Download Prepositions

Prepositions and Conjunctions
Prepositions
• What is a preposition?
• A preposition is a word which shows
relationships among other words in the
sentence. The relationships include
direction, place, time, cause, manner and
amount.
Prepositions
• A preposition always goes with a noun or
pronoun which is called the object of the
preposition.
• Prepositions have a variety of meanings:
• Direction- He's going TO the shops
• Location- It's IN the box
• Time- He left AFTER the lesson had
finished
• Possession- The Government OF Italy
Prepositions
• Some prepositional phrases can function
like single word prepositions; next to, in
front of, etc., called complex prepositions.
Prepositional phrases
• A prepositional phrase is made up of the
preposition, its object and any associated
adjectives or adverbs. A prepositional
phrase can function as a noun, an
adjective, or an adverb.
Conjunctions
• A conjunction is used to indicate the
relationship between the ideas expressed
in a clause and the ideas expressed in the
rest of a sentence.
Coordinate conjunctions
• Coordinate conjunctions are used to join two
similar grammatical constructions; for instance,
two words, two phrases or two clauses.
• and: in addition
She tried and succeeded.
• but: however They tried but did not succeed.
• or: alternatively
Did you go out or stay at
home?
• nor: and neither
I did not see it, nor did
they.
• yet: however The sun is warm, yet the air is
cool.
Correlative conjunctions
• Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs,
in order to show the relationship between
the ideas expressed in different parts of a
sentence. For instance, in the following
example, the expression either ... or is
used to indicate that the ideas expressed
in the two clauses represent two
alternative choices of action.
Correlative conjunctions
• both ... and He is both intelligent and
good-natured.
• either ... or I will either go for a walk or
read a book.
• neither ... norHe is neither rich nor famous.
• hardly ... when
He had hardly begun to
work, when he was interrupted.
• if ... then
If that is true, then what
happened is not surprising.
Correlative conjunctions
• no sooner ... thanNo sooner had I reached the corner,
than the bus came.
• not only ... but also
She is not only clever, but also
hard-working.
• rather ... than
I would rather go swimming than go to
the library.
• scarcely ... when Scarcely had we left home, when it
started to rain.
• what with ... and What with all her aunts, uncles and
cousins, she has many relatives.
• whether ... or
Have you decided whether you will
come or not?
Subordinate conjunctions
• Subordinating conjunctions introduce
dependent (subordinate) clauses and join
the dependent clause to the independent
or main clause in a sentence. (A
dependent clause has a subject and verb,
but it depends on the independent clause
for context and meaning.)
Connecting adverbs
• Connecting adverbs are often used to
show the relationship between the ideas
expressed in a clause and the ideas
expressed in a preceding clause, sentence
or paragraph.
Connecting adverbs and
conjunctions
• Connecting adverbs are similar to
conjunctions in that both may be used to
introduce clauses. However, the use of
connecting adverbs differs from that of
conjunctions in the ways indicated below.
Connecting adverbs and
conjunctions
• a. Stress and punctuation
• In spoken English, a connecting adverb is
usually given more stress than a
conjunction. Correspondingly, in formal
written English a connecting adverb is
usually separated from the rest of a clause
by commas, whereas a conjunction is
usually not separated from the rest of a
clause by commas.
Connecting adverbs and
conjunctions
• b. Connecting adverbs used to connect
sentences
• Unlike conjunctions, connecting adverbs
may be used in formal English to show the
relationship between ideas expressed in
separate sentences. For example:
• The wind was strong. Thus, I felt very cold.
Connecting adverbs and
conjunctions
• c. Position in a clause
• A subordinate conjunction must usually be
placed at the beginning of a clause.
However, as was seen in the discussion
on adverbs, a connecting adverb may be
placed at the beginning, in the middle, or
at the end of a clause.
Homework assignment
• 1. Read Chapter 13 and 14.
• 2. Do the exercises after the chapters.