Prepositions (Grade 10 NSC Matric English HL): Revision Notes
Prepositions
What is a preposition?
Prepositions are small but powerful words that act as bridges in your sentences. They connect nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words, helping to create clear meaning and relationships.
These connecting words help us express various relationships in our writing and speech. Specifically, prepositions show us:
- Time - when something happens
- Place - where something is
- Direction - which way something moves
- Position - how something is located in relation to another thing
- Possession - who owns or has something
Examples of prepositions in action:
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The cat is on the chair. (Shows position - where the cat is located)
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We arrived after lunch. (Shows time - when the arrival happened)
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The books belong to Sarah. (Shows possession - who owns the books)
Understanding prepositions will help you construct clearer, more precise sentences in your writing and improve your language accuracy for exams.
Types of prepositions
Prepositions fall into five main categories based on the type of relationship they express. Let's explore each type with examples.
1. Possession (having)
These prepositions help us express who owns something or demonstrate that one thing belongs to another. They create relationships of ownership and belonging between different elements in a sentence.
The most common possession prepositions are of and to.
Examples of possession prepositions:
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The ending of the movie. (The movie has an ending - ownership relationship)
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The keys to the car. (The car has keys that belong to it)
When you see these prepositions, ask yourself: "Who owns this?" or "What does this belong to?" This will help you recognise possession relationships.
2. Time
Time prepositions tell us the timing of events and actions. They answer the question "When did this happen?" and help us place events in a chronological order.
Common time prepositions include before, after, at, during, since, and until.
Examples of time prepositions:
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Two days before the weekend. (Specifies when - two days prior to the weekend)
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The meeting starts at 9 a.m. (Indicates the exact time the meeting begins)
Exam tip: Pay careful attention to time prepositions in comprehension passages, as they often signal important sequences of events.
3. Direction
Direction prepositions describe motion and indicate whether someone or something is moving closer to or further from a particular place. They show movement and the path taken.
These prepositions often answer the questions "Which way?" or "Where to?"
Examples of direction prepositions:
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He ran towards the taxi rank. (Shows movement in the direction of the taxi rank)
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She walked into the room. (Shows movement from outside to inside the room)
Think of direction prepositions as showing the journey or path that someone or something takes.
4. Position
Position prepositions help us explain the exact location of an object in relation to something else. Unlike direction prepositions (which show movement), position prepositions describe static locations - where something is right now.
Common position prepositions include on, under, beside, behind, between, above, and below.
Examples of position prepositions:
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She is under the table. (Describes her location - beneath the table)
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The dog sat beside its owner. (Shows where the dog is positioned - next to the owner)
Memory aid: Imagine a cat and a chair. The cat can be ON the chair, UNDER the chair, BESIDE the chair, BEHIND the chair. Each preposition changes the cat's position.
5. Place
Place prepositions pinpoint particular locations and settings. While similar to position prepositions, place prepositions often identify more general or specific locations rather than relationships between objects.
Common place prepositions include beneath, outside, inside, at, and in.
Examples of place prepositions:
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The shoes beneath the bed. (Identifies the location - under the bed)
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The children played outside the house. (Specifies where they played - in the outdoor area around the house)
The distinction between position and place can be subtle, but both help create clear mental pictures of locations in your reader's mind.
Common errors and correct usage
Understanding common prepositional errors will help you avoid mistakes in your writing and improve your exam performance. Let's examine some frequent errors and learn how to correct them.
Choosing the correct preposition
Some prepositions look or sound similar but have very different meanings. Choosing the wrong one can completely change the meaning of your sentence.
Error example:
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Incorrect: The guards had to appear before court.
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Correct: The guards had to appear in court.
Why this matters:
"Before court" means standing in front of the building (physically outside).
"In court" means inside the courtroom where legal proceedings take place.
This is a crucial distinction - the prepositions "before" and "in" create completely different meanings. Always consider the context of your sentence.
Exam tip: Read the full sentence carefully to determine which preposition makes logical sense in the context.
Fixing prepositional errors
Sometimes we incorrectly combine words that should remain separate, or we separate words that should be combined. This is particularly common with "onto" and "on to".
Error example:
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Incorrect: He will go onto attend university.
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Correct: He will go on to attend university.
Explanation:
"On to" (two separate words) indicates progression, continuation, or moving forward with the next thing. It suggests advancing from one stage to another.
"Onto" (one word) shows movement to a surface - physically moving on top of something (like "He jumped onto the stage").
In the example above, attending university is the next stage of progression, so we need "on to" (two words).
How to remember: Ask yourself - "Is something physically moving on top of a surface?" If yes, use "onto". If it's about continuing or progressing, use "on to".
Completing sentences with prepositions
In exams, you may need to choose the correct preposition to complete a sentence. This tests your understanding of which preposition creates the correct meaning.
Example:
Research has shown that a diet without meat is associated with a lower risk of disease.
Here, associated with is a common prepositional phrase. The preposition "with" connects the diet to its associated outcome (lower risk). Learning common prepositional phrases will help you complete these questions accurately.
Exam tip: Read the complete sentence aloud (in your head) with different prepositions to see which sounds correct and makes logical sense.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Prepositions are linking words that connect nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other parts of a sentence, showing relationships between them.
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Five main types exist: possession (ownership), time (when), direction (movement), position (location), and place (specific setting).
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Context is crucial - the same preposition can have different meanings in different sentences, so always consider the full context.
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Common errors to avoid: confusing "before court" and "in court"; incorrectly using "onto" when you need "on to" for progression.
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Practice makes perfect - read sentences aloud to test whether your preposition choice sounds correct and makes logical sense in context.