A common mistake we see while proofreading is incorrect use of prepositions. Although short, these words are vital for creating grammatical sentences. As such, we’re looking at two you may see every day: “for” and “on.”
Prepositions are words that specify a relationship between a noun and another word in a sentence. For example:
Kate is going to the class.
In this sentence, the preposition “to” tells us where Kate is going by linking the verb “going” with the noun “class.” The trouble is that many prepositions have various uses, which can make picking the right word difficult.
But if you can remember some of the main uses of “for” and “on,” you’ll find it much easier to express your intentions clearly.
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“For” has many different uses, including:
This isn’t a definitive list! But it does cover some common uses. And if you practice using this term in different contexts, you master it.
The preposition “on” has several uses, too. It can mean the following:
As above, this list isn’t complete since “on” is a very flexible word. That why it’s good to practice using prepositions until you’re familiar with their meanings! Having someone check your work for misplaced prepositions is a good idea, too, as you can learn from their feedback.
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