What is the easiest way to learn "on, in, at, for, about, ........ " and what kind of logic they have??

Question

My weakest point and burden at TOEFL exams are the above.. Plz help me how to learn easily?? Do i have to memorize all phrases 1 by 1 :( ??
TNX.

Answer 1

No. You don't need memorizing.. TOEFL exams are using logic.. so much logic.. and just some memorizing.. try making a list of all the prepositions you know and list at their opposite side their usage.. and then.. read the list for many times.. don't memorize it.. just absorb what it is telling you.. and one thing.. try making examples of sentences for each one. You know, practice is the key to success. Believe me, i am having a hard time proving theorems in my Geometry class, and with exercise and practice, I am proud to say that I have mastered it. :]

Answer 2

Prepositions are always the most difficult part of the language to learn, because the rules are so difficult to learn. Plus, British English and American English are totally different, and there are dialects within American English that are different as well.

Try to think of pictures for each of the prepositions. For "on" I think of something on a table (on top of). I saw the book on the table. For I see as handing someone a gift, "this is for you.." Try to visualize someting that will help you remember the word. through = from one side to another "He went through the store and out the back entrance." At makes me think of pointing. "His car is at the store across the street."

I hope this helps a bit. Good luck on your TOEFL exam...glad I'm not learning English as a second language!

Answer 3

I teach English as a Foreign Language. When I teach prepositions, as silly as it sounds, I use the analogy "Anywhere a mouse can go".
That is, anywhere a mouse can go in relation to a piece of cheese- it can be IN the cheese, it can be ON the cheese, it can come FROM the cheese, it can go TO the cheese, it can walk BY the cheese, etc.
The somewhat confusing preposition to use in this analogy is "of". Think of it this way- If someone named Mike is from New York, you can say, "This is Mike OF New York". So, you can use the same method in the mouse analogy. If this mouse lives in the piece of cheese, you can say he's "Mr. Mouse, OF the piece of cheese".
As for "about", that can be a little confusing, too, as "about" has more than one definition. It can mean "around", so you can say, "the mouse walked ABOUT the piece of cheese", but "about" can also mean "regarding", so you'd have to say something like, "the mouse talked ABOUT the piece of cheese."
I know it's not a perfect analogy (especially with "about"), but it seems to help my students, and while I know it sounds childish, but even my adult students seem to like it.