prepositions

Q1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. The boy wandered _____ the forest everyday when his mother was away ___ work.

• 1) on, in
• 2) in, at
• 3) for, on
• 4) into, at

Solution

The boy wandered into the forest everyday when his mother was away at work.

Q2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. Zarina wanted to buy a dress ___ pink ___ her dearest little sister. 

• 1) under, with
• 2) within, up
• 3) except, but
• 4) in, for

Solution

Zarina wanted to buy a dress in pink for her dearest little sister. 

Q3. Fill in the blank with an appropriate preposition. The player was disqualified because he had done something that was _______ the rules of the game.

• 1) Outside
• 2) Along
• 3) In
• 4) For

Solution

The player was disqualified because he had done something that was outside the rules of the game.

Q4. What is the function of the underlined preposition? I have bought a basket full of exotic fruits for Swami.

• 1) Purpose
• 2) Place
• 3) Agent
• 4) Time

Solution

The preposition ‘for’ tells us why the fruits were bought. Hence, it is a preposition for purpose.

Q5. Replace the incorrectly used prepositions with the correct ones. Emily poured some milk on the glass for Jack and waited at him to come downstairs so that they could have breakfast together.  

Solution

Emily poured some milk into the glass for Jack and waited for him to come downstairs so that they could have breakfast together.

Q6. What is the function of the underlined preposition? Susanne was declared missing on 8 January 2015 by the police.

• 1) Place
• 2) Time
• 3) Agent
• 4) Direction

Solution

The preposition ‘on’ tells the readers when Susanne was declared missing. Hence, it is the preposition for time.  

Q7. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. Speaking __ Shakespeare; you have to read two of his plays __ complete this assignment.

• 1) Of, to
• 2) In, at
• 3) About, in
• 4) Of, at

Solution

Speaking of Shakespeare; you have to read two of his plays to complete this assignment.

Q8. Fill in the blank with an appropriate preposition.   Suraj would sleep ____ noon during holidays.

• 1) Through
• 2) Onto
• 3) Till
• 4) Around

Solution

Suraj would sleep till noon on holidays.  

Q9. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. The effect ____ the sedative will wear off only ____ twenty-four hours.

• 1) outside, on
• 2) in, at
• 3) from, into
• 4) of, after

Solution

The effect of the sedative will wear off only after twenty-four hours.

Q10. Fill in the blank with an appropriate preposition. Camels are typically adapted ___ life in the desert.  

• 1) On
• 2) At
• 3) For
• 4) To

Solution

Camels are typically adapted to life in the desert.

Q11. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. Satya was born ___ a small town ___ Uttaranchal.

• 1) On, at
• 2) In, in
• 3) At, in
• 4) In, for

Solution

Satya was born in a small town in Uttaranchal.

Q12. Fill in the blank with appropriate prepositions.   Schools and colleges remained closed yesterday _____ growing fears of violence.

• 1) Amid
• 2) Because
• 3) On
• 4) As

Solution

Schools and colleges remained closed yesterday amid growing fears of violence.

Q13. What is the function of the underlined preposition? The dog ran towards the door after sniffing the clothes.

• 1) Agent
• 2) Time
• 3) Direction
• 4) Place

Solution

The preposition ‘towards’ tells the reader in which direction the dog ran. Hence, it is a preposition for direction.

Q14. What is the function of the underlined prepositions in the following sentences?  Leela waited at the billing counter for Shashi. Shashi was in the frozen foods section buying ready-to-eat meals. He looked at Leela as if asking her if they needed the packet of French fries he was holding. Leela looked towards him as if asking him to keep the packet back into the freezer.

Solution

Leela waited at the billing counter for Shashi. Preposition indicating place   Shashi was in the frozen foods section buying ready-to-eat meals. Preposition indicating place    He looked at Leela as if asking her if they needed the packet of French fries he was holding. Preposition indicating direction    Leela looked towards him as if asking him to keep the packet back into the freezer. Preposition indicating direction 

Q15. The prepositions in bold font below have been incorrectly used. Replace them with the correct ones.  The works of D.H. Lawrence represent an extended reflection about the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation. Some in the issues that Lawrence explored in his works are emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. Lawrence spent his formative years at the coal mining town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. His working-class background and the tensions for his parents provided the raw material from a number of his early works.

Solution

The works of D.H. Lawrence represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation. Some of the issues that Lawrence explored in his works are emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. Lawrence spent his formative years in the coal mining town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. His working-class background and the tensions between his parents provided the raw material for a number of his early works.

Q16. What is the function of the underlined preposition? Draw a circle on the paper given to you by your teacher.

• 1) Agent
• 2) Direction
• 3) Place
• 4) Time

Solution

The preposition ‘on’ tells the readers where the circle has to be drawn. Hence, it is preposition for place.

Q17. The prepositions in bold font below have been incorrectly used. Replace them with the correct ones.  Michael Phelps is a famous American swimmer for a total of 22 medals who holds the all-time records in Olympic gold medals. Phelps won four gold and two silver medals on the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, making him the most successful athlete at the Games for the third Olympics from a row. Phelps began swimming in the age of seven because of the influence of his sisters and partly to provide him with an outlet for his energy due for ADHD.

Solution

Michael Phelps is a famous American swimmer with a total of 22 medals who holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals. Phelps won four gold and two silver medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, making him the most successful athlete of the Games for the third Olympics in a row. Phelps began swimming at the age of seven because of the influence of his sisters and partly to provide him with an outlet for his energy due to ADHD. 

Q18. What is the function of the underlined preposition in the following sentences?   It snowed a lot in our city yesterday. Dhanush was born in 1978.  

Solution

It snowed a lot in our city yesterday.  Preposition indicating place Dhanush was born in 1978. Preposition indicating time 

Q19. Fill in the blank with an appropriate preposition. Jordan has been working hard _____ improving his communication skills.

• 1) In
• 2) By
• 3) For
• 4) On

Solution

Jordan has been working hard on improving his communication skills.

Q20. What is the function of the underlined preposition? We opened the lock with the key we found on the floor.

• 1) Place
• 2) Agent
• 3) Direction
• 4) Time

Solution

The preposition ‘with’ tells u how the lock was opened. Hence, the preposition ‘with’ is the preposition for agent.

Q21. The prepositions in bold font below have been incorrectly used. Replace them with the correct ones. Having completed his school last year, Ajit wanted to go into Australia on further education. He wrote at the Australian Centre of Further Education to getting information for the course he was interested at pursuing. 

Solution

Having completed his school last year, Ajit wanted to go to Australia for further education. He wrote to the Australian Centre of Further Education for getting information on the course he was interested in pursuing. 

Q22. Replace the incorrectly used prepositions with the correct ones.   Jigar threw a stone into the bird sitting for the branch of the guava tree at the lake.

Solution

Jigar threw a stone at the bird sitting on the branch of the guava tree near the lake.

Q23. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. There are many reasons ____ a person not being able to cope with stress. To begin with, he might not know that he is under stress. Second, he may be too busy ____ meeting his daily targets at work and completing his commitments ____ the family. Third, he may be living alone or have no friends ____ talk to. As a result, there is no one ____ whom he can share his problems and concerns.  Finally, he may be finding it difficult to accept that fact that he is being affected ____ stress and may continue to suppress his anxiety and frustration.

Solution

There are many reasons for a person not being able to cope with stress. To begin with, he might not know that he is under stress. Second, he may be too busy in meeting his daily targets at work and completing his commitments towards the family. Third, he may be living alone or have no friends to talk to. As a result, there is no one with whom he can share his problems and concerns. Finally, he may be finding it difficult to accept that fact that he is being affected by stress and may continue to suppress his anxiety and frustration.  

Q24. The prepositions in bold font below have been incorrectly used. Replace them with the correct ones.   Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist known mainly in human rights advocacy in her native Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan.  She was shot thrice with a gunman in 9 October 2012 in Swat. The assassination attempt sparked a national and international outpouring of support on Yousafzai. On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her effort about the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. For age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.

Solution

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist known mainly for human rights advocacy in her native Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan.  She was shot thrice by a gunman on 9 October 2012 in Swat. The assassination attempt sparked a national and international outpouring of support for Yousafzai. On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her effort against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. At age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.

Q25. What is the function of the underlined preposition in the following sentences? The project was completed by us within the given time. We had to submit the documents by Thursday. Susanne came to meet me by bus.

Solution

The project was completed by us within the given time. Preposition indicating agent   We had to submit the documents by Thursday. Preposition indicating time   Susanne came to meet me by bus. Preposition indicating agent  

Q26. Replace the incorrectly used prepositions with the correct ones in the following passage.  I ordered a sandwich in a drink for a local cafe. I had gone there to meet my school friend who had come at the city on a week’s holiday. My friend was training to be voice-over artist. His passion on this field was evident when he used to entertain us from mimicking our schoolteachers. As I spoke to him with his training sessions, he said that an aspiring voice-over artist should be careful about his voice and take good care at it.

Solution

I ordered a sandwich with a drink at a local cafe. I had gone there to meet my school friend who had come to the city on a week’s holiday. My friend was training to be voice-over artist. His passion for this field was evident when he used to entertain us by mimicking our schoolteachers. As I spoke to him about his training sessions, he said that an aspiring voice-over artist should careful about his voice and take good care of it.  

Q27. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions.    The light admitted ____ the open door enabled me to observe the room ____ which I was confined. It was about twelve feet square—the walls of solid masonry. The floor was ____ heavy plank. There was one small window, crossed ____ great iron bars, with an outside shutter, securely fastened. An iron-bound door led into an adjoining cell, or vault, wholly destitute of windows, or any means ____ admitting light. The furniture of the room in which I was, consisted of the wooden bench ____ which I sat, an old-fashioned, dirty box stove, and besides these, in either cell, there was neither bed, nor blanket, nor any other thing whatever. (From Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup)

Solution

The light admitted through the open door enabled me to observe the room in which I was confined. It was about twelve feet square—the walls of solid masonry. The floor was of heavy plank. There was one small window, crossed with great iron bars, with an outside shutter, securely fastened. An iron-bound door led into an adjoining cell, or vault, wholly destitute of windows, or any means of admitting light. The furniture of the room in which I was, consisted of the wooden bench on which I sat, an old-fashioned, dirty box stove, and besides these, in either cell, there was neither bed, nor blanket, nor any other thing whatever.

Q28. The prepositions in bold font below have been incorrectly used. Replace them with the correct ones.  A thali is a selection with various dishes. Thali dishes vary in region to region in South Asia and are usually served on small bowls called katoris. These katoris are placed at a round tray often made of steel for multiple compartments. Typical dishes include rice, dal, vegetables, roti, papad, curd (yoghurt), small amounts from chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off. Restaurants typically offer a choice in vegetarian or meat-based thalis.

Solution

A thali is a selection of various dishes. Thali dishes vary from region to region in South Asia and are usually served in small bowls called katoris. These katoris are placed on a round tray often made of steel with multiple compartments. Typical dishes include rice, dal, vegetables, roti, papad, curd (yoghurt), small amounts of chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off. Restaurants typically offer a choice of vegetarian or meat-based thalis.  

Q29. State the functions of the prepositions in bold in the following passage.  Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. (From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum)

Solution

In the midst of - Prepositional phrase indicating place  With - Preposition indicating association  By - Preposition indicating agent   For - Preposition for purpose In - Preposition for place 

Q30. State the functions of the prepositions in bold in the following passage. The Gandhis belong to the Bania caste and seem to have been originally grocers. But for three generations, from my grandfather, they have been Prime Ministers in several Kathiawad States. Uttamchand Gandhi, alias Ota Gandhi, my grandfather, must have been a man of principle. State intrigues compelled him to leave Porbandar, where he was Diwan, and to seek refuge in Junagadh. There he saluted the Nawab with the left hand. Someone, noticing the apparent discourtesy, asked for an explanation, which was given thus: ‘The right hand is already pledged to Porbandar’. (From The Story of My Experiments with Truth by M. K. Gandhi) 

Solution

To - Preposition for place  For - Preposition for time  In - Preposition for place  In - Preposition for place