What category would you put the word in bold into in each of the sentences above? Would you be surprised to hear that they are all prepositions? Well, that �s how the respected grammarian Geoffrey Pullum treats them. Read his piece on the English DfE �s recently-published sample grammar test:

 

 

(note the references to Linnaeus and biology textbooks at the end)

Perhaps Prof. Pullum�s name isn�t familiar to everybody, but he is co-author of the magisterial Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (which he cites in his piece).

 

He�s also the co-author of the more accessible A Student �s Introduction to English Grammar. 

EDIT: this was originally a response to Gi2gi (Giorgi) who seems to have deleted his post for some reason...

Alex

Hello, I am a panamanian teacher. This book sounds interesting. Specially for us, because we are always dedicating time in the learning and teaching of this beautiful language. I am going to Cambridge, for a course, in the way of my country as a bilingual development. So, I would like to acquire interesting books. 

 

Have a good time! 

Yes, Yara. It �s good to keep an open mind. As teachers, we should always be prepared to have our preconceptions (and misconceptions, of course) challenged. 

 

The best of luck in Cambridge.

 

Alex