മത്സരത്തിലെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് – 6

ചൂര്യയി ചന്ദ്രന്‍

PREPOSITIONS

I Prepositions you learned in your Primary Classes :
1. Stand up
2. Sit down
3. Look at the pictures
4. Fill in the blanks with correct nouns
5. Write the number between 75 and 77
6. Write the number that comes _________ 12
7. Write the number that comes ________ 12
8. My family and I live ______ a house
9. A lion lives _______ its den
10. Children play _______ the park
11. We can arrange numbers _______ the biggest _________ the smallest.
12. A dog lives ________ its kennel
13. A security guard keeps a watch ________ our houses
14. If I were a mango / Growing ________ a tree
15. I think I’d drop __________ a nice boy like me
16. What goes _________ when the rain comes ________ ?
(A riddle. Answer is umbrella)
17. A small family is made ________ father, mother and one child
18. A large family is made ________ father, mother and more than two children
19. They give us toys to play _________
20. Parents love and care _________ us
21. Father earns money _________ the family
22. My mother works _______ home
23. A friend _________ need is a friend indeed
24. My mother cooks food _________ the family
25. I invite my friends and relatives _________ my birth day
26. We make ‘Pookkalam’ _________ flowers
27. Many festivals are celebrated __________ India
28. Fruits grow ______________ flowers
29. The largest animal __________ the earth
30. Make plural ____________ adding ‘es’ to nouns.
31. Write T __________ true and F __________ false statements
32. I go to school __________ my best friend
33. I share my lunch __________ my best friend
34. The lion belong __________ the cat family
35. The lion lives __________ a group
36. Butterflies, butterflies / Sit __________ the floor
37. Three, four, knock _____________ the door
38. Don’t write ___________ walls
39. Don’t fight __________ others
40. Don’t throw stones __________ birds
41. Don’t eat ____________ the class
42. Don’t spit ___________ the floor
43. The teacher writes ___________ the blackboards
44. The parrot is ___________ the cage
45. Play __________ your pet for sometime daily
46. They are _____________ a picnic
47. Ask your friend __________ his family
48. What comes __________ Friday ?
49. What comes _________ Friday ?
50. All schools have holidays __________ summer.
51. Your teacher will tell you __________ different seasons
52. Rains start _______ the mouth _______ June
53. Write sentences _______ yourself
54. Write the name of the fruits given ________.
55. _______ the English language there are 26 letters
56. __________ the 26 alphabets there are 21 consonants and 5 vowels
57. They arrive _______ school _______ time
58. They meet their friends ________ the school verandah
59. They walk ________ the bridge
60. Some students are sitting _________ the class
61. Late comers are coming ________ the class
62. What things do you see _________ your way to school ?
63. Can we live ________ water
64. Apply oil _______ your hair
65. Cut your nails ________ a nail – cutter
66. Throw the garbage ________ the dustbin
67. _________ what do you clean your nose ?
68. We should not play _________ fire
69. We should cross the road ________ zebra crossing
70. We should walk ________ footpath
71. Wash your hands _______ eating
72. Discuss _________ your teacher
73. The broomstick is ________ the corner of the room
74. He sits ________ the chair (chair having arms)
75. She sits ________ the chair (chair without arms)
If you get 50 answers correct, your reading and comprehension level is good. If you do not, you want to read the above sentences several times giving stress to the prepositions.

Answers : 6. before 7. after 8. in 9. in 10. In 11. From 12. In 13. On 14. On
15. down, on 16. Up, down 17. Up of 18. Up of 19. With 20. For 21. For
22. at 23. In 24. For 25. On 26.with 27. In 28. From 29. On 30. By
31. for, for 32. With 33. With 34. To 35. In 36. On 37. At 38. On 39. With
40. at 41. In 42. On 43. On 44. In 45. With, for 46. On 47. About 48. After
49. Before 50. In 51. About 52. In, of 53. About 54. Below 55. In 56. Of
57. at, on 58. On 59. On 60. In 61. Into 62. On 63. Without 64. On
65. With 66. In 67. With 68. With 69. At 70. On 71. Before 72. With 73. In
74. in 75. On

II Prepositions you learned in the High School Level

1. A meeting was convened _______ the headmaster to congratulate the boy _______ his brilliant performance ________ the examination
2. Children ______ five year _______ age do not often go _____ school
3. Leela went ______ the market ______ a bag _____ her head
4. Tom reached cochin _______ day break _____ a rainy day _____ June
5. Sunday is the first day _______ the week. Every Sunday morning we go _____ church _____ car
6. The meeting began ______ a prayer song sung _____ a group of girls. The Head master then read the report _______ the year
7. ________ this occasion, I want to assure you ______ my support _____ your organization.
8. Gandhiji was born _______ 2nd October 1869 _______ porbandar.
9. Pupils are generally grateful _____ their teachers _____ the guidance received ____ them.
10. I succeeded _____ making arrangements _____ the teachers _______ giving me some lessons.
11. Biju helped me _______ a time when I was badly _____ need _____ help.
12. If we look ______ the sky with a telescope, we can see a large number ______ stars that are in visible ______ the naked eye
13. The land was ploughed ______ the former ______ the help _____ a tractor.
14. The collector will interview candidates _______ the collectorate ______ 9 and 11 am ________ Tuesday.
15. Beethoven would stay ______ the solitary woods until his whole being seemed full _______ strange music and then he would hurry back ______ his room.
16. The secret ______ success lies ______ planning ahead and working hard according ________ the plan.
17. As a result _______ the accident, the man was handicapped _______ a fracture and was confined ________ wheel chair.
18. Saritha helped me _________ a time when I was badly ______ need ______ help
19. We have to thank god _____ all the blessings showered ______ us ______ him.
20. The children were looking _______ the pictures ______ the wall, when a constable walked _____ the room.
Answers : 1. By, on, in 2. Under, of, to 3. To, with, on 4. At, on, in 5. Of, to, by
6. with, by, of 7. On, of, for 8. On, at, in 9. To, for, from 10. In, with, for
11. at, in, of 12. At, of, to 13. By, with, of 14. At, between, on 15. In, of, to
16. of, in, to 17. Of, with, to 18. At, in, of 19. For, on, by 20. At, on, into
From S.S.L.C Question Papers

1. When Raju got telegram _____ home saying his father was seriously ill, he burst ____ tears. We tried to cheer him up. He was getting ready to leave _____ home when he got another telegram which said that his father’s conditions had improved.
2. Do you like to come _____ me _____ a swim _____ the river ?
3. The boy was born ______ six o’ clock ______ 3rd May _______ the year 1981.
4. I am staying _______ my friend ______ a lodge not far ________ the station
5. The girl ran ________ the door ______ the stairs _______ the street
6. My father goes _____ bed ______ 10 o’ clock ________ the night
7. Mary goes ______ school ______ 9 o’ clock _______ bus
8. Aksianov’s wife went ______ the town where her husband was ______ jail, taking all their children _____ her.
9. Pasteur and his assistant took samples _____ the brain of a dog that had died ______ rabies and injected it _______ the skin of experimental animals.
10. We shall be leaving _______ Bombay tomorrow _______ day break _______ train.
11. I stood ______ the bridge and watched the flowing water _____ it and the sky _____
12. The porter lifted the box ______ to his shoulders and he walked ______ quick steps. We reached the station _______ noon.
13. I would like to stay ______ you ______ two or three days ______ my way home.
14. I will be coming ______ your house _____ 4 o’clock _______ my sister
15. The teacher was angry ________ me because I had not come ______ school _____ three days
16. The swim was due to start _______ 5 am ______ April 3rd, 1966 _______ Thalaimannar.
17. When the lady saw her husband _______ chains shut up _______ criminals, she fell down and did not come ______ her senses for a long time.
18. My brother left _______ Bombay yesterday. He has been living ______ Bombay _______ 1986
19. It was _________ this day that Charlie told me ________ the death _______ old Roucolle, the miser.
20. The experiences __________ a child beginning to go ________ school ______ the first time are very interesting.

Answers : 1. From, into, for 2. With, for, in 3. At, on, in 4. With, in, from
5. From, down, into 6. To, at, in 7. To, at, by 8. To, in, with
9. From, of, under 10. For, at, by 11. On, under, above 12. On, with, by
13. with, for, on 14. To, at, with 15. With, to, for 16. At, on, from
17. in, with, to 18. For, in, since 19. On, about, of 20. Of, to, for

Time – Preposition
( At / in / on / for / by / Since )
1. ♦ at is used before exact time :
1. We have breakfast at 9 o’ clock
2. Our bus leaves at 9.30
3. The first bell rings at 9.45
2. ♦at for specific occasion :
At dawn at the beginning at Christmas
At noon at the end of at Onam
At night at the week end at Easter
At midnight at the age of nine at the New Year
at the same time at that time
♦ at the age
at the age of 14
at the age of 18
3. ♦ on + particular Day
On Easter Monday On November 14
On Christmas Day On the following day
On Monday On May first
On 2nd October On Tuesday
On the morning of 2nd October
Special case :
♦’On’ is not used before
Yesterday, today and tomorrow
I will call you on tomorrow ?
I will call you tomorrow ?
♦ Don’t use the preposition at, in, or on with the following :
Every morning next Sunday
Every night next week end
Every day next year
Every month last Monday
To night last night

1. He goes to church every Sunday
2. We can discuss it next weekend
NB: we can discuss the matter on Sunday next.
4. • in + longer period
in November in this month
In 1947 in the 18th century
In this week in the evening
In winter in the morning
In the days after the poll in the afternoon
5. • for is used to express duration
1. He has been waiting for half an hour
2. I have been living here for 20 years
6 • ‘since’ is used instead of ‘for’. But after since only point of time and after for
duration of time
eg: 1. He has been waiting for half an hour
2. He has been waiting since 3.30
Half an hour (duration of time)
3.30 (point of time)
3. They have been learning English since 2012 (point of time)
7. • on time = at the time arranged (not before, not after)
The morning train usually starts on time
8. • in time = not late
You must be there in time for the train
9. • at relates a small extent of time and in to a wider extent
They arrived at 10 in the morning
10. • On arriving / on hearing / on leaving etc
= when arrives (arrived)
= when hears (heard)
= when leaves (left)

Time – Preposition

(from / till / until / to / during)
1. • from is used with the beginning of a period of time and till / to with the end of the
Period
A. The doctor will be at the clinic from 8 am to 11 am.
B. The doctor will be at the clinic till / until 11 am (‘from’ is not used)
C. The doctor will be at the clinic to 11 am ( incorrect)
Without from till (until) is used
Without from to is not used
2. • to is used to denote time and place till is for time only
A. He walked from Kannur to Kasaragod
B. He walked from 8 am to 8 pm
C. He walked from Kannur till Kasaragod   (incorrect)
3. • During is used to talk about a particular period of time
1. Hari fell asleep during her talk on Vedantha and slept for half an hour
2. During his reign there was no famine
3. In his period there was no famine (during = in)

Time – Preposition

( By / before / after )
1. • by with a point in time (date) = at or earlier than.
1. I will have completed my work by 6 pm
2. I will have completed my work by 31 March
3. By that time, he was tired

2. • before = earlier than
1. It was just before Christmas
2. Be at the station before 8. The train leaves at 8.15.
3. Comeback before Sunday
4. Check the amount before leaving the counter.
3. • after = following
1. After a meal, take rest
2. He rejected it, after reading the first chapter
4. • by = during
a) The train picked up speed by night
Time Preposition
(between / from / till)
1. • between is used to mean ‘in the period of time’ separating two days or months or events. Between is followed by and
a) Please call me between 5 and 6 p.m
b) Children between 3 and 4 are not eligible
2. • from and till are used with any tense forms.
a) You have to attend regularly from Monday till Saturday
b) Our last meeting lasted from 9 am until noon
c) Please wait till tomorrow.

Time Preposition

(in / within / since / from / at / in)
1. • in denotes at the close of some future period. Within denotes some time short of the close.
a) He will return in a fortnight
(at the close of)
b) He will return within a fortnight
(in less than)
2. • from can be used with any form of tense since is preceded by a verb in some perfect tense.
a) The new time table will be in force from Monday next
b) He has been learning Hindi since 2010.
c) He has worked here since 1990
3. • at relates a small extent of time, in to a wider extent.
a) He starts at 7 in the morning
b) On Monday in the early morning at 7 am

Place Preposition

(above / over / below / under)
1. ? Over and above are equal to higher than. But we use above when there is more space between two things.
a) The picture is above the mantel piece
b) Her hair hung down over her eyes
c) Get the rust off ; then paint over it
Compare : The mantelpiece is below the picture
2. ? Over is used to say that something is in the sky above a particular place or area.
a) The sun is over the mountain by 7 o’ clock
b) A flying shuttle is seen over the Arabian Sea.
c) There is a bridge over the river
3. ? above = upstairs
a) He lives on the first floor above the restaurant
4. ? above = already mentioned (in writing)
eg : In the above sentence, there is only one object.
5. ? ‘Above’ is used to denote a particular figure or level.
eg: Children above the age of 10
6. ? above someone else = one is in a position of authority over others
Eg: In rank, he is above his friend
7. ? Under (when something is exactly below some other thing)
1. The man sat under the tree
2. Under bridge
Preposition used to Denote Travel
( by / on )
? by
1. I usually go to office by bus
By train
By car
On foot
On camel
2. He travelled on camel
Place Preposition
( by / between / across / against / on )
1. ? by is used to show ‘at the side of’
Eg: she is standing by her friend
2. ? by is used to mean ‘passing through’
Eg: we went to Bombay by Goa
3. ? ‘between’ two things or objects.
Eg: He walked between two rows of seats
4. ? across
He ran across the road
5. ? against
He leaned against a wall
6. ? before
He stood before the door
7. ? On
a) London lies on the Thames
b) The book is on the table
c) The photo is hung on the wall
Support ; Opposition
(for, against)
? for conveys the idea of support ; and against conveys the idea of opposition.
Eg: 1. Are you for or against the policy of Trump
2. I vote for the U.D.F
3. I vote against the U.D.F
Purpose and Reason
(for)
1. ? for is used for purpose and reason
Eg: a) He’ll do anything for me
b) He died for his country
c) Children ran for shelter
d) I am leaving for Delhi
e) He gave a beautiful doll for his daughter
f) Delhi is famous for its street food
Accompaniment
(with / without )
? with has the meaning ‘together with’
Eg: 1. We never see Boban and Moly without their dog
2. Rice with fish curry is their favourite dish
3. I’m so glad that you’re coming with us
4. She visited the spot with her friends.
5. The family welcomed the guests with great warmth
Instrument / Agent / Means
By / with / without
1. ? The agentive can be expressed by a by – phrase. The instrument can be expressed by a with – phrase
Eg: a) The window was broken by a boy
b) The window was broken with a stone
c) May I pay by cheque ?
d) You should contact him by e-mail
2. ? by (means)
a) The thief left the shop by back door
b) I go to work on bus (means)
c) I go to work by bus (means)

Previous Questions
1. The lady kept ______ arguing with the shopkeeper
2. My father presented me a watch ______ my birth day.
3. We set out ________ noon
4. Happiness consists largely __________ contentment
5. I hope the work will be finished ________ December
6. He was accompanied ________ his wife
7. The customers are quite pleased _________ the new product
8. He killed two parrots ________ one stick
9. The sun shines ________ its own light
10. The boy jumped ________ the pond to take the ball.
11. She comes to school __________ bus
12. I prefer pen __________ pencil
13. I have not been to Bombay _________ three years
14. He died _______ cholera
15. The forest is infested _________ tigers
16. My grandmother likes to stay __________ the town
17. Sam is too tired _________ walk
18. The rule is applicable ________ everyone
19. I met him ________ my uncle’s home
20. My father was angry __________ my behaviour
Answers : 1. on 2. on 3. at 4. of 5. by 6. by 7. with 8. with 9. by
10. into 11. by 12. to 13. for 14. of 15. with 16. at 17. to
18. to 19. at 20. At
21. Sunil sat ________ a wall
22. The man jumped _________ the pond
23. God has been kind ________ me.
24. She accused me ________ poisoning her dog
25. Latha has trouble ________ remembering people’s names
26. Milk is good ________ drink
27. Sam is very good _______ Mathematics
28. The teacher is popular ________ his students
29. Do not laugh ________ the poor
30. I prefer chocolates ________ nuts
31. Suresh was born _______ 1961
32. Roshan has been watching T.V _______ 2 hours
33. Never try to rely _______ foolish people.
34. Are you afraid _______ snakes
35. Nobody should be deprived _________ the opportunities to come up in life.
36. Most of the film stars have a passion ________ fashion
37. Geetha is writing an essay _________ the new economic policy
38. Raghu has been working hard for two weeks and is ______ tired
39. She accused me _______ poisoning her dog
40. Manu refused ________ obey the commands
41. They never arrive ______ time
42. He made me _________ dance
43. You should sympathize ________ the blind
44. She is senior ________ his brother by two years
45. The cow is grazing ________ the farm

21. on 22. into 23. to 24. of 25. with 26. to 27. at 28. with 29. at
30. to 31. in 32. for 33. on 34. of 35. of 36. for 37. on 38. over
39. of 40. to 41. on 42. No preposition 43. with 44. to 45. on