Classification:
Level: Intermediate
Time: 30 min.
Material: Pen and paper
Equipment: None
Aim: To practice prepositions
Activity Type: Vocabulary enlargement
Preparation:
Study this review of prepositions before dealing with task 1:
A preposition is used to connect nouns and noun structures to other structures in a sentence. A noun structure following the preposition is called the object of preposition.
The object of preposition can be
a noun: We gave a present to our friend.
a pronoun: We gave a present to them.
a gerund: We thought about giving a present to them.
a noun clause: We though about giving a present to whoever loved us.
Placement of prepositions:
The preposition is usually placed before the object. But it may be placed at the end of a sentence in
a question: Which country did you go to?
an adjective clause: This map shows the countries which we went to.
a noun clause: We forget which countries we went to.
An adjectival prepositional phrase is placed after the noun it modifies.
The book on the desk is mine.
The dog next door bothers me.
An adverbial prepositional phrase, like an adverb, may be placed anywhere in the sentence. Or it may be placed at the
end: I came at nine o´clock
middle: He leaves in two hours to visit his friends.
beginning: On Monday, I have my English class.
Type of Prepositions
There are one- and two-word prepositions:
one-word: in, at, over, among
two-word: next to, instead of
There are times when prepositions can be used with objects. At such times, they no longer function as prepositions but become either (1) two-word verbs; (2) adverbs; or (3) conjunctions.
Two-word verbs (verb + particle)
Examples: bring up (raise) find out (discover)
call off (cancel) catch on ( understand)
These combinations have idiomatic meanings.
Task 1:
DOCTOR-PATIENT VOCABULARY
Let´s practice the use of one-word prepositions in medical contexts. Fill in the blanks:
Answers key:
10. on/upon 11. with 12. of 13. at 14. from 15. on/upon
16. on, 17. at/on 18. at
Evaluation:
How did it go?
13-18 Correct answers: Excellent work!
8-13 Correct answers: Good work!
3-8 Correct answers: A good effort but keep on practicing. Read through the preparation again and try the task in a week or so. I’m sure you can do it!
3-0 Correct answers: Don’t get discouraged. Just keep trying.
Follow-up:
Practice using these one-word prepositions in medical situations. Find the meaning of them if a dictionary if necessary.
Bibliography:
Lougheed, L. The Great Preposition Mystery. English Language Program Division. Washington, D.C. 1995
Enlaces:
[1] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aboard
[2] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/about
[3] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/above
[4] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/across
[5] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/after
[6] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/against
[7] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/along
[8] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/among
[9] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/around
[10] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/as
[11] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/at
[12] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/before
[13] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/behind
[14] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/below
[15] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beneath
[16] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beside
[17] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/besides
[18] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/between
[19] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beyond
[20] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/but
[21] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/by
[22] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/despite
[23] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/down
[24] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/during
[25] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/following
[26] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/for
[27] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/from
[28] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/in
[29] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inside
[30] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/into
[31] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/like
[32] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/near
[33] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/next
[34] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/of
[35] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/off
[36] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/on
[37] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/opposite
[38] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/out
[39] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/outside
[40] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/over
[41] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/since
[42] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/through
[43] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/throughout
[44] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/to
[45] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toward
[46] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/towards
[47] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/under
[48] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/underneath
[49] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unlike
[50] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/until
[51] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/up
[52] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/upon
[53] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/with
[54] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/within
[55] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/without