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WORD GRAMMAR
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Verb
- Conjugation in indicative
- Person and number
- Tenses
- Voice
- Mood
- Verb categories
- Valency
- Semantic categories of verbs
- Finite / non-finite verb forms
- Noun
- Adjective
- Adverb
- Article
- Pronoun
- Preposition
- Conjunction
- Particle
- Interjection
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Verb
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SENTENCE GRAMMAR
- Clause types
- Complex clauses
- Constituents of a sentence
- Sentence structure
- Word order in a sentence
- Negation
Use of prepositions
KA1
Prepositions never stand alone in a sentence, i.e. they do not function independently in a clause. They connect words and word groups and are placed, as a general rule, before a noun or a pronoun, seldom before an adverb and even more seldom before an adjective.
preposition
|
connected words
|
||
Die Mutter kümmert sich
|
um
|
die Kinder | noun |
Die Mutter kümmert sich
|
um
|
sie | pronoun |
Ich halte diesen Schüler
|
für
|
intelligent | adjective |
Die Frühlingferien beginnen
|
ab
|
heute | adverb |
prepositional phrase*
|
* The word phrase that consists of a preposition and a word connected with that preposition is called a prepositional phrase.
A prepositional phrase is, on the other hand, connected with a verb, a noun or an adjective.
word that the prepositional phrase is connected with
|
preposition
|
||
verb
|
Die Mutter kümmert sich
|
um
|
die Kinder |
noun
|
Das rote Auto
|
vor
|
dem Haus |
adjective
|
Ich bin froh
|
über
|
deinen Besuch |
prepositional phrase
|
Free and bound use of prepositions
As far as the use of prepositions is concerned, we can distinguish two categories: the free and the bound use of prepositions.
In the first category, i.e the free use of prepositions, they can be replaced by other prepositions. This usually involves prepositional phrases that function as adverbials.
free use | |
Paul geht
|
nach Haus |
zu seiner Oma | |
in die Schule |
The bound use usually involves prepositional phrases that function as objects and are, thus, dependent on a verb, an adjective or a noun.
In this case, as a general rule, prepositions cannot be replaced by other prepositions.
bound use | ||
preposition depending on |
a verb
|
Sie informiert sich über das Studium in Deutschland. |
Wer passt auf die kinder auf? | ||
Ich nehme an der Veranstaltung teil. | ||
an adjective
|
Der Betrunkene ist schuldig an dem Unfall. | |
Ich bin froh über deinen Besuch. | ||
Er ist begeistert von der Theatervorstellung. | ||
a noun
|
Sein Interesse an der Politik ist sehr groß. | |
Der Einfluss des Fernsehens auf die Meinungsbildung. | ||
Seine Angst vor der Dunkelheit. |