mary chose me as
group leader.
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8. Use the objective case of a pronoun as the object of a
preposition.
Objective Case
her him you me us them it whom
We awarded the Web design project to them.
Between you and me, I prefer working in the
accounting department.
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9. Do not omit a preposition when it is needed.
The cancelled flight prevented Lynn from going to the
leadership seminar.
Use separate prepositions when words cannot be
related to one object by the same preposition.
Doug has knowledge of and experience with various
management techniques.
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10. Use beside as a preposition to mean “by the side of” or
“not connected with something.”
Darrell usually sits beside me during management staff
meetings.
Use besides as a preposition to mean “in addition to” or
“other than.”
Besides Sherry, the manager promoted Joyce and Bob.
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11. Use between to refer to two persons, places, activities,
ideas, things, or qualities.
Our manager distributed the work between the two
programmers.
Use among to refer to more than two persons, places,
activities, ideas, things, or qualities.
I was among those who voted for Andy as the team
leader.
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12. Use the preposition to to indicate “toward.”
Please e-mail this message to all the other managers.
Use to as an infinitive or as a part of an infinitive
phrase.
She plans to promote Gale next month.
Use too as an adverb to indicate an “excessive
amount” or “also.”
The president made the hiring decision too quickly.
Our company is moving to Minneapolis too.
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13. agree in (principle)
agree on (plan)
agree with (a person)
Oscar agreed in principle with the plan for the new building.
The staff agreed on the need to lengthen our customer service hours.
The managers agreed with the employees about replacing the copy machine.
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14. live at (address, place)
live in (area)
live on (street, amount)
We decided that those lawyers must live at their offices.
Most federal workers live in the Washington, D.C. area.
I could not live on the salary that they offered me during the interview.
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15. talk to (tell something to someone or to
an audience)
talk with (converse with an individual or
small group)
Have you talked to your coworkers about
your concerns?
Loretta and I talked with our manager
about job sharing.
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16. wait at (location)
wait for (person, thing)
wait on (customer)
EXAMPLE:
Please wait at the front door for a security clearance.
We waited for our manager’s response to the
scheduling problem.
Waiting on a customer is always a first priority for us.
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