As we already know, a preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns or phrases to other words within a sentence. Prepositions are words like: about, at, in, on, for, from, opposite etc. that can appear as single-words or pair of words and they express time, place, movement.
Conjunctions are also connecting words, but they can do much more than a preposition because they can connect verbs together and even more, they can connect two sentences together.
There are three types of conjunctions:
- coordinating conjunctions: for, and, but, or, yet, so.
We have money for breakfast and shopping.
- correlative conjunctions: both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also.
Tonight we watch either Titanic or Pride and Prejudice.
- subordinating conjunctions: after, although, because, if.
Because it was raining, I couldn’t go home.
Some words can be both prepositions and conjunctions. When we use a preposition that is followed by a clause, it is functioning as a conjunction; when we use a preposition that is followed by a noun phrase, it stays as a preposition.
The most common prepositions that can function as conjunctions are:
- after
After lunch, we went to the cinema. (here after is followed by a noun so it is a preposition)
After we ate, we went to the cinema. (here after is a conjunction)
- as
I worked as a waiter during summer. (preposition)
I went to bed at 10 pm as I had a train to catch at 6 am. (conjunction)
- because
We had to stop to a hotel because of the bad weather. (preposition)
We had to stop to a hotel because the weather was very bad. (conjunction)
- before
I’d like to go for a walk before lunch. (preposition)
Before I left, I gave everyone instructions about that project. (conjunction)
- for
We had been waiting for you more than 3 hours. (preposition)
I trust her, for she is a correct person. (conjunction)
- until
He decided to wait for him until tonight. (Here until is followed by a noun, so it is a preposition)
I will wait in the car until you finish talking to your friend. (Here until connects the subject of the sentence to its dependent clause, so it is a conjunction)
- since
I’ve been living in Romania since last spring. (preposition)
I have been promoted twice since I started working for this company. (conjunction)
Dacă vrei să afli mai multe despre prepoziții, poți achiziționa cursul nostru de Elementary English, care are și subtitrare în română:
