on in at 0. at on in on in at on Monday in Monday in the morning in morning on in at 1. 1.1 on in at AT Used to show a point in space where someone or something is, or where an event is happening. Ex) We ll meet at my house. At a party/club/funeral etc at an event while it is taking place Ex) I met my wife at a disco. Place where regularly going Ex) Is Rie still at school? does she go to school regularly Used to show an exact time Ex) The film starts at 8 o clock. Used to show a particular period of time during which something happens Ex) My husband often works at night. Used to show the person or thing that an action is directed or aimed at Ex) Look at that! Used to show the thing that caused an action or feeling Ex) The children all laughed at his jokes. Used to show the subject or activity that you are considering when making a judgement about someone s ability
Ex) Rosa is a genius at science. Used to show a continuous state or activity Ex) Two nations at war. Used to show a price, rate, level, age, speed Ex) Old books selling at 10 cents each. Used to show that you are trying to do something but are not succeeding or completing Ex) George was just picking at his food. At the same time Ex) Ben was putting chocolates in his mouth two at a time. In Used with the name of a container, place, or area to say where someone or something is Ex) There is some sugar in the cupboard. Used with the names of countries and towns to say where someone or something is Ex) The taxi man got lost in New York. Used with the names of months, years, seasons etc. to say when something happens. Ex) I was born in 1979. During a period of time Ex) It was amazing how much we managed to do in a day. At the end of a period of time Ex) I ll be with you in a minute. Included as part of something Ex) She said all this in her speech. Working at a particular kind of job Ex )She used to be a teacher, but she is in marketing now. Wearing something Ex) She was dressed in a pink suit. Using a particular way of talking or writing Ex) You speak in Japanese. Arranged so as to form a particular shape or group Ex) People were sitting in small groups chatting. Used with numbers or amounts to show a proportion Ex) One in every 10 children now suffers from asthma.
Used to show a connection between two things Ex) Milk is rich in calcium Used to show the feelings you have when you do something Ex) She looked at me in horror. Used to say how one person should consider another Ex) You ve got a good friend in Pat. Because Ex) The situation is rather complicated in that we have two managing directors. Used when giving a total amount Ex) There were about 800 people in all. On Touching or being supported by a particular surface Ex) The plates are on the table. Hanging from, supported by or connected to a particular thing Ex) Stand on one foot. In a particular place Ex) He grew up on a ranch in California. In a particular direction Ex) On my right sat the Chancellor. Used to show the person or thing affected by an action or someone s behavior Ex) A tax on cigarettes On one of the sides of something such as a river or road Ex) A café on the river At sometime during a particular day Ex) They arrived on Thursday. About a particular subject Ex) A book on India Used to say what money people use to live, the amounts of money someone earns Ex) People on high salaries should pay more tax. Informed used to say that someone takes a particular drug or medicine Ex) Since she is been on Prozac she is been a different person. Using telephone/radio Ex) I m on the phone. During a trip, journey etc. Ex) I met several people on the voyage.
Used to say what has been used to do something Ex) Phil had torn his shirt on a nail. Immediately after something has happened or after someone has done something Ex) On hearing the news of the air attack most foreigners headed for the border. Used to say that someone is a member of a team, organization Ex) What team did you say your boyfriend was on? Compared with another person or thing Ex) Sales are 10% up on last year. Having a particular thing in your pocket or bag Ex) How much cash do you have on you? Spoken used to say that someone will pay for something such as a drink, a meal Ex) Drinks are on Harold! Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 1.2 Bennett over 1.2.1 Bennett Bennett Bennett Bennett over [LOCATIVE superior] over SOURCE PATH GOAL over [LOCATIVE superior] SOURCE over over over Bennett over
[LOCATIVE superior] over up above Bennett 1.2.2 98 over Bennett above above over I saw a plane fly over the hill. I saw a plane fly above the hill. over hill above over hill over above over over village 1.2.3 Bennett 97
1. The dog jumped over the fence. 2. The bird is flying over the lake. 3. There is a house over the hill. 4. The queen had strong control over her people. over over I saw Superman fly over the city. I saw Superman fly above the city. above over over across 5. Maki walks across the river. Maki walks over the river. 6. Maki walks across the road.? Maki walks over the road. across over river road over over road road
over in, over at by 1.3 on in at 1.3.1 in in in in out lock push 1.3.2 at at 1.3.3 on on on come move 1.4 Wierzbicka Wierzbicka Wierzbicka on in at
1.3.1 At at RP at static morning day Wierzbicka in morning at night 1.3.2 On on on It happens on Friday. *It happens on April. on Wierzbicka on countable parts era century epoch Friday 24 on-time limo in-time limo on-time limo 1.3.3 in in countable parts
during in I heard the people shouting in the night. I heard the people shouting during the night. in during in during 1.4 at 10 o clock 10 *in 10 o clock in at dawn at night *at the night the *at day day at present *at future future *at past past at the beginning at the end *at the middle
*at summer summer in summer summer day countable parts in in April day *in Sunday Sunday in on Sunday in time on time on Christmas day 24 26 at Christmas time at at the weekend in the morning in *in morning in the the in 2 hours 2 in the 19 th century 19 in 1979
1979 on the 7 th of January 1979 *on April April day on *on the 19 th century century century day on 3. on in at Bennett Wierzbicka on in at Herskovits Herskovits 86 on X Y Y Oy X Ox Oy Ox in 1 2 3 at
1993 1998 Bennett, David C.(1975) Spatial and Temporal Uses of English Prepositions Longman Linguistics Library Herskovits, Annette 1986 Language and spatial cognition Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge ( 1991 ) 1996 1987 1993 1997 Wierzbicka, Anna(1993) Why do we say IN April, ON Thursday, AT 10 o clock? In search of an Explanation Studies in Language