CHAPTER 6: PREPOSITIONS AND

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

6.1-2: Definition: generally, a preposition expresses a relation between 2

entities: a preposition and a prepositional complement, usually
characterized by a noun phrase or a wh-clause.

That-clauses and infinitive clauses do not occur as prepositional

complements
Examples are exercise 79
6.3 Normally a preposition is followed by a complement, but in some
cases, this does not happen, either because the complement has to take the
first position in the clause, or because it is absent.

Examples are exercise 82

Simple and complex sentences

6.4 Simple is consist of one word, others consisting of more than one
word is complex. Most of these are categorized into 3 ones:
1. adverb of prep + prep : out of, up to,..

2. Verb/ adj/ conj/etc + prep: due to, because of,..

3. Prep + noun + prep : in front of, by means of,..

Prepositions and prepositional adverbs

6.5 A prepositional adverb is a particle which behaves like a preposition
with ellipted complement.

Examples are exercise 84

Functions of the prepositional phrase

6.6 Prepositonal phrases may function as:

1. Adjunct ( Sung ngữ ) Ex: She is studying at school

2. Disjunct ( Định ngữ ) Ex: To her despair, the cat is much cooler than
she thought
3. Conjunct ( Liên ngữ ) Ex: Generally speaking, we are in the era of
technology
4. Postmodifier in a noun phrase ( Bổ ngữ đứng sau trong cụm danh từ )
Ex: The fish in the pond were catfish
5. Complementation of a verb ( Sự bổ ngữ của một động từ ) Ex: I often
turn to her in some difficult situations
6. Complementation of an adjective ( sự bổ ngữ của một tính từ ) Ex: I
am grateful for my mom’s help

Prepositional meanings : Place

6.7 When we use a preposition to indicate a place, we do so in relation to
dimensional properties.

Ex: The book is in the box

An alcoholic was sleeping on the roof of an overpass on Tran Nhat
Duat street last night

Note: The use of in makes the box a 3D location, on the other hand, the
use of on makes the roof become a 1D location.

Positive position and direction : at, to, etc

6.8 A prepositional phrase of ‘ position’ can accompany any verb,
although the meaning of ‘ direction’ generally requires dynamic verb of
‘motional’ meaning.

Ex: She went to the hospital on Nhan Tong street.

Negative position and direction : away from, off,..

6.9 There is a parallel cause and effect relation with the negative
positions away from, off of,..