0In India nowdays English grammar is very imporatant because wheteher you are going to give SSC, Bank, CDS, NDA, CLAT, MBA etc exams its necessary to have good command over English.
Lets have a look on some importanat points:
1. In front of: This is used to denote that something/someone is standing in front of other person/object. For instance: The lecturer stands in front of the students.
2. Behind: It is used to express opposite connotation of In front of. It means at the back (part) of something/someone. For instance: The car was parked behind the gate.
3. Between/Among/Amidst: Often, we get confused while using these words and end up using the wrong word.
i. Between is used for two objects or things (or places). For instance: There are mountains between Chile and Argentina.
ii. Among is used for more than two persons / things. For instance: The chief guest distributed prizes among the top performers.
iii. Amid or Amidst is used for more than two persons / things (groups). For instance: Amid her team members
4. Across From / Opposite: Across from/opposite is similar to conveying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of something. For instance: The girl lives across from a temple.
5. Next to / Beside: Next to and beside refer to an object or a person that is at the side of another thing. For instance: A security personnel stands next to the entrance gate.
6. Near / Close to: Near and close to carry same connotation as next to / beside. The only difference is the distance. ‘Next to’ is used to express a short distance, while ‘near’ is used to highlight a longer distance. For instance: The bus stop is near the bank.
7. On:
i. On is used a preposition of time, place and position.
ii. This means it indicates ‘days of the week’.
iii. ‘On’ is used to point out the position of a person or an object.
For instance: The bottle is kept on the table. (Indicates position). The office will be open on Saturday. (This indicates time).
8. Above/Over: Above and over mean position higher than a reference point. In other words, ‘above’ or ‘over’ mean at a higher position than other object or person. For instance: They put an umbrella over the table to avoid heat from the sun rays. "Over" can also mean ‘covering the surface of something’. For instance: The mud is spread all over the floor.
9. Under/Below: Under and below mean at a lower level w.r.t someone/something. For instance: The boxes are under the table. A river flows under a bridge. Sometimes we use the word underneath instead of under and beneath instead of below. There is no difference in meaning those they are less common nowadays.
10. Of/Off: ‘Of’ denotes origin or cause, while ‘off’ denotes separation.
11. To: After the verbs “Say / suggest / propose / speak / explain / reply / complain / talk / listen / write”, ‘to’ should be used if any object is present.
12. No preposition: Verbs such as ‘discuss/describe/order/tell/demand’ do not require any preposition. The verbs directly take an object.
Now, it’s time to check what you have read so far. Try these questions, which were featured in various competitive exams.
1. He quickly glanced ____________ the book to find what it said about the Indian economy.
2. What is the time ________ your watch?
3. My father will retire from service ________ a year.
4. Most of us eat ________ a spoon.
5. Whom are you talking __________ ?
6. Don’t look __________ on him.
7. We are pleased ____________ your visit.
8. She is good _________ English.
9. There is some dispute ____________ the property as the owner died without making a will.
10. Do you take pride ____________ your appearance?
We hope this post might have cleared all your doubts.
