The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002
7.8. Prepositions of place
Unit seven. Adverbs, adverbials and prepositions
Sections 171-178
The most important words for indicating place are prepositions.
• ’at -type’ prepositions indicate a point in space:
to, at, from, away from such a remote spot
• ’on -type’ prepositions indicate a line or a surface:
on, on to, off, across, over, along, through the river
• ’in -type’ prepositions indicate an area or a volume:
in, into, out of, through, inside, outside, within the prison compound.
Task one **
Complete the following sentences and text, using each of the above prepositions at least once.
1. The discredited politician lived ... Grantchester, a small village just ... Cambridge.
2. The pilot came aboard three miles ... Vancouver Island and steered the freighter safely ... the harbour.
3. The high road ... Kingsbridge ... Plymouth passes ... three small villages.
4. Today we are trekking ... dense forests ... the island of Mindanao.
5. It was in 1799 that Wordsworth moved ... Dove Cottage with his sister Dorothy, but lack of space caused them to move ... it again in 1808 ... larger premises.
6. ... the parliament building, gazing out ... the Ottawa River, one has a fine view of the twin city ... the far shore - Hull.
7. Walk straight ... the field, go ... a gate and continue ... the edge of the next field.
8. Very little is known about what is going on ... the country, except that most civilians are staying well ... war zones.
9. As soon as I had arrived ... Axminster railway station, I stepped ... the train ... the platform, got ... my car and drove off ... Charmouth ... the coast of Dorset.
10. On Tuesday 15 August, Scase was ... York Station beginning his watch by half-past eight in ... the morning. He had travelled ... York the previous evening and had taken a room ... a dull commercial hotel close ... the station. He could have been lodged ... any provincial city. It never occurred to him to visit the Minster or to stroll ... the cobbled streets ... the city walls.
(from P.D. James, Innocent Blood, p. 123)
Task two **
Complete the following sentences, using prepositional phrases which act as acceptable place adverbials in the context.
1. One of the rodeo riders lost his balance and fell ...
2. Two people escaped from the burning building by jumping ...
3. The commuters were relieved to see that the London train was at last pulling ...
4. Looking outside, I could see two pigeons perched ...
5. To get to the other side of the river you only have to walk ...
6. Firefighters had already rescued the driver but two passengers were still trapped ...
7. It is safer to sail … than to go further out to sea ...
8. Billy wanted to play in the neighbours’ garden, so he simply climbed ...
9. Instead of visiting the old town centre we just drove ...
10. Eastern Docks have been blockaded, so ferries will have to leave ... Docks this time.
11. I thought Barbara was married because she was wearing a ring ...
12. People who want to socialize often have some drinks ...