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WelcometothePurdueOWL
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includetheentirelegalnoticeatbottom.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

Prepositions
Prepositionsarewordsorshortphrasesthatidentifythespatial(inspace),directional(the
directioninwhichsomethingismoving),ortemporal(intime)relationshipofoneor
morepeopleorthingstootherpeopleorthings.Prepositionscommunicateabstract
relationshipsaswellasconcreteones.Whilealllanguageshaveprepositions,Englishhas
aparticularlylargenumberofthem,withimportantdifferencesofnuancebetweensimilar
prepositions.Thishandoutwillgiveanoverviewofprepositions,coveringspatial,
directional,andtemporalprepositions.
Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionTo
Usesof"To"
Thebasicprepositionofadirectionis"to."
TO:signifiesorientationtowardagoal
Whenthegoalisphysical,suchasadestination,"to"impliesmovementinthedirection
ofthegoal:

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WeflewfromNewYorktoParis.(Or)WeflewtoParis.
Whenthegoalisnotaphysicalplace,forinstance,anaction,"to"marksaverbitis
attachedasaninfinitiveandexpressespurpose.Theprepositionmayoccuraloneorinthe
phraseinorder.Thetwousescanalsooccurtogetherinasinglesentence:
WeflewfromNewYorktoParistoseeourfather.
Theothertwoprepositionsofdirectionarecompoundsformedbyadding"to"tothe
correspondingprepositionsoflocation.
Theprepositionoflocationdeterminesthemeaningoftheprepositionofdirection.
ON+TO=onto:signifiesmovementtowardasurface
IN+TO=into:signifiesmovementtowardtheinteriorofavolume
("To"ispartofthedirectionalprepositiontoward,andthetwomeanaboutthesame
thing.)

Thefrogjumpedontothelilypad.

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Themilkwentintotheglass.
Withmanyverbsofmotion,"on"and"in"haveadirectionalmeaningandcanbeused
alongwith"onto"and"into".
Thisiswhy"to"isinsideparenthesesinthetitleofthehandout,showingthatitis
somewhatoptionalwiththecompoundprepositions.Thus,thefollowingsentencesare
roughlysynonymous:

Thepaperwentintothegarbagecan.

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Thecrabwashedupontotheshore.
Totheextentthatthesepairsdodiffer,thecompoundprepositionconveysthecompletion
ofanaction,whilethesimpleprepositionpointstothepositionofthesubjectasaresult
ofthataction.Thisdistinctionhelpsusunderstandhowdirectionalandlocational
prepositionsarerelated:theystandintherelationshipofcauseandeffect.
Thepaperwentintothegarbagecan.
Positionofsubject:thepaperisinthegarbagecan.
Thecrabwashedupontotheshore.
Positionofsubject:thecrabisontheshore.
Seethesectionsbelowforsomeexceptionstothisrule.

Usesof"to"
Tooccurswithseveralclassesofverbs.
Verb+to+infinitive
Verbsinthisgroupexpresswillingness,desire,intention,orobligation.
Willingness:bewilling,consent,refuse
Desire:desire,want,wish,like,ask,request,prefer
Intention:intend,plan,prepare
Obligation:beobligated,have,need
Irefusetoallowyoutointimidatemewithyourthreats.
I'dliketoaskherhowlongshe'sbeenskiing.
Iplantograduatethissummer.
HenryhadtopayhistuitionattheBursar'soffice.
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Inothercases"to"isusedasanordinarypreposition.
Verbsofcommunication:listen,speak(butnottell),relate,appeal(inthesenseof
'plead,'not'beattractive')
Verbsofmovement:move,go,transfer,walk/run/swim/ride/drive/fly,travel
Exceptfortransfer,alltheverbsinlistedherecantaketowardaswellasto.However,
"to"suggestsmovementtowardaspecificdestination,while"toward"suggestsmovement
inageneraldirection,withoutnecessarilyarrivingatadestination:

Theplanewasheadedtowardastormcloud.

Thegolfballrolledtowardthehole.
Herearesomemoreexamples:
Drivetowardthecitylimitsandturnnorth.(Driveinthedirectionofthecitylimits
turnoffmaybebeforearrivingthere.)
Takemetotheairport,please.(Iactuallywanttoarriveattheairport.)
Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionOnto
Usesof"Onto"
"Onto"cangenerallybereplacedby"on"withverbsofmotion.

Thehatwenton(to)hishead.
Herearesomemoreexamples:
Dietrichjumpedon(to)themat.
Huanfellon(to)thefloor.
Athenaclimbedon(to)thebackofthetruck.
Someverbsofmotionexpresstheideathatthesubjectcausesitselforsomephysical
objecttobesituatedinacertainplace(comparethethreeexampledirectlyabove).
Oftheseverbs,sometakeonly"on".Otherstakebothonandonto,withthelatterbeing
preferredbysomespeakers.

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Heputthesocksonhisfeet.
Herearesomemoreexamples:
Theplanelandedontherunway.(notontotherunway)
SamhungthedecorationontheChristmastree.(notontothetree)
Heplacedthepackageonthetable.(notontothetable)
JoannaspilledherCokeontherug.(notontotherug)
Samirmovedthechairon(to)thedeck.
Thecraneloweredtheroofon(to)thehouse.
Thebabythrewthepoton(to)thefloor.
Verbstakingonly"on"arerare:setmaybeanotherone,andsoperhapsisput.Other
verbstakingbothprepositionsareraise,scatter(whenittakesadirectobject),pour,and
add.
Thefarmerscatteredseedon(to)thefertileground.
We'readdingonawingatthebackofthebuilding.
We'readdingaporchontothehouse.
In"We'readdingonawingatthebackofthebuilding"onisreallypartoftheverb,while
in"We'readdingaporchontothehouse"ontoisasimplepreposition.Thiscontrast
pointstoafairlyimportantandgeneralrule:
Simpleprepositionscancombinewithverbs,butcompoundprepositionscannot.
Notealsothatin"Thefarmerscatteredseedon(to)thefertileground",theword"on"has
itsordinarymeaningofapositiononasurface,butinthiscasethesurfaceisvertical
ratherthanhorizontalthesideofabuilding.
Thereareanumberofverbprepositioncombinationswhichareformallylike"addon"
buthavethemeaning"ofcontinuingorresuminganaction"whenusedintheimperative
mood.
Exceptforhang,whichtakesbothonandonto,theyalloccuronlywithon.Themeanings
ofthesecombinations,someofwhichareidiomatic,aregiveninparentheses.Notallof
themhavetheforceofacommand.
Hangon(totherope)('continuetograsptightly')
carryon('resumewhatyouweredoing')
sailon('resumeorcontinuesailing')
dreamon('continuedreaming'ahumorouswayofsaying'thatisanunattainable
goal')
leadon('resumeorcontinueleadingus')
rockon('continueplayingrockmusic')

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Driveon!(Or,Keepdrivingtowardthecity).
Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofDirectionInto
Usesof"Into"
Withverbsofmotion,"into"and"in"areinterchangeableexceptwhentheprepositionis
thelastwordoroccursdirectlybeforeanadverbialoftime,manner,orfrequency.
Inthiscaseonlyin(orinside)canbeused.

Spikeislyinginhishouse.(Notinto.)
Herearesomemoreexamples:
Thepatientwentintothedoctor'soffice.Thepatientwentin.(notinto)
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Ournewneighborsmovedintothehousenextdooryesterday.('totakeup
residenceinanewhome')
Ournewneighborsmovedinyesterday.
In"Ournewneighborsmoveinyesterday",thelastwordisthetimeadverbialyesterday,
sotheobjectoftheprepositionincanbeomitted.Ofcourse,inaninformationquestion,
"into"alsocanbelastwordexceptforanadverbialwhenitsobjectisquestionedbyawh
word:
Nowwhatkindoftroublehasshegottenherselfinto?
Nowwhatsortoftroubleisshein?
Verbsexpressingstationarypositiontakeonly"on"or"in"withtheordinarymeaningsof
thoseprepositions.
Ifaverballowstheobjectoftheprepositiontobeomitted,theconstructionmayhavean
idiomaticmeaning.
Thecatsatonthemat.
Thedoctorisinhisoffice.
Thedoctorisin.('availableforconsultation')
In(to)hastwospecialuseswithmove.
When"movein"isfollowedbyapurposeclause,ithasthesenseof"approach".
Thelionmovedinforthekill.
Thepolicemovedintorescuethehostagesinsidethebuilding.
In"Thelionmovedinforthekill."and"ThePolicemovedintorescuethehostages
insidethebuilding""in"ispartoftheverb,so"into"cannotbeusedWecannotsay:"The
lionmovedintoforthekill."
When"into"isusedwithmove,itfunctionsasanordinaryprepositiontoconveytheidea
ofmovingsomethingfromoneplacetoanother.
We'llmoveyourbrother'soldbedintoyourroom.

Amanisjumpingintothepool.
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Themanisinthepool.

Thepersonisplacinggroceriesintotheshoppingbag.

Thepersonhascompletedputtinggroceriesinthebag.
Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipA
Prepositionsofspatialrelationshipsdealwith"where"thesubjectofthesentenceisor
"where"theactionistakingplace.
Above
Writeyournameabovetheline.

Across
Drawalineacrossthepage.

Against
Sheleansagainstthetree.

Aheadof
Thegirlisaheadoftheboy.

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Along
Thereislacealongtheedgeofthecloth.

Among
Heisamongthetrees.

Around
Drawacirclearoundtheanswer.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipB
Behind
Theboyisbehindthegirl.

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Below
Writeyournamebelowtheline.

Beneath
Hesatbeneaththetree.

Beside
Thegirlisstandingbesidetheboy.

Between
Sheisbetweentwotrees.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
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Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipFO
From
Hecamefromthehouse.

Infrontof
Thegirlisinfrontoftheboy.

Inside
Heisinsidethehouse.

Nearby
Thereisatreenearbythehouse.

Off
Hishatisoff.
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Outof
Hecameoutofthehouse.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofSpatialRelationshipT
W
Through
Shewentthroughthedoor.

Toward
Sheiswalkingtowardthehouse.

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Under
Heishidingunderthetable.

Within
Pleasemarkonlywithinthecircle.

Contributors:TonyCimasko.
Summary:
Thisresourceprovidesguidelinesforusingprepositionsinyourwriting.

PrepositionsofTime,Place,and
IntroducingObjects
Prepositions
Prepositionsarewordsorshortphrasesthatidentifythespatial(inspace),directional(the
directioninwhichsomethingismoving),ortemporal(intime)relationshipofoneor
morepeopleorthingstootherpeopleorthings.Prepositionscommunicateabstract
relationshipsaswellasconcreteones.Whilealllanguageshaveprepositions,Englishhas
aparticularlylargenumberofthem,withimportantdifferencesofnuancebetweensimilar
prepositions.Thishandoutwillgiveanoverviewofprepositions,alongwithapractice
activity.

PrepositionsforTime,Place,andIntroducingObjects
Onisusedwithdays:
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IwillseeyouonMonday.
TheweekbeginsonSunday.
Atisusedwithnoon,night,midnight,andwiththetimeofday:
Myplaneleavesatnoon.
Themoviestartsat6p.m.
Inisusedwithotherpartsoftheday,withmonths,withyears,withseasons:
Helikestoreadintheafternoon.
ThedaysarelonginAugust.
Thebookwaspublishedin1999.
Theflowerswillbloominspring.
Toexpressextendedtime,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:since,for,by,from
to,fromuntil,during,(with)in.
Shehasbeengonesinceyesterday.(Sheleftyesterdayandhasnotreturned.)
I'mgoingtoParisfortwoweeks.(Iwillspendtwoweeksthere.)
ThemovieshowedfromAugusttoOctober.(BeginninginAugustandendingin
October.)
Thedecorationswereupfromspringuntilfall.(Beginninginspringandendingin
fall.)
IwatchTVduringtheevening.(Forsomeperiodoftimeintheevening.)
Wemustfinishtheprojectwithinayear.(Nolongerthanayear.)
Toexpressnotionsofplace,Englishusesthefollowingprepositions:totalkaboutthe
pointitself:in,toexpresssomethingcontained:inside,totalkaboutthesurface:on,to
talkaboutageneralvicinity,at.
Thereisawaspintheroom.
Putthepresentinsidethebox.
Ileftyourkeysonthetable.
Shewaswaitingatthecorner.
Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeinghigherthanapoint,Englishusesthefollowing
prepositions:over,above.
Hethrewtheballovertheroof.
Hangthatpictureabovethecouch.
Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeinglowerthanapoint,Englishusesthefollowing
prepositions:under,underneath,beneath,below.
Therabbitburrowedundertheground.
Thechildhidunderneaththeblanket.
Werelaxedintheshadebeneaththebranches.
Thevalleyisbelowsealevel.
Toexpressnotionsofanobjectbeingclosetoapoint,Englishusesthefollowing
prepositions:near,by,nextto,between,among,opposite.
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Shelivesneartheschool.
Thereisanicecreamshopbythestore.
Anoaktreegrowsnexttomyhouse
ThehouseisbetweenElmStreetandMapleStreet.
Ifoundmypenlyingamongthebooks.
Thebathroomisoppositethatroom.
Englishusesthefollowingprepositionstointroduceobjectsofthefollowingverbs.
At:glance,laugh,look,rejoice,smile,stare
Shetookaquickglanceatherreflection.(exceptionwithmirror:Shetookaquick
glanceinthemirror.)
Youdidn'tlaughathisjoke.
I'mlookingatthecomputermonitor.
Werejoicedathissaferescue.
Thatprettygirlsmiledatyou.
Stopstaringatme.
Of:approve,consist,smell
Idon'tapproveofhisspeech.
Mycontributiontothearticleconsistsofmanypages.
Hecamehomesmellingofalcohol.
Of(orabout):dream,think
Idreamoffinishingcollegeinfouryears.
Canyouthinkofanumberbetweenoneandten?
Iamthinkingaboutthisproblem.
For:call,hope,look,wait,watch,wish
Didsomeonecallforataxi?
Hehopesforaraiseinsalarynextyear.
I'mlookingformykeys.
We'llwaitforherhere.
YougobuytheticketsandI'llwatchforthetrain.
Ifyouwishforan"A"inthisclass,youmustworkhard.

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