26PrepositionandPrepositionalPhrase

Preposition and Prepositional phrase

English today is basically an analytic language in which inflections have practically been replaced by structural words and a relatively fixed word order. Prepositions are just a class of structural words that indicate various semantic relations between words or expressions.

26.1 Collocation of prepositions with adjectives, verbs and nouns 1) Prepositions after adjectives

As has been mentioned in 23.4.1, adjectives can collocate with prepositions to form adjective phrases. Some adjectives can only be followed by specific prepositions, but there are other adjectives that can collocate with different prepositions to express different meanings. There are also adjectives that can be followed by different prepositions without change in meaning, the choice of prepositions being determined by the complementation.

2) Prepositions after verbs

Combinations of prepositions with verbs fall into the following types:

a)Verb + preposition

b)Verb +object + preposition. It should be noticed that these combination are

different from such multi-word verbs as take pity on, take advantage of, etc. in the case of multi-word verbs, the object is an integral part of the whole, while in such combinations as exclude…from, the object is not a fixed item and admits of substitution.

c)Verb + adverb particle + preposition.

d)Verb + object + adverb particle + preposition

3) Collocation of Prepositions with nouns

These collocations may be described in two ways:

a)Noun + preposition. There are nouns that are usually followed by certain

prepositions.

b)Preposition + noun. There are also nouns that are usually preceded by certain

prepositions.

26.2 Complex prepositions

Complex prepositions, also known as “multi-word prepositions”, refer to combinations that consist of two or more than two words and which perform the function of simple prepositions. In terms of word-formation, complex prepositions can be divided into:

1)Two-word prepositions

2)Three-word prepositions

3)Four-word prepositions

26.3 Transformational relations between prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses

Prepositional phrases, which are chiefly used as adverbials in clauses and as modifiers in noun phrases, have transformational relations with some subordinate clauses that perform the same syntactic functions.

1)Prepositional phrase vs that-clause. In some contexts, a prepositional phrase can

be transformed into a corresponding that-clause.

2)Prepositional phrase vs adverbial clause. Sometimes, a prepositional phrase is

interchangeable with an adverbial clause.

3)Prepositional phrase vs relative clause. When a prepositional phrase is used as

postmodifier in a noun phrase, it can sometimes be turned into a relative clause.