Select the sentence with the appropriate use of prepositions.
It has been raining since morning.
Understanding Prepositions of Time in English Grammar
The question asks us to identify the sentence that correctly uses a preposition. The sentences are all about rain that started in the past (morning) and has continued up to the present moment. This grammatical structure, "It has been raining," uses the present perfect continuous tense, which typically describes an action that began in the past and continues into the present or has just stopped.
Let's examine the prepositions used in each option in the context of indicating a starting point in time for a continuing action:
- Till: The preposition 'till' (or 'until') indicates the end point of an action or a period of time. For example, "It rained till morning" means the rain stopped at morning. Using 'till' with "It has been raining" which implies continuation to the present, is grammatically incorrect.
- From: The preposition 'from' indicates a starting point in time or place. While it can indicate a starting point in time (e.g., "from Monday to Friday"), it is less commonly used with the present perfect continuous tense to indicate the specific starting point of an action that continues up to the present moment. 'Since' is the more appropriate choice in this specific grammatical construction.
- By: The preposition 'by' indicates a deadline or a method. For example, "The work must be finished by morning" (a deadline) or "I travel by car" (a method). It is not used to indicate the starting point of a continuous action that extends to the present.
- Since: The preposition 'since' indicates a starting point in time for an action or state that has continued without interruption up to the present moment or up to a recent past point. This perfectly matches the context of the sentence "It has been raining since morning," meaning the rain started at morning and has continued until now.
Analyzing Each Option
Let's look at each sentence again:
It has been raining till morning.
Incorrect. 'Till' marks the end point, not the starting point of an action continuing to the present.
It has been raining from morning.
Grammatically less common and less precise than 'since' for indicating the starting point of a continuous action up to the present in this structure. 'Since' is the standard and appropriate preposition here.
It has been raining by morning.
Incorrect. 'By' indicates a deadline or method, not the starting point of a continuous action.
It has been raining since morning.
Correct. 'Since' correctly indicates the starting point (morning) of the action (raining) that has continued up to the present time, which is consistent with the present perfect continuous tense.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis of how prepositions of time are used, particularly with the present perfect continuous tense, the sentence using 'since' is the grammatically appropriate one to indicate that the rain started at a specific past time (morning) and has continued until now.
Revision Table: Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Typical Use with Time | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Since | Starting point of an action/state continuing to the present. | It has been raining since morning. |
| For | Duration of an action/state. | It has been raining for three hours. |
| Till/Until | End point of an action/state. | It rained till morning. |
| By | A deadline or specific time. | Finish the work by noon. |
| From | Starting point, often with 'to' or for periods. | The office is open from 9 am to 5 pm. |
Additional Information: Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The present perfect continuous tense is formed with 'has/have been' + the present participle (verb + -ing). It is used to talk about:
- An action that started in the past and is continuing now.
- An action that has recently stopped, but the results are visible now.
When indicating the starting point of an action continuing to the present with this tense, 'since' followed by a specific point in time (like morning, 2020, Monday, etc.) is the correct preposition.
Similar Questions
The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options.
The sea has become / an cheap dumping ground / for all kinds / of waste products.
Select the appropriate adverb for the underlined word in the sentence.
He led me to the room that had obvious been built later than the rest of the house.
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Select the most appropriate collocation to substitute the underlined word in the given sentence.
The banker warned me not to be careless from my ATM card.
Identify the segment in the sentence which contains a grammatical error.
Whole country applauded the courage of our soldiers.
Parts of the following sentence have been given as options. Select the option that contains an error.
He will return in a hour.
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Directions: The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options.
When she went for a walk / Maya couldn't take off her scarf / because it was / too much windy.
- Identify the sentence that correctly uses the indefinite article.
Important Questions from Parts of Speech
The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options.
The sea has become / an cheap dumping ground / for all kinds / of waste products.
Directions: Each of the following sentences has a word or phrase underlined. Read the sentences carefully and find which part of speech the underlined word belongs to. Indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
Alas ! We have been defeated.
Directions: Each of the following sentences has a word or phrase underlined. Read the sentences carefully and find which part of speech the underlined word belongs to. Indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip.
Directions: Each of the following sentences has a word or phrase underlined. Read the sentences carefully and find which part of speech the underlined word belongs to. Indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
Ravi and Megha reached first, but Guha and Saavi finished third.
Directions: Each of the following sentences has a word or phrase underlined. Read the sentences carefully and find which part of speech the underlined word belongs to. Indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
He is the most sought after teacher in the school.
