a direct object and an indirect object<\/a>. The indirect object usually refers to a person and the direct object usually refers to a thing. In the sentence given above, the direct object is the pronoun\u00a0this\u00a0<\/b>and the indirect object is the pronoun\u00a0them<\/b>.<\/p>\nNote that when both objects are pronouns, the indirect object usually comes last. In other cases, it usually comes before the direct object. When the indirect object comes after the direct object, it takes the preposition\u00a0to\u00a0<\/b>or\u00a0for.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: Send this letter\u00a0on\u00a0<\/b>my new address.
\nCorrect: Send this letter\u00a0to\u00a0<\/b>my new address.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: He goes\u00a0in\u00a0<\/b>the school.
\nCorrect: He goes\u00a0to\u00a0<\/b>the school.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: He goes\u00a0on\u00a0<\/b>his work.
\nCorrect: He goes\u00a0to\u00a0<\/b>his work.<\/p>\n
The prepositions\u00a0at, on\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0in\u00a0<\/b>are used for position;\u00a0to<\/b>\u00a0is used for movement or direction.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: He is intelligent but he\u00a0lacks of experience.<\/b>
\nCorrect: He is intelligent but he\u00a0lacks experience.<\/b><\/p>\n
The verbs\u00a0discuss, enter, marry, lack, resemble, reach<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0approach<\/b>\u00a0are followed by direct objects without prepositions.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: We are having the roof repaired\u00a0on Easter<\/b>.
\nCorrect: We are having the roof repaired\u00a0at Easter<\/b>.<\/p>\n
We use\u00a0at\u00a0<\/b>to talk about the whole of the holidays at Christmas, Easter, New Year and Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: What were you doing\u00a0in the weekend?<\/b>
\nCorrect: What were you doing\u00a0at the weekend?<\/b>\u00a0(British English)
\nCorrect: What were you doing\u00a0on the weekend?<\/b>\u00a0(American English)<\/p>\n
Incorrect: I am at home\u00a0in any morning.<\/b>
\nCorrect: I am at home\u00a0any morning.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: Let\u2019s meet\u00a0on one day.<\/b>
\nCorrect: Let\u2019s meet\u00a0one day.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: Are you free\u00a0in this evening?<\/b>
\nCorrect: Are you free\u00a0this evening?<\/b><\/p>\n
The prepositions\u00a0at\/on\/in\u00a0<\/b>are not normally used in expressions of time before\u00a0next, last, this, one, any, each, every, some, all\u00a0<\/b>etc.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: He told\u00a0to me to go.<\/b>
\nCorrect: He\u00a0told me to go.<\/b><\/p>\n
Tell\u00a0<\/b>can be directly followed by a personal object. We do not use the preposition\u00a0to.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: She did not\u00a0ask any question to him.<\/b>
\nCorrect: She did not\u00a0ask him any question.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: I will\u00a0ask the time to that man.<\/b>
\nCorrect: I will\u00a0ask that man the time.<\/b><\/p>\n
When\u00a0ask\u00a0<\/b>is followed by two objects, the indirect object (the person) usually comes first, without a preposition.<\/p>\n
Incorrect:\u00a0From our class<\/b>\u00a0he did best.
\nCorrect: He did best\u00a0in our class<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: The new semester begins\u00a0from June 1st.<\/b>
\nCorrect: The new semester begins\u00a0on June 1st.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: Phone me\u00a0in lunch time.<\/b>
\nCorrect: Phone me\u00a0at lunch time<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Incorrect: We usually go out\u00a0at the evening<\/b>.
\nCorrect: We usually go out\u00a0in the evening<\/b>.<\/p>\n
The prepositions\u00a0at, on\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0in<\/b>\u00a0can be used for time. The rules are given below.<\/p>\n
At + clock time
\nIn + part of day
\nOn + particular day
\nAt + weekend, public holiday
\nIn + longer period<\/i><\/p>\n
Incorrect: He rides\u00a0in a cycle.<\/b>
\nCorrect: He rides\u00a0on a cycle.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: He sat\u00a0in a bench<\/b>.
\nCorrect: He sat\u00a0on a bench.<\/b><\/p>\n
Incorrect: He rides\u00a0on a car<\/b>.
\nCorrect: He rides\u00a0in a car.<\/b><\/p>\n
Use\u00a0on\u00a0<\/b>when the meaning is clearly \u2018on top of\u2019. Examples are:\u00a0on the table, on the desk, on the floor, on a horse\u00a0<\/i>etc. Use\u00a0in\u00a0<\/b>when \u2018on top of\u2019 is not appropriate. Examples are:\u00a0in an aeroplane (US in an airplane), in a car, in a train\u00a0<\/i>etc.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In this lesson we will learn about some common mistakes in the use of prepositions. Incorrect: This is my first time to see a movie\u00a0since a long time. Correct: I haven\u2019t seen a movie\u00a0for...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[251],"tags":[1403,2740,691],"class_list":["post-74175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grammar","tag-common-mistakes","tag-common-mistakes-in-the-use-of-prepositions","tag-prepositions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74175"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74179,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74175\/revisions\/74179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}