Lecture 8: Prepositional phrases

8.1 What is a prepositional phrase?

Prepositional phrases are very important

Prepositional phrases are very important and appear frequently in graduate English exams;

8.1.1 Basic Concepts of Prepositions

Preposition: $prep.$

A preposition normally takes a complement;
Its complement is commonly a noun phrase, pronoun, or -ing clause;
Followed by three types of words, forming prepositional phrases:
1. Noun;
2. Pronoun in object form;
3. Gerund-participial clause (doing);
Note:
A preposition is not directly followed by a finite verb clause; a verb used as its complement normally takes an -ing form;
Prepositional phrases commonly function as modifiers or complements;

8.1.2 Key Points

Prepositional phrase = preposition + noun/pronoun/gerund (doing);
Pay attention to the different meanings of each preposition;
Prepositional phrases are an extension of the sentence; they are non-core components but are very common content supplements;

8.2 How to Use Prepositional Phrases

8.2.1 Prepositions indicating time

Prepositions: at/on/in

These differ by the type and scale of the time expression;
at: time point (specific time);
on: days and dates;
in: within the time (year, month, season, morning, evening)

Preposition: before/after

Before/after... Time

Preposition: from/since

Since... After time

Preposition: by/until

Deadline (until)... Time

Preposition: for

Lasting... Time

Preposition: during

Within a stated period or event

Examples

On a cold winter's day, few culinary pleasures can match it.
In March 1997, he lost \$72,186.
in is used with a month and year;
Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise.
Since Aristotle;

8.2.2 Prepositions indicating place or range

Preposition: at/in/on

at: a point or general location;
in: inside an enclosed area or within a range;
Example: in the room;
on: in contact with a surface;
Example: on the table;
Example:
Person lying on the bed -> on/in -> on: lying on a hard bed; in: very soft bed, sunken inside;
The meaning of a preposition depends on the purpose of your use and can be used flexibly;

Preposition: on/above/over

On... above
on: indicates the surface of an object that is in contact;
above: Indicates various tops;
over: indicates untouched above -> above the river surface;

Preposition: under/below/beneath

In... Below

Preposition: in front of/behind

Before... before
After... Afterwards

Preposition: near/by

At... Nearby

Preposition: beside/beside/next to

At... Beside it

Preposition: between/among

between: usually for distinct, individually considered people or things, not necessarily only two;
among: within a group or mass;

Preposition: around

In... Around

Preposition: into/out of/onto/off

into：
Entering... Inside: dynamic changes from outside to inside;
in: to go, to be inside;
into: the process of going inside;
out of: movement from inside to outside;
onto: movement to a position on a surface;
off: movement away from a surface;

Preposition: across/through/past

across: from one side to the other across a surface or area;
through: from one side to the other within an enclosed space;
past: beyond a person or place;

Preposition: along

Along with...

Preposition: from/to, towards

From.../toward... going

Examples

But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.
Many people in this public sector suffer under the current system;
The link between dreams and emotions shows up among the Patients in Cartwright's clinic.
Information flows from the media to the influentials and from them to everyone else.
Information flows from the media to influential people, and from those influential people to everyone;

8.2.3 Prepositions in Other Usages

Preposition: of

-... of... (indicates attribute)

A of B commonly expresses possession, composition, relation, or part–whole structure;
Two exceptions: A is a numeral OR a measure word
two of the students means two members of a particular group;
the window in the classroom door describes a window located in the door;

Preposition: about

About...

Preposition: with/without

Accompanied by with.../no...

Preposition: for

Purpose: for a specific purpose;
Intended recipient/beneficiary: a gift for you;
Reason: famous for its architecture;

Preposition: by

With... method, approach
by bus: to get there by taking the bus;
Agent in a passive clause:
Passive voice + by identifies the agent;
Difference or amount of change:
increase by 10 percent;

Preposition: as

Role or function: work as an engineer;
Comparison: as tall as;
In some fixed constructions, concession: as difficult as it is;

Examples

They perpetuate the myth of the lone genius.
It also sent a clear message to the outside world about his aspirations.
Despite these factors, many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems.
Despite these issues, many sociologists are still reluctant to address them;

8.3 Past-Paper Practice

Question:Few of us just walk straight into the woods without a phone.

of us: among us;
into: to walk directly into the forest;

Question:For a time literature showed no interest in this public stage .

For: can represent for..., can represent a period of time;