Grammar tips: Prepositions
En inglés existen cinco tipos de preposiciones principales: de tiempo, lugar, movimiento, ubicación y algunas muy ligadas al contexto. Al igual que en el español, las preposiciones en inglés son elementos gramaticales claves para tener una expresión oral y escrita correcta y dinámica.
Bien es verdad que a veces llevan a confusión porque:
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Hay más de 100, aunque no todas son de uso común.
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Una misma puede tener diferentes funciones, por ejemplo, la preposición around puede usarse para expresar lugar o tiempo.
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Su significado cambia por completo de acuerdo al contexto, por ejemplo, from, que puede traducirse como de o desde.
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No siempre se ubican junto al elemento que modifican, incluso pueden encontrarse al final de la oración, como with o at.
Veamos algunas de ellas:
Prepositions – Time
| English | Usage | Example |
| · at | · for night· for weekend
· a certain point of time (when?) |
· at night· at the weekend
· at half past nine |
| · in | · months / seasons· time of day
· year · after a certain period of time (when?) |
· in August / in winter· in the morning
· in 2006 · in an hour |
| · on | · days of the week | · on Monday |
| · since | · from a certain point of time (past till now) | · since 1980 |
| · for | · over a certain period of time (past till now) | · for 2 years |
| · ago | · a certain time in the past | · 2 years ago |
| · before | · earlier than a certain point of time | · before 2004 |
| · to | · telling the time | · ten to six (5:50) |
| · past | · telling the time | · ten past six (6:10) |
| · to / till / until | · marking the beginning and end of a period of time | · from Monday to/till Friday |
| · till / until | · in the sense of how long something is going to last | · He is on holiday until Friday. |
| · by | · in the sense of at the latest· up to a certain time | · I will be back by 6 o’clock. |
Prepositions – Place (Position and Direction)
| English | Usage | Example |
| · at | · meaning next to, by an object· for table
· for events · place where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, work) |
· at the door, at the station· at the table
· at a concert, at the party · at the cinema, at school, at work |
| · in | · room, building, street, town, country· book, paper etc.
· car, taxi · picture, world |
· in the kitchen, in London· in the book
· in the car, in a taxi · in the picture, in the world |
| · on | · attached· for a place with a river
· being on a surface · for a certain side (left, right) · for a floor in a house · for public transport · for television, radio |
· the picture on the wall· London lies on the Thames.
· on the table · on the left · on the first floor · on the bus · on TV, on the radio |
| · by, next to, beside | · left or right of somebody or something | · Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car. |
| · under | · on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else | · the bag is under the table |
| · below | · lower than something else but above ground | · the fish are below the surface |
| · over | · covered by something else· meaning more than
· getting to the other side (also across) · overcoming an obstacle |
· put a jacket over your shirt· over 16 years of age
· walk over the bridge · climb over the wall |
| · above | · higher than something else, but not directly over it | · a path above the lake |
| · across | · getting to the other side (also over)· getting to the other side | · walk across the bridge· swim across the lake |
| · through | · something with limits on top, bottom and the sides | · drive through the tunnel |
| · to | · movement to person or building· movement to a place or country
· for bed |
· go to the cinema· go to London / Ireland
· go to bed |
| · into | · enter a room / a building | · go into the kitchen / the house |
| · towards | · movement in the direction of something (but not directly to it) | · go 5 steps towards the house |
| · onto | · movement to the top of something | · jump onto the table |
| · from | · in the sense of where from | · a flower from the garden |
Other important Prepositions
| English | Usage | Example |
| · from | · who gave it | · a present from Jane |
| · of | · who/what does it belong to· what does it show | · a page of the book· the picture of a palace |
| · by | · who made it | · a book by Mark Twain |
| · on | · walking or riding on horseback· entering a public transport vehicle | · on foot, on horseback· get on the bus |
| · in | · entering a car / Taxi | · get in the car |
| · off | · leaving a public transport vehicle | · get off the train |
| · out of | · leaving a car / Taxi | · get out of the taxi |
| · by | · rise or fall of something· travelling (other than walking or horseriding) | · prices have risen by 10 percent· by car, by bus |
| · at | · for age | · she learned Russian at 45 |
| · about | · for topics, meaning what about | · we were talking about you |
| · with | · in the same place as sth/ sb· follows adjectives which refer to reactions and feelings
· what we use to do something · having |
· I arrived with my friend· He got angry with them
· Open it with a knife · The house with the big windows. |
| · for | · purpose for something· duration
· exchange · because (very formal) |
· I go for some food· For a couple of hours
· 2 for 3€ · For it is a creature of legend |
| · down | · in or moving to a low or lower position or level· towards the south
· along |
· down the hill· down to Granada
· down the corridor |
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