CBSE Class 8 English Chapter 13 Prepositions
A) Prepositions are words with many uses. They are used to show how people or things relate to one another.
B) Prepositions are used to convey ideas like :
Time : after, during, since, on, at, before.
Position : around, at, behind, in, below, above.
Movement : over, through, towards, into.
Cause or purpose : because of, for.
Way of doing something : by, with.
C) Remember : We must remember which Prepositions go with certain Nouns, Noun phrases, Adjectives or Verbs.
Examples:
D) Prepositions of Place
Look at the picture given, then read the description given below:—
The main street plaza is between the City Plaza and Hilton Hotel. There are some stalls beside the City Plaza and beyond the stalls is a fountain. Right opposite the main street plaza is the Chinese Restaurant. We cannot see what is inside the Chinese Restaurant but we can see a cat in front of the restaurant. There is also a pond which is full of fish. Two children are playing near the pond. The Hilton Hotel is at the comer of Park Road and Broadway. There are birds flying above the hotel. A man is standing in front of the hotel.
Kinds Of Prepositions
E) Some More Prepositions Of Place
F) Prepositions of Movement & Direction
Some prepositions tell us where someone or something is moving to.
Exercise-1
Fill In The Blanks With Suitable Prepositions :—
Question 1. Ramesh has been here ________ a long time.
Answer: Ramesh has been here for a long time.
Question 2. Amitabh Bachchan was bom ___________ Allahabad which is ________ Uttar Pradesh.
Answer: Amitabh Bachchan was bom in Allahabad which is in Uttar Pradesh.
Question 3. __________ giving me board and lodging, my friend found a suitable job for me.
Answer: Besides giving me board and lodging, my friend found a suitable job for me.
Question 4. The sun will not set today ______________ 6 p.m.
Answer: The sun will not set today until 6 p.m.
Question 5. He will return to the U.K. _____________ a month.
Answer: He will return to the U.K. in a month.
Question 6. The Government set up a committee ________ inquire __________ the matter.
Answer: The Government set up a committee to inquire into the matter.
Question 7. Mrs Nair’s work is far superior ___________ Mrs Sen’s in the field of art.
Answer: Mrs Nair’s work is far superior to Mrs Sen’s in the field of art.
Question 8. He is married ___________ my sister.
Answer: He is married to my sister.
Question 9. His journey was beset __________ difficulties and it took him a long time ___________ complete it.
Answer: His journey was beset with difficulties and it took him a long time to complete it.
Question 10. This edition of his book is very different ________ the previous one.
Answer: This edition of his book is very different from the previous one.
Exercise-2
Correct The Following Sentences. There Is An Error In Each Of Them
Question 1. I have not met my father from a long time.
Answer: I have not met my father for a long time.
Question 2. The four friends distributed the money between them.
Answer: The four friends distributed the money among them.
Question 3. Beside being heavily fined, he was sent to the jail.
Answer: Besides being heavily fined, he was sent to jail.
Question 4. He has been suffering from fever from last Monday.
Answer: He has been suffering from fever since last Monday.
Question 5. He is the boy whom I gave the book too.
Answer: He is the boy to whom I gave the book.
Question 6. He was struck at the head with an unknown assailant.
Answer: He was struck on the head by an unknown assailant.
Question 7. He jumped in the well to escape arrest.
Answer: He jumped into the well to escape disgrace.
Question 8. He is very proud about his success in the tournament.
Answer: He is very proud of his success in the tournament.
Question 9. The train will arrive in the station by the right time.
Answer: The train will arrive at the station on time.
Question 10. What are you looking?
Answer: What are you looking at?
G) Prepositions of Time
1. Specific time is shown by : at, on, in.
- The show will start at eight o’clock.
- The holidays will begin at Christmas.
- The programme will start at night, at the same time.
- On : it refers to specific days.
- In : it refers to period of time.
- On december 25th, on monday.
- In 2008, in summer, in an hour.
2. Duration of Time is shown by : before, after, by, since, till/until, up to.
Examples: before 2 p.m., after Christmas, by Tuesday, since 1995, till/until January, up to Monday morning.
3. Duration of time over a specific length of time : between, for, during, from-to.
Examples:
We were in Kolkata for/during Durga Pooja.
We were in London for twenty days between December 20th to 10 January.
We were in London from December 20th to January 10th.
Exercise-3
Fill In The Blanks With Suitable Prepositions:—
Question 1. My son will come back from Cape Town ________ December next.
Answer: My son will come back from Cape Town in December next.
Question 2. They will be ________ India _________ 1st January ________ 15th January.
Answer: They will be in India from 1st January to 15th January.
Question 3. I have lived ________ Delhi _________ twenty years.
Answer: I have lived in Delhi for twenty years.
Question 4. A trade fair will be held __________ Delhi ________ 3rd December and 20th December.
Answer: A trade fair will be held in Delhi between 3rd December and 20th December.
Question 5. We stopped __________ Kolkata __________ Christmas holidays.
Answer: We stopped at Kolkata during Christmas holidays.