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Prepositions of Manner

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Prepositions of Manner which is also called Prepositions of Method express how a certain thing happens or is done. In this part, we will discuss them.

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"Prepositions of Manner" in English Grammar

What Are Prepositions of Manner?

Prepositions of manner express the way something happens or how a certain thing happened or is done. We usually use prepositions of manner when we answer questions starting with "How".

Prepositions of Manner: Types

We can further categorize the prepositions of manner into the following categories:

  • Prepositions of Method
  • Preposition of Instrument and Device
  • Preposition of Agency
  • Preposition of Similarity

Prepositions of Manner

Prepositions of method show in which method or manner something is done. The most commonly used prepositions of manner are as follows:

  1. In
  2. With
  3. In a ... way/manner

In

We use 'in' when we talk about how an action happens. Pay attention to the examples:

Jason wrote his papers in French.

She left the room in tears.

With

'With' as a preposition of method indicates how something is done. For example:

The mother held the baby with care.

She stared at the shadows with fear.

In a ... way/manner

We can use the phrase 'In a ...way/manner' to describe actions. For example:

My mom called my school and convinced them in a very friendly way.

Mr. Johnson spoke to me in an exteremly polite manner.

Preposition of Instrument and Device

A preposition of instrument is used to indicate the tool or object used to perform an action. It describes the means or instrument by which something is done. The most commonly used prepositions of instrument are:

  1. By
  2. With
  3. On

By

'By' is used to denote a means of transportation or an object. For example:

I always go to work by car.

denoting a means of transportation.

He was killed by a sword.

denoting an object

With

This preposition indicates the instrument used to perform the action. For example:

He opened the bottle with a bottle opener.

She fixed the table with a nail.

On

'On' is another preposition of manner which expresses the method used to perform an action. For example:

She checked the whole town on foot.

Can I work on my essay on your laptop?

Prepositions of Agency

Prepositions of agency are used to indicate the agent or entity responsible for an action or event. They provide information about the cause or source of an action. Common prepositions of agency include:

  1. By
  2. Via

By

'By' is commonly used as a preposition of agency in English. It is used to indicate the agent or entity responsible for an action or event. Let's see some examples of the preposition 'by':

She explained everything by a computer.

The neighborhood was ruined by the sewage system.

neutral

Via

'Via' can be used as a preposition of agency to indicate the means by which an action is performed or the source through which something is achieved. Let's see some examples of how can we use via:

I sent him the documents via mail.

She broke up with him via text message.

Preposition of Similarity

We use the following prepositions to express similarity:

using the preposition of similarity 'as' in a sentence

As

'As' plus a noun indicates the role or function something or someone plays. It shows the method with which a particular thing was performed. For example:

He works as an actor.

I dressed as Batman for Halloween.

Like

The preposition 'like' is usually used to express the similarity between two or more things. Check out the examples:

He sings like an angel.

They are like a band from the 60s.

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Compound Prepositions

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