In refers to rest or motion inside something.

I have no money in my pocket.

There are many Indian doctors in England.

Into refers to movement.

Put this letter into your pocket.

I hope you won’t get into any difficulty.

(You will hear people say such things as: "Put some sugar in your tea"; but it is better to say into.)

For refers to a period of time.

We have not heard from him for two years.

Since is used when a particular time is referred to (a certain year, month, day or hour).

I have not seen you since Christmas (or 1939, or last Tuesday, etc.).

By refers to the doer, With to the instrument.

This letter was written by my uncle with a quill pen.

We can also say: By trying hard (or With perseverance) you will rise in the world.

Beside = near, close to.

The village lies beside a deep lake.

Come and sit beside me.

Besides = in addition to.

Besides English people there are many kinds of foreigners in London.

Besides apples I like bananas.

It is Sunday today. We shall' know before Wednesday. (On Monday or Tuesday.)

He will be here before long. (Soon).

We are not going for ten minutes yet. (Until ten minutes have passed.)

I have been here for weeks.

At is used for small places and In for large places.

An earthquake happened at Quetta in Sind.

He was born at Kekirawa in the North Central Province.

We do not say: I live at Spain or at the United States.

Before as a preposition and Ago as an adverb are used to express the same meaning.

We can say: I was in Colombo three years ago.

Or I was in Colombo before 1999.

We do not say: I was in Colombo three years before.

But we can say: I was in Colombo three years before you were.

Notice carefully the difference between the following Prepositions (187 - 196).

There are certain mistakes in prepositions which are constantly made.

Learn the following sentences by heart. They are correct, and if you use them properly, people will know that you are a careful student.

School begins at nine.
(School begins from nine.)

The holidays begin on the 20th of December.

I want to dispose of my old books.
(I want to dispose my old books off.)

Have you sent an order for a new camera?

Yes, I have ordered one.
(Yes, I have ordered for one.)

I read the notice in the newspaper.
(I read the notice on the newspaper.)

Let us sit in the shade.
(Let us sit under the shade.)

I have lived in London.
(I have lived at London.)

We saw a panther on the way to Mysore.
(We saw a panther in the way to Mysore.)

Throw that dead flower into the river.
(Throw that dead flower in the river.)

Insert appropriate prepositions in the following blanks: —

1. My wife prided herself — being an excellent housekeeper.

2. There was nothing that could make us angry — each other.

3. The husband was very angry — his wife’s conduct.

4. The whole week was spent — rural amusements.

5. The house was soon cleared — undesirable guests.

6. We soon got — our uneasiness.

7. Our eldest son was named George, — his uncle.

8. A rich relation took a fancy — my daughter, and stood godmother.

9. — an interval — two years we had another son.

10. We were awakened — the morning and — five days rode a hunting.

11. Our little habitation was situated — the foot — a hill.

12. Our conversation at supper turned — our unfortunate guest.

13. We entered — debate — the merits — our young landlord.

14. I protest — your remark, father, but I believe the fortune-teller has dealings — an evil spirit.

15. One of the horses took it — his head to stand still.

16. Moses came slowly — foot.

17. A reverend-looking man brought him — a tent — pretence (pretense) — having a horse to sell.

18. I readily closed — the offer.

19. The old man sat — a little dark room and seemed intent — a book which he was reading.

20. We were all perfectly satisfied — his performance.

21. My parents sympathise (sympathize) — you — your sad loss.

Adverbs	Prepositions
Come along at once!	We walked along the shore.
Up you go!	There's a fly gone up my nose.
There are trees all around.	The wind was howling around our tent.
Are the cattle safely in?	Yes, they’re all in the shed.
We got across without a slip.	He lodges across the road.
Over and over again I have told you to keep quiet.	This book will not fetch over two rupees.

# Prepositions frequently govern verbal nouns.

Examples.

He has changed beyond our knowing.

I did not hear of your being here.

It can be had for the asking.

Many a life is saved by consulting a doctor in good time.

Besides knowing Hindi, he speaks Sinhala well.

# Prepositions may also govern whole clauses.

Examples.

Your success depends on how you work.

After you have had your breakfast I will show you something interesting.

# Prepositions may also govern adverbs.

From here to there is less than a mile.

Until when may we stay?

From now till next week you must stay in bed.

Certain participles have come to be used as prepositions.

Examples.

I have heard nothing concerning his death.

Regarding our conversation yesterday, there is one matter in which I cannot agree with you.

Notwithstanding this brave resistance, they were driven out of the fort.

He is a fine player, considering his age.

We are all well, except my elder brother.

He had gone past the shop before he saw where he was. ...

Besides prepositions which are single words, there are others consisting of two or more words. These are called Prepositional Phrases, and there are many of them which are in constant use.

Examples.

I did it for the sake of the children.

Take this stick instead of an umbrella.

We bought this car with a view to selling it someday.

We could not go to Anuradhapura on account of the heavy rain.

With regard to that matter, I will let you know later on.

I got the ball from the roof by means of a ladder.

The price varies according to the quality.

Prepositions may be divided into three classes :—

(1) Prepositions which denote Place.

Such are About, above, among, at, before, behind, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into, near, on, through, to, under, up.

We live quite near the post office.

Don’t walk under that tree.

… …. ….

 (2) Prepositions which denote Time.

Such are After, before, by, during, since, till, until.

I must finish this work by five (o’clock).

During the holidays I revise my algebra.

… …. ….

(3) Prepositions which denote a Doer (or Agent), some Cause, Purpose or Reason.

Such are: About, by, for, through.

What is this switch for?

By whom did you send the message?

He failed through carelessness.

We say that prepositions govern nouns and pronouns, and that nouns and pronouns which come after prepositions are in the objective case.

Sometimes prepositions follow the nouns or pronouns which they govern. This is common in Spoken English.

We say: To whom shall I give this book? or Whom shall I give this book to?

Note. It would not be correct to say Who shall I give this book to? because after a preposition the pronoun who must be in the objective case, whom.

Examples.

Which shop did you buy this card at?

I have seen the film that you spoke of.

The place which I went to is quite near Anuradhapura.

The tunnel which the train went through is nearly a mile long.

What is the dog running after?

Which part of Sri Lanka do you come from?

If you look carefully at these sentences you will see that they are of two kinds, one interrogative, and the other kind containing relative pronouns. Often the relative pronoun is left out.

The place I went to is quite near Anuradhapura.

I have seen the film you spoke of.

Prepositions are words which are placed before nouns and pronouns to show how other nouns or pronouns are related to them.

1. The cat climbed up the tree after a squirrel.

2. My house is at the foot of a hill.

3. This book came from Edinburgh.

4. My fountain pen is on the table in my library.

In these sentences up, after, at, of, from, on and in are prepositions.

A. Make sentences containing the following adverbs:

Across, seldom, really, while, sideways, purposely, so, frequently, deeply, underground, usually, around.

B. Compare the following adverbs:

Badly, kindly, merrily, hard, behind, attentively, little, trustingly.

C. Parse the adverbs and adverbial phrases in the following sentences:

1. When are you going away?

2. There was scarcely any room in the; carriage.

3. As soon as I hear from you I will leave.

4. I have never known such a thoroughly bad dog as this.

5. Has the milk been boiled long enough?

6. How do you do now? Thank you, I am quite well again.

7. The post has only just come.

8. Twice England has been threatened by Armadas.

9. I give you this picture because I am so fond of it myself.

10. You may come here, but come very quietly, so as not to wake the baby.

11. Running backwards is also good exercise.

12. Run along to the post office. I’ll wait over there, but don’t be long.

D. Insert suitable adverbs in the blanks (—) in the following sentences:

1. The English cavalry charged — but could not break the section line.

2. You have not answered this question —.

3. The rock was covered with — fine moss.

4. We — overtook the car in front of us.

5. I — expected that you would recognise / recognize me.

6. All the sailors were — dancing on the deck.

7. A little boy was looking — at the oranges.

8. — the flowers were springing up.

9. I see him — and —.

10. He was writing as — as he could.

11. You should speak more —.

12. Why don’t you bowl —?

13. I have been there — once.

14. Do you know — to make a garland?

15. — are you coming to see me?

16. You will find good-hearted people —.

In parsing adverbs, we have to state to what class they belong, then give their degree of comparison (if they can be compared) and their relation to other words in the sentence.

Examples:

1. How do you do?

How is an interrogative adverb modifying the second verb do in the sentence.

2. He came in well ahead of the others in the race.

Well is an adverb of quality, positive degree, modifying the adverb ahead.

Ahead is an adverb of place, modifying the verb came.

3. ... .... ...