Use Of Preposition

Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund verbs). Even advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult, as a 1:1 translation is usually not possible. One preposition in your native language might have several translations depending on the situation. There are hardly any rules as to when to use which preposition. The only way to learn prepositions is looking them up in a dictionary, reading a lot in English (literature) and learning useful phrases off by heart (study tips).

The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

Prepositions – Time

English	Usage	Example
·  on	·   days of the week	· on Monday
·  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
·  at	·   for night ·   for weekend ·   a certain point of time (when?)	·  at night · at the weekend · at half past nine
· 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. ·  By 11 o’clock, I had read five pages.

Prepositions – Place (Position and Direction)

English	Usage	Example
· 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
· 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
·  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 a plane ·  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

Did you know that your body weight is approximately 60 percent water? Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. Because your body loses water through breathing, sweating, and digestion, it’s important to rehydrate by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. The amount of water you need depends on a variety of factors, including the climate you live in, how physically active you are, and whether you’re experiencing an illness or have any other health problems.

Water Protects Your Tissues, Spinal Cord, and Joints

Water does more than just quench your thirst and regulate your body’s temperature; it also keeps the tissues in your body moist. You know how it feels when your eyes, nose, or mouth gets dry? Keeping your body hydrated helps it retain optimum levels of moisture in these sensitive areas, as well as in the blood, bones, and the brain. In addition, water helps protect the spinal cord, and it acts as a lubricant and cushion for your joints.

Water Helps Your Body Remove Waste

Adequate water intake enables your body to excrete waste through perspiration, urination, and defecation. The kidneys and liver use it to help flush out waste, as do your intestines. Water can also keep you from getting constipated by softening your stools and helping move the food you’ve eaten through your intestinal tract. However, it should be noted that there is no evidence to prove that increasing your fluid intake will cure constipation.

Water Aids in Digestion

Digestion starts with saliva, the basis of which is water. Digestion relies on enzymes that are found in saliva to help break down food and liquid and to dissolve minerals and other nutrients. Proper digestion makes minerals and nutrients more accessible to the body. Water is also necessary to help you digest soluble fiber. With the help of water, this fiber dissolves easily and benefits your bowel health by making well-formed, soft stools that are easy to pass.

Water Prevents You From Becoming Dehydrated

Your body loses fluids when you engage in vigorous exercise, sweat in high heat, or come down with a fever or contract an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea. If you’re losing fluids for any of these reasons, it’s important to increase your fluid intake so that you can restore your body’s natural hydration levels. Your doctor may also recommend that you drink more fluids to help treat other health conditions, like bladder infections and urinary tract stones. If you’re pregnant or nursing, you may want to consult with your physician about your fluid intake because your body will be using more fluids than usual, especially if you’re breastfeeding.

How Much Water Do You Need?

Some recent research suggests that increased amounts of water — such as the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day — may not have as many health benefits as experts previously believed. Most people who are in good physical health get enough fluids by drinking water and other beverages when they’re thirsty, and also by drinking a beverage with each of their meals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re not sure about your hydration level, look at your urine. If it’s clear, you’re in good shape. If it’s dark, you’re probably dehydrated.