Prepositions and Particles

Dave Roberts

Kyoung Wook Lee

Ji Hyun Yoon

Introduction

We will look at:

• Differences between prepositions and particles.

• Different types of prepositions.

• Use of prepositions in describing space, time and metaphor.

• Use of particles in phrasal verbs.

• Conceptual meanings of some common particles.

Differences between prepositions and particles.

Basic forms

If the pronoun in a sentence is the object then it will be located after a preposition:

They gathered round him.

But, where possible, before a particle:

Then they beat him up.

An adverb can occur between a verb and a preposition:

But rarely between a verb and a particle. In this case it will occur before the verb:

He ran quickly through the supermarket.

They mercilessly beat up the snitch.

A preposition can be placed before the wh- form in questions and relative clauses:

Particles are not used in this way:

Is this the place about which we were told?

Up whom did you beat?

Differences between Prepositions and Particles

Verb + Preposition Verb + Particle

Preposition is unstressed

Particle is stressed

Pronoun after preposition

Pronoun before particle

Adverb before preposition

Adverb not before particle

Preposition before wh- form in questions, relative clauses

Particle not before wh- form in questions, relative clauses

PrepositionsWe use two distinct types of

preposition, simple and complex.-Simple prepositions do not contain nouns. For example, at last.

-Single-syllable forms (for, in, of, to, on) have general conceptual meaning. They have a more grammatical function.

-Multi-syllable forms have more specific conceptual meaning for the phrase in which they are used. They have a lexical function.

- Complex prepositions contain nouns. For example, for the sake of.

- Most learners have lots of practice with simple verb + preposition sequences. They are familiar with the use of adverb between verb and preposition:

Listen carefully to the instructions.

- They also need to be aware that adverbs are not usually placed between a verb and a particle and avoid strange sentences such as:

Wash quickly up the Dishes.

Simple prepositions

Grammatical

At

By

for

From

In

Above

Among

Before

Behind

Below

One syllable forms.Occur frequently.General conceptualmeaning.

Other simple prepositions carry more specific meaning. Contribute directly to the meaning of phrases in which they occur.

Of

Off

On

To

With

Despite

During

Opposite

Toward(s)

Under

Lexical

Complex Prepositions(Preposition) + Noun Phrase + Preposition

In accordance with

On account of

In addition to

On behalf of

In case of

By means of

For the purpose of

With reference to

For the sake of

In spite of

In Space

at A point in space with no relevant dimension. A narrowly specified point in space.At the park

Static Locations

on One or two relevant dimensions. Location narrowed to a surface or linear concept.

On the block

inTwo or three relevant dimensions.A general idea in space.

In the city

In Time

at Narrowly specified points in time.

At 7pm

Static Locations

on Restricted points in time.

On Tuesday evening

in General locations in time.

In November

In Space

to Goal of movement in relation to a specific point.

He went to the beach

Goal of Movement

On(to) Goal of movement in relation to a surface.

He climbed on(to) the pier

In(to) Goal of movement in relation to an area.

He dived in(to) the sea

In Space

from Source of movement in relation to a specific point.

Get it from the shop

Source of Movement

off Source of movement in relation to a surface.

Get off the sofa

out of Source of movement in relation to an area.

Get out of the house

In Time

to Goal of movement in relation to a specific point from another point.

Lines are open from 6 to 9 tonight.

Source/Goal of Movement

In(to)Goal of movement in relation to a period of time.

The fine weather continued into November.

In Space

past Movement in relation to a specific point.

Go past the library

Path of Movement

along Movement in relation to a surface.

Go along the main road

through Movement in relation to an area.

Go through the tunnel

In Time

past Movement in relation to a specific point.

It was past midnight when they finally left

Path of Movement

through Movement in relation to a period of time.

The sunny days continued through October.

Location in metaphor

The concept of containers to describe space and time can be extended to more abstract

concepts.

Emotions

Linguistic expressions

Visual field

Fall in love

Stay out of trouble

Put in into words

Communication through language.

It’s come into view

It’s out of sight now

Location in space

Point Surface Area

Connected position

At E On E In E

Goal of movement

To E On(to) In (to)

ESource of movement

(away) from

E

Off Out of

Path of movement

Past Along Through

E E

E E E

Activity 1: Rosie’s Walk

1. Goal of activity: Learning about prepositions through the story.Practicing using physical prepositions with each other.2. Type of activity: Group work3. Approximate time: 20 ~ 25 min4. Materials : story book and realia5. Student profile : 1 year of Kindergarten – 7 years old kid, Novice mid.

6. Procedure- Show the pictures of story and talk about them- Read the story book together- Have students fill in the blanks while looking at the pictures.- Have students draw a map of where Rosie went and present it using prepositions of location- Ask a student to come to the front and do as the teacher says Ex> go over the chair – go under the desk -go around the teachers’ table- go past the white board – go through the tunnel. And Have student explain what he/ she did

Activity 2: Around the world in 80 days

1. Goal of activity: Learning about prepositions of time and place by making and talking about the schedule. (Information gap)2. Type of activity: Pair work3. Approximate time: 30 min4. Materials : Storybook, worksheet, paper, coloured pencils.5. Student profile : 1st grader of middle Novice high.

6. Procedure

- The class reads the first chapter of the story together and the teacher checks comprehension by asking questions where appropriate. - Highlight the preposition in and explain how it can be applied to both situations.- Do the same with prepositions on and at so that students understand their use in explaining time.- Practice the preposition sentences about the story and make them relevant to the students’ lives.Give some example sentences about the times of events in the story. Students must fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition, on, in, at. They can use the storybook to help them.- Have students make their own schedule in the given form.- A pair of students will talk about their own schedules and make an appointment.

Aim of the activity: for the students to imaginatively use prepositions in metaphor.

Type of activity: group work.

Approximate time: 30 minutes.

Materials: large versions of above pictures.

Student profile: 4th grade elementary students, low intermediate level, 40 minute class 3 days a week. 12 students in the class.

Activity 3: Storyboard

Procedure: - divide students into groups of 3.- give each group small copies of the story pictures (in no particular order).- groups are to try to work out a story using the pictures. The aim is to incorporate prepositions of metaphor in their story.- teams take turns presenting their stories to the rest of the class.The teams are awarded points according to how many appropriate uses they can incorporate into their stories.- The teacher presents their intended story and students identify the uses of prepositions in metaphor.

JennyRobbie Phil

Robbie

Jenny Robbie

Robbie

?

Phil Jenny

!

Storyboard

Particles

Preposition forms can be used as particles when in Verb + Particle combinations.

These Phrasal Verbs can be used in different ways:

Without direct object Get out!

Object after the particle

She ran up a big phone bill

Object before the particle The team didn’t let me down

Object before or after the particle

Turn the TV off. Turn off the TV

Meanings of Particles

Particles Conceptual Meanings

Up

Down

Off

On

Out

Away

Increase, completion

Decrease, completion

Disconnection, completion

Connection, continuation

Removal, change of state

Disconnection, unrestrained action

Use of the particle up

Increase in

Level Things are heating up.

Size Fill it up.

Activity We will stir things up.

Readiness They’re all fired up.

Awareness He will soon sober up.

Visibility I was glad when he turned up.

He cleaned up his room.Completion

Use of the particle down

Decrease in

Level Prices have come down.

Size The swelling has gone down.

Activity We asked them to quiet down.

Readiness The troops were told to stand down.

Completion All operations have been shut down.

Meaning in Context

Preposition phrase Information about circumstances of events

- In initial position

- In final position

Starting point, setting, framework

Additional circumstantial information

Particle Information key to the event itself

- Object before particle

- Particle before object

Shorter, unstressed, pronoun, given

Longer, stressed, noun phrase, new

Activity 4: TPR activity Goal of activity: Make students understand

prepositions by doing activity.(TPR)

Type of activity : pair work

Approximate time :10~15 min

Materials: papers, construction paper, scissors, glue water spray

Students’ profile: 2nd graders in elementary school

Procedure: - divide students into groups of 2. – distribute 2 pieces of paper, one piece of construction

paper, 2 glues, and 2 scissors to each group. - Ask students to stand up and sit down, hands up and down.

- Ask them to take out their scissors. -demonstrate how to cut, bend, fold, tear and glue the

paper.- Showing visual aid, have students to repeat verbs such as, cut, glue, tear, fold, and bend.- Give directions which include prepositions. (ex. cut out the paper, glue it on the blue construction paper, bend it over,

tear it off, fold it over, and mix it up.)- have students follow instructions with actions.- ask one student from each group to describe what just

he/she did by using prepositions.-For pair work, have one student give instructions to his/her partner. Then ask the other to follow the instructions. Then, take turns.

Activity 5: Traffic signs

Goal of activity: students can practice prepositions with traffic signs.

Type of activity : group work

Approximate time: 30 min.

Materials: pictures of traffic signs, direction cards, preposition cards.

Students’ profile: novice high, adult learners

Procedure: -divide students into groups of 5. –distribute pictures of traffic signs and direction

cards to each group. -Ask students to match the traffic signs with direction cards in a group.-distribute preposition cards to each group. Ask them to fill in the blanks of direction cards with preposition cards.

-Once they finish the group work, one student from each group read completed sentences.

-ask one student in a group to pick up the picture and show it to his/her group numbers. Others will describe the traffic sign with prepositions.

-have students take turns to practice prepositions with pictures and direction cards.

PDo not park ( ) the area ( ) the signs

Do not drive ( ) the intersection

Do not turn to go ( ) the opposite direction (U-turn)

Do not turn right when facing a red light ( ) the intersection

No bicycles allowed ( ) this road

Do not turn left ( ) the intersection

Right lane ends ( ). If you are ( ) the right-hand lane, you must merge safely with traffic ( ) the lane to the left

Slight bend or curve ( ) the road ahead

Pavement narrows ( )

Pavement is slippery when wet. Slow ( ) and drive with caution

STOP

Sharp bend or turn in the road ( ).

Stop sign ( ).Slow down.

Traffic travels ( ) both direction ( ) the same road ahead. Keep to the right.

Winding road ( ).

Two roads going ( ) the same direction are about to join ( ) one. Drivers on both are equally responsible for seeing that traffic merges smoothly and safely.

between

through

to

in

at

on

at

in

ahead

ahead

in

with

in

to

with

in

ahead

ahead

down

in

on

ahead

to

ahead

in

into

on

Location in time In –

At - used to describe location in a specific point in time.

at 6 o’clock

On – used to describe location in a restricted unit of time.

on Friday night

In – used to describe location in an extended period of time.

in December

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Non-separable

Meanings in context

Prepositions are at the edge of the action in a sentence.

Particles are often at the centre of the action.

Using Prepositions

Simple one-syllable prepositions have many possible uses and can describe a wide variety of relationships.

The grammatical use depends on the conceptual meaning of the noun phrases that follow them.

To understand how prepositions are used we need to understand how spatial locations are perceived, and from this how different types of concepts are defined.