Transcript noun

Unit 13 – Presentation 1
• What is a Preposition?
A (usually) small, uninflected word that comes
before an article/ noun/ noun phrase-clause/
gerund/ pronoun or adverb to show the relation
between the word(s) it accompanies and other
words in the sentence, or to time, place,
direction, etc.
Prepositions are used in …
• Noun cases (possessive ‘of’ & before the
accusative)
• Dependent Words
• Phrasal Verbs
• Prepositional Phrases &
• The Passive Voice (to introduce the Agent)
(There are other cases, too!)
3 cases we are exploring here are …
A)
i) Time
ii) Place &
iii) Motion Prep’s
B) Prep’s as a complement to intransitive verbs
C) Prep’s as links to show manner, purpose, use,
etc.
The main Time Prep’s are …
in (for long periods of time, hence for:) months, years, seasons,
centuries, periods in a day, time expressions that imply duration
on (for days and anything implying a day, so for:) days, full dates,
qualified periods in a day, expressions implying a day
at (for moments in time, so for:) clock times, certain points (in a day/
on the calendar)
NB. 1) A preposition is only necessary in the accusative case, while
none is used in the nominative.
2) There are certain words & time phrases that do not take a
preposition, like: today/ tonight/ tomorrow/ yesterday & all
expressions with this/ next/ last/ etc.
Other Time Prep’s are …
during
*by
throughout
for
*after
*since
*before
within
*until/ till
from … to …
*Don’t confuse their preposition use with that as time links,
where they introduce a whole clause.
Some Standard Phrases with Time Prep’s
are …
1. in
years
those days
the past
advance
one’s 20’s/ 30’s
the heat of the
moment
broad daylight
the beginning/ end
a hurry
the course of
time/ due course
the first place
the interim/
meantime
less than no time
a flash/ jiffy
the nick of time
the old days
the (near/ foreseeable)
future
(a matter of)
seconds
this day and age
future
time
Some Standard Phrases with Time Prep’s
are …
2. on
and off
the dot
the double
high days & holidays
(not on) your life
and on
time
the very day
the spur of the moment
the hour
the spot
the fly/ hoof
Some Standard Phrases with Time Prep’s
are …
3. at
the age of
the crack of dawn
the latest
a time/ all times
first/ last
length
one time
short notice
a lick
the same time as
first sight/ glance
once
the time
the beginning/ end of
some point
the moment/
present
intervals
one’s earliest
convenience
times
the last minute
a rate/ pace of
Some Standard Phrases with Time Prep’s
are …
4. for
the time being
future reference
the duration (of)
ages
long
old times’ sake
ever
a while
this once
good/ keeps
a few days
a time
now/ the moment/ years
the present
some time
the 1st/ 2nd/ last
time
once (in sb’s life)
(not) for a minute/
moment
Some Standard Phrases with Time Prep’s
are …
5. from
time to time
one day to the next
(right from) the start
that day forth/forward/on
the (very) first
time immemorial
day to day
the moment that
day one/ the word go
The main Place Prep’s are …
at shows a (temporary) stop at a place/ spot and is appropriate when none
else fits the bill.
in/ inside shows ‘inclusion’ within surrounding boundaries, real or
imaginary, and is used for both motion and fixed position.
out/ outside opposite of ‘in’, shows removal from within such boundaries
as described above.
(up)on shows that two surfaces touch and the one below supports the one
above.
under/ underneath below a surface or a lower level.
over/ above two surfaces, with the one on top being at a higher position
than the one below, and not touching.
below/ beneath opposite of ‘over/above’, like ‘under’, but presupposing
distance between two surfaces, unlike ‘under’ that can mean ‘touching’
The main Place Prep’s are … (cont’d)
behind at the back of sb/ sth, either hidden or not
in front (of) opposite of ‘behind’, means that sb/ sth is in such a position
that you can see them if you look ahead.
beside/ next to/ by ‘at the side of sb/ sth’, with the two surfaces touching
or not.
near ‘at the side & at a very short distance from sb/ sth’, close.
between only for two people/ things, means ‘having sb/ sth on either
side’.
among like ‘between’ but for more than two people/ things.
opposite ‘facing each other’.
The main Place Prep’s are … (cont’d)
on top (of) ‘completely or partly covering what’s below/ underneath’.
at the top (of) ‘in the highest position above others’ (touching or not).
in the middle (of) ‘in the centre/ heart’ (of sth).
at the bottom (of) ‘in the lowest position below others’, (touching or not).
on the left-/ right-hand side (of) ‘facing north on the side looking to the
west OR on the side looking to the east.
*in the corner (of) ‘inside the point where two sides/ edges meet’.
NB. 1) *in the corner (of) is used for places inside. If outside, use ‘on the
corner (of) for permanent position OR ‘at the corner (of)’ for temporary
stops/ position. 2) There’s great difference in the way prepositions are
used in English and in Greek (See book for greater detail).
Some Standard Phrases with Place/
Position Prep’s are …
1. in
a village/ city/ town/ country (with ‘staying’ verbs)
Unit/ Chapter 1, a book/ magazine/ newspaper, an article/ a letter
a photo(graph)/ picture, an armchair, the mirror
a line/ queue/ row
the street/ sky/ country/ countryside
this way/ direction/ the distance
a building/ room/ park/ garden/ yard
bed/ (the) hospital/ (the) prison (with ‘staying’ verbs)
Some Standard Phrases with Place/
Position Prep’s are …
2. on
the page/ page 2/ a (social networking) site/ etc
TV/ the radio/ phone/ screen, computer
a surface/ the board / edge/ chair/ ceiling/ wall/ Queen’s Lane
the horizon/ the road/ sb’s side/ the way to
the beach/ coast/ shore/ a river/ an island/ a farm
the ground/ floor/ 1st, 2nd, etc floor/ the roof
Some Standard Phrases with Place/
Position Prep’s are …
3. at
home/ work/ the cinema/ theatre
(the) school/ college/ university
the station/ airport/ bus-stop/ traffic lights/ (No.) 12 Queen’s
Lane
the table/ desk/ window/ door
the back/ front (of)
(names of) villages/ cities/ towns/ countries (when referred to as
points in a journey)
What are Motion/ Direction Prepositions?
They are the ones that are used to show
movement & point in various directions but do
not have a meaning in themselves. They only
take on meaning when used in relation to
motion verbs (e.g. go, come, travel, drive,
climb, etc) and are then translated:
a) as a new verb e.g. to run around or
b) with the preposition as a verb and the verb
as a present participle (showing manner)
The main Motion Prep’s are …
across from one side to its opposite side.
along (a. for motion:) moving on a (straight) line, (b. for fixed position:) in
line, next to one another .
(a)round (a. for motion:) moving in circles, (b. for fixed position:)
surrounding & enclosing.
away (from) (a. for motion:) moving further from a place/ sb/ sth, (b. for
fixed position:) not near or in the usual place.
down (a. for motion:) moving southwards or to a lower place, (b. for fixed
position:) being lower than.
up opposite of ‘down’, (a. for motion:) moving to the north when facing
south or (to a) higher (place), (b. for fixed position:) being higher than.
out (of) exiting a place.
The main Motion Prep’s are …
into putting inside or entering a place.
from shows origin or initial/ previous position.
to opposite of ‘from’, shows final destination (main motion prep).
towards going/ looking/ aiming/ etc in the general direction of.
over moving above or on sb/ sth.
under moving below sb/ sth.
onto moving so that you can reach a higher place to enter or stand on.
through from one side of sth to the other (conveys the idea of being
surrounded by an arch-like shape at some point of one’s progress).
past passing a place/ sb/ sth while being on your way to someplace else.
by passing (usu. sb), moving past them or on their side (also of time).
Verbs of Boarding/ Disembarking
• Get in(to): for changing levels downwards
& inwards ≠ Get out (of) (mainly taxis, cars,
trams)
• Get on(to): when changing levels upwards
≠ Get off (planes, trains, buses, etc but also
horses, bikes)
• Get/ Go on board (a plane/ ship) ≠ Get off
(a plane)/ Go ashore
Means of Transport
•USE: by + means/ way
to describe the manner in which you get around
e.g. by bus/ air
•USE: in/ on + article/ possessive adj. + means
to talk about moving around using one particular
vehicle e.g. in my dad’s car/ on the tube
•USE: on foot OR walk to
to show that no vehicle is used for the transport.
Function: Directions
Grammar: Imperative/ Present Simple
e.g. Go along this street to the next intersection
and you’ll see the hypermarket straight
ahead.
You get on a no. 35 bus from Omonia square
and you get off at the third stop.
Function: Asking for Directions
• Excuse me,
way to … ?
• Excuse me,
• Excuse me,
• Excuse me,
could/ can you tell/ show me the
how can/ do I get to … ?
where is the … ?
do you know where the … is?
Function: Giving Directions I
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Walk along this street to …
[It’s (just)] round the corner.
Across the street
Opposite e.g. the bank
Cross over/ Walk across …
Straight ahead
It’s down this street
Function: Giving Directions II
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
It’s up that hill
At the traffic lights
Turn left/ right into …
At the end of the street
Don’t change lanes until you get to …
You’re nearly there.
You can’t miss it!
What is meant by ‘Prep’s as Complements
to Intransitive Verbs’?
It means the freer, more creative use of prepositions
that ‘liberates’ conciseness and helps English
become the flexible medium of expression that it is.
Let’s see what happens when a prep like on is
combined with intransitive verbs to mean:
• continue to … e.g. dream on, read on, walk on
• prompting to do/ continue e.g. come on, go on
• travel (usu. with go) e.g. go on a cruise/ trip
• in a state of e.g. (be) on call/ on all fours/ etc
Prep’s as Complements to Intransitive
Verbs (cont’d)
We could think of other such prepositions, like:
1.Down
meaning
a) not working/
functioning
b) completely
damaged
c) depressed/
oppressed/ etc
2. Over
meaning
a) during
3. Along
meaning
a) with
b) finished
b) over here/
there/ etc
c) controlling/
influencing
d) more (than
once)/ again
and the list could go on indefinitely!
4. Into meaning
a) (starting to)
get involved/
interested in
b) changing
c) persuading/
coercing
d) divided/ etc
Prepositions as Linkers I
• for + -ing → to show use
e.g. This mini camera is for taking photos on stealth
missions.
• (up)on + noun → to show time
e.g. The details will be made available (up)on
request.
• with + noun → to substitute for a Relative Clause,
instead of a ‘have’ participle
e.g. Too many people with problems (i.e. who have
problems) knock on your door these days.
Prepositions as Linkers II
• without + -ing OR noun → the opposite of ‘with’
above & meaning ‘neglecting to’ OR ‘not having’
e.g. You can’t give up without at least trying/ an
effort.
• like + -ing OR noun OR clause
e.g. He enjoyed things like running and wrestling
but it didn’t look like he would have much chance
of practising either.
• before/ after/ since + -ing
e.g. Don’t give them permission to go ahead with
the construction before checking with me.
Notes on Prepositions
a) Prep’s are among the most frequent parts of
speech – alongside articles & linking verbs,
perhaps,
b) although most of them are double prep’s,
there are cases when we could find two of
them together, e.g. along with, from under
(the table), until after, etc,
c) they are also encountered in many standard
(idiomatic) phrases, e.g. well over, round the
clock, above board, etc.