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language find it difficult to use the correct preposition because the same relations in the Russian language
will often be signalled by an inflection of a noun and because sometimes a preposition different from the
expected one is used (характерный для — characteristic of, сердитый на— angry with, etc.).
Structurally prepositions can be simple, or one-component prepositions; compound, incorporating two
prepositions in one;
phrase, or two or more-component prepositions; there are also prepositions that co-occur. Some
prepositions are incorporated in the verb.
Simple
Compound Phrasal Co-occurrence
about
inside according to from ... to
above
into apart from from ... until/till
across
onto because of out of... into
after
without in case of off (of) ... on (to;
before
in favour of
between
in front of
during
in want of
in
instead of
over
with regard to
past
Below are some verbs in whose structure a preposition is incorporated:
outdo overdo underestimate
outrun overrate underrate
outlast overeat underline
outgrow overcome underscore
Some prepositions can be homonymous with words of other parts of speech. Compare: She waited for
me outside the house. — She waited for me outside. He climbed up
the ladder. — We had to go up. It
happened before their arrival. — It happened before they arrived.
Prepositions can be modified by other words: almost at the end,
all over the floor, right
in front of me, just off the motorway, halfway
up the hill, directly after your
lesson.
The nine most frequently used prepositions in English (in alphabetical order) are: at, by, for, from, in,
of, on, to, with.
Prepositions occur in the following position in a sentence:
Noun
Noun Pronoun
Adjective Preposition Gerund
Verb Infinitival or Gerundial Phrase
Noun clause
Prepositions follow their objects in:
who-questions: Who did you go there with?
infinitive phrases: She is nice to speak to.
passive structures: A doctor was sent for.
relative clauses: That's the book I told you about.
Prepositions can be grouped due to their common meaning and can be studied through comparison and
specific linguistic structures in which they are used.
As a rule the following groups of prepositions are singled out:
prepositions of place and direction, prepositions of time, prepositions of cause and purpose, other
groups of prepositions. The use of prepositions is studied in idiomatic phrases, in passive structures, in
various functions in a sentence, through comparison with similar structures, e.g. N's N.