COMPOUND PREPOSITIONS

Definition :

which are generally formed by prefixing a Preposition to a Noun, an Adjective or an Adverb.

e.g

Compound Prepositions
above	about	across
along	among	against
after	around	between
beyond	before	behind
beside	besides	through
towards	since	inside
outside	within	without

Definitions of some important Compound prepositions

Above (heigher than)

Above indicates : at a higher place, at a higher level, earlier , negative action, expressions.

e.g

Astronatus work a long way above the surface of the earth	heigher than
He was driving above the speed limit	scale of measuring
A dark cloud was above the house	in or at a higher place
He hanged the picture above the sofa	at a higher place
The children in her class are all above average	value
His blood pressure is above normal	value
Please see the instructions above	earlier
The policeman is above cruelty	too good

About (on the topics or subjects)

About indicates : identifies a topic, to get information, not exactly.

e.g

What’s the book about?	identifies a topic
What about you?	to get information
What’s the time please? It’s about 10	approximately
I think that’s about right	approximately
This website is about prepositions	topic
He often talks about his job	topic
we will see about that later	to delay a decision
He asked me about my trip	to get information

Across (on the other side of)

Across indicates : movement from one side, other side, facing, in every area of, .

e.g

There was no bridge across the river	from one side to another
The boy ran across the yard	movement from one side
My friend lives across the street	on the other side of a place
My secretary sits across from me	opposite
There is a heat wave all across the country	in every area of

Along (following)

Across indicates : together, movement or place, from one end towards the other end.

e.g

Taxis often come along this street	place
They rode along the road	towards the other end
Police walked along with dogs in murder place	together
He used to sing along with me	together
He walked along the pavement	towards the other end

Among (surrounded by)

Among indicates : with each other, to the individuals in a group.

e.g

A village among lakes	surrounded by
They camped in the woods among the trees	towards the other end
Divide that money amoung us	between more than one
The boys quarrelled amoung themselves	between more than one / with each other
They distributed the flyers among the students	to the individuals in a group

Against (in the opposite side to)

Against indicates : touching something for support, touching forcibly, in opposition to, toward a force in the opposite direction.

e.g

He fights against her	in the opposite side to
This is against the law	in the opposite side to
The rain beat against the window	touching forcibly
Our senator voted against that bill	in opposition to

After (following on)

After indicates : later than, behind.

e.g

I am glad we have met after two years	later
I am not after money	behind
He is looking after his own business	following on
After you finish your homework, you can watch television	following on
The cat ran after the mouse	behind

Around (on all sides)

Around indicates : movement in a circular direction in place, following a boundary, in all areas of, on another side of.

e.g

The bank is around the corner	on another side of
She must be around twenty	following a boundary
The earth revolvs around the sun	movement in a circular direction
There are several trees around my college	in all areas of

Between (in or within two)

Between indicates : separation of two things, a choice of, together.

e.g

There is no issue between us	together
She must be around twenty	following a boundary
The earth revolvs around the sun	movement in a circular direction
There are several trees around my college	in all areas of

Beyond (on the other side of, farther on)

Beyond indicates : past the limits of, later than, more distance after that.

e.g

The house is beyond the hill	more distance after that
That situation is beyond my understanding	past the limits of
David’s behavior is beyond any excuse	far awayness
In this town nothing is open beyond ten o’clock	later than

Before (advance, about priority in a sequence)

Before indicates : earlier than, in a more important position than, facing, in the future, in the presence of.

e.g

Christmas comes before New Year’s Day	earlier than
I’ll do my homework before dinner	earlier than
She is so ambitious that she puts her job before her family	in a more important position than
The bride smiled as she thought of the happiness before her	in the future
I was told to appear before the judge	in the presence of

Behind (in the rear of)

Behind indicates : at the back, less advanced than, left in the past, late, encouraging or supporting.

e.g

He hid behind the door	in the rear of
My car is behind the bus	in the rear of
My friend sits behind me in class	in the rear of
The train is behind schedule	late
He is always behind in his rent payments	late
The successful man had an ambitious woman behind him	supporting
He is rich now; all his financial problems are behind him	left in the past

Beside (by the side of, near)

Beside indicates : next to .

e.g

There was a tree beside the river	next to
Why don’t you sit beside me	by the side of
He always wastes time at our meetings by talking about things that are beside the point	irrelevant

Besides (in addtion to)

Besides indicates : excepting, apart from.

e.g

Everyone besides me is at the beach	excepting
Besides the captain and the crew, there were twenty passengers on the ship	in addtion to
Besides all of my friends, all of their brothers and sisters are there, too	in addtion to

Through (movement)

Through indicates : length of time, passage within , vision beyond something, parts beginning, between, and including, finish something that requires effort.

e.g

The train sped through the tunnel	motion or movement
I cann’t see through window	vision beyond something
The strike continued through the summer	length of time
We came through the front door	motion or movement
Please read from chapter one through chapter four	between

Towards (in the direction of)

Towards indicates : near a period of time, moving .

e.g

The train rushed towards the tunnel	in the direction of
Water moves towards the pool	in the direction of
He threw a stone towards the sky	in the direction of
I always feel hungry towards dinnertime	near a period of time
We start getting ready for school towards the end of the summer	near a period of time

Since (time up to now)

Towards indicates : length of time.

e.g

Since you have finished your homework, you can help me make dinne	length of time
He has been ill since friday night	length of time
I didn’t see her since I was 5 years old	time up to now
I have been leaving here since 1980	time up to now
Long since I meet you	length of time

Inside (within)

Inside indicates : indoors, within.

e.g

Is there anybody inside?	indoor
The dentist looked inside his mouth	within
She put the money inside the envelope	within
The children went inside because it had started to rain	indoor

Outside (not within)

Outside indicates : out.

e.g

It’s raining heavily outside	not within
It will soon be dark outside	not within
You can play outside after lunch	not within

Within (inside the limits)

Within indicates : length of time, less than a distance, not outside a place, possible, not exceeding the limits of something.

e.g

He will return within a week	length of time
I live within three miles of the city centre	less than a distance
At last, the beach is within sight	possible

Without (not having)

Without indicates : absence of somebody, not using, not performing an action, negative of with.

e.g

The president attended the meeting without his wife	not having, absence
We had to cook without gas	not using
She can't read without her glasses	not using
He left without saying good-bye	not performing an action
No entry without permission	not having
Please meet your doctor without fail	absence

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