As the name says, preposition it is a term that occupies an earlier position. In practice this means that it always positions itself before a word, establishing a subordination relationship with a main term. This word can link both the names to its complements as the verbs to your objects.
Read too: Subordinate conjunctions - terms that link two syntactically dependent clauses
What is preposition?
THE preposition it is an invariant word, that is, it is not altered in number (singular/plural) or gender (male/female). It must be before a term, which can be a noun, adjective, verb or adverb. Placed in this position, it is able to establish a relationship of dependence between this term and a principal. This relationship can be from possession, way, place, cause, end, among others.
classification of prepositions
The prepositions are divided into two groups: essential and accidental. At essential they are those that have always been prepositions: a, before, after, until, with, against, from, from, in, between, to, before, by, without, under, over, behind.
already the accidental they are words from other grammatical classes that also started to function as a preposition: according, consonant, second, upon, like, during, except, outside, etc.
There is a distinctive feature between essentials and accidentals. The essentials govern pronoun oblique: a me, against yes, in you. Accidentals are used with pronouns in the straight case: as you, according to me, second he.
Use of prepositions
Most prepositions are meaningless words if considered in isolation. But by linking words or sentences, they establish certain meanings, which are defined by the context. Note the possible relationships below:
- possession: The eyes are beautiful in Patricia.
- company: Will travel with the friends.
- place: I have been in Sao Paulo.
- quite: We will be back in bus.
- end: Stopped for fuel the car.
- cause: Manuel Bandeira did not die in tuberculosis.
- subject matter: It's better not to talk about soccer.
- opposition: the plane takes off against the wind.
- resource: We are unable to travel at the moment.
- matter: The bike is in aluminum.
- instrument: got hurt with the hammer.
Contraction and combination of prepositions
We said that prepositions are invariant, but there is a phenomenon that makes it look like they are inflected in gender and number. This phenomenon is called contraction. This occurs when the prepositions The, in, in and per (old way of putting) join with articles or pronouns, with loss of phonemes. In this way, the preposition takes on the characteristic of the term to which it was joined. See some examples:
|
at + as = at of + o = of of + that = of that |
in + these = in these in + that = that by + os = hair |
There is also the combination, which occurs when the preposition The links to the article you) or to the adverb Where, with no loss of phoneme in this union: to (s) and where.
Read too: Composition – get to know this process of word formation
prepositional phrases
Prepositional phrases are expressions with a preposition value. They are usually made up of adverb (or adverbial phrase) and preposition (from, to, with). See some examples:
|
Besides before despite across |
in place of around rather than because of |
thanks to against because according to |
solved exercises
1 - Observe the highlighted prepositions and define which relation each one establishes in the sentence.
a) We study until evening.
b) The library is The two blocks from the school.
c) The teacher arrives in ten minutes.
d) The school has been decorated for the science fair.
e) Students traveled for São Paulo at an exhibition.
Solution: time, place, time, end, place.
2 - Fill in the spaces with the correct preposition:
a) I studied at this school _____ last year.
b) Students are always discussing ______ themselves.
c) We go to school by ____ bus.
d) I am wearing glasses ______ see better.
e) This teacher explains ______ clarity.
Solution: from, between, from, to, with.
