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Positional characteristics
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§ 249. Normally a preposition stands between two words to express the relation between them. However, there are cases when one of the two words with which the preposition combines either takes the initial position or is not used at all. In these cases the preposition is attached to the remaining word. It occurs in:
1) special questions, both direct and indirect:
What are you driving at?
Who shall I send it to?
What train shall I go by?
I asked him who the flowers were for.
However, the preposition may precede the interrogative or relative words. In this case the sentence sounds more formal.
To whom shall I send this?
By what train shall I go?
He did not know to whom he should turn for help.
The preposition precedes the interrogative when the preposition forms a stock phrase with a noun.
In what respect was he suspicious?
To what extent is this true?
In abbreviated sentences and clauses consisting only of a preposition and an interrogative word the preposition normally precedes it.
- But to whom?
In colloquial style the preposition is at the end.
- Who by?
- “Apologize?” she said. “What about? ”
2) some clauses beginning with conjunctive and relative pronouns and in subordinate contact clauses:
What I am thinking of is how he got there.
The man I told you about is my relative.
The girl he is in love with studies at the University.
It is his talents he relies on.
In formal style however, the preposition precedes the connective:
The man about whom I told you is a relative of mine.
3) exclamatory sentences:
What a nice place to live in!
4) passive constructions:
The doctor was immediately sent for.
How strange it is to be talked to in this way.
5) some syntactical patterns with the infinitive or gerund:
He is difficult to deal with.
It is not worth worrying abont.
This is not a suitable house to live in.
Note:
If two or more prepositions refer to one word, the second (third) preposition may be used absolutely:
Holly thought of the lashes above and below Val’s eyes, especially below.
His wife was attached to, and dependent on, him.
THE CONJUNCTION
A conjunction is a function word indicating the connection between two notional words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.
Morphological composition
§ 250. According to their morphological structure conjunctions fall into the following types:
1. Simple conjunctions:
and, or, but, till, after, that, so, where, when.
2. Derived conjunctions;
until, unless, seeing, supposing, provided.
3. Compound conjunctions:
whereas, wherever.
4. Composite conjunctions:
as well as, in case, for fear, on condition that, on the ground that, as long as, etc.
Several conjunctions form correlative pairs, though strictly speaking the first element is not a conjunction:
both... and, either... or, neither... nor, not only... but (also), whether...or.
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Morphological characteristics
Morphological characteristics
Morphological characteristics
Morphological characteristics
Non-prepositional absolute constructions
Passive constructions with prepositional monotransitive verbs
Positional characteristics
Prepositional absolute constructions
Semantic characteristics
