The Inspiring Journey of English(Part-1)

   

Dear Students,

We all are here to learn and practice English, the most powerful language in the modern world, which has earned the distinction of being called "the international language" or "the global language." But how many of us know that this world conquering language was once called the language of poor and illiterate, and the English elite men and women would try to avoid using it as much as possible. English was considered so impure a language that even the church did not allow the holy bible to be written in English. In the following chapters we shall learn the gruesome struggle that the English literary class had to go through to write the first bible in English.

So how it gained its present status? To know the answer, we need to take a break to reflect on its rich history and inspiring journey that brought this language from the humble dwellings of common people and peasants to the royal courts of England and beyond.

You would be surprised to know that the England we know today was once a colony of several nations for over a thousand years, and the language spoken in the royal court reflected the conquerors' languages. The Romans were the first to invade and conquer England in 43 AD, and they ruled the territory for more than 400 years. Then came the Anglo-Saxons, a group of Germanic tribes, they invaded and conquered England in the 5th and 6th centuries, establishing several kingdoms, including Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria.

Again, in 1066, William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated King Harold, an Anglo Saxon King, at the Battle of Hastings. This marked the beginning of Norman rule in England, which lasted until the end of the 12th century. The Normans spoke a variety of old French known as Anglo-Norman. As a result, French became the language of the English elite for several centuries, while the common people continued to speak old English. This linguistic fusion eventually led to the development of middle English.

The Vikings, a seafaring people from Scandinavia, also invaded England multiple times between the 9th and 11th centuries, while the Scottish and English had a long history of conflict with several invasions and battles taking place between the two countries, including the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Due to these invasions and conflicts, the language of the royal court and the elite classes of England became French and Latin, and knowing German and Spanish was considered an honor. Meanwhile, English was still spoken by the common people, but it was seen as a rustic or vulgar language and was not considered suitable for use in formal settings or literature.  

Consequently, English was not used in official documents or legal proceedings, which were conducted in Latin or French.

However, over time, English began to regain its status as a respectable language, but the journey was not easy. In the next chapter, we will discuss the factors that allowed English to rise from the humble dwellings of the common man and peasants to walk into the royal courts of England.

Till then, keep learning and exploring the richness of the English language!

Best regards,

Raksha Suryaansh 

Understanding the Text

1. Which civilizations or groups invaded and ruled England throughout its history?
2. How long did the Romans rule over England?
3. Who were Anglo-Saxons? How long did they rule over England?
4. Who was William the Conqueror, and what impact did his invasion have on England?
5. Which seafaring people invaded England between the 9th and 11th centuries?
6. Why was English considered a rustic or vulgar language for a long time?

PREPOSITIONS

A preposition is a word placed before a Noun or a Pronoun to explicitly showcase its relationship, orientation, or position relative to other words within a sentence.

• The book is on the table.
• I will meet you at 3 PM.
• The gift is for you.
• We will go on a picnic in the summer.

Functional Categories of Prepositions

1. Prepositions of Direction & Movement

Preposition	Core Usage & Contextual Examples
Over	Used for extensions directly above or intersecting paths (overtake, overdose, overload). • He holds a sheet of paper over his head.
Off	Indicates separation, disconnection, or movement away (switch off, take off). • Please switch off the light.
Above	Higher than a structural level or ranking boundary (above-board, above all). • One should keep one's honor above everything.
Under	Directly beneath a surface or subject bounds (underwater, underworld, undertake). • The diver went deep under water.
Through	Movement passing from one side of an enclosed space to the other. • We have passed through the hardest time of our life.

2. Prepositions of Place & Position

Preposition	Core Usage & Contextual Examples
At	Specifies an exact point or targeted geographical location. • I will meet you at the Golcha parking.
In	Indicates being inside an enclosed space, boundary, or large area. • We first saw each other in the Shiv-Shakti temple.
On	Indicates surface contact for static subjects. • This camel is used as a joy ride on a sea-beach.
To	Indicates a specific destination or targeted destination boundary. • This train is bound to Jaipur.
From	Specifies the point of structural origin or starting location. • I am coming from Jodhpur.
Into	Used directly with verbs of active movement towards the inside of something. • The juggler came into the class with a baby monkey.

3. Prepositions of Time & Date

Preposition	Core Temporal Parameter Rules
At	Used for precise hours, specific age milestones, or fixed points in time. • He came at 3 o'clock. | He started earning at the age of fourteen.
On	Used exclusively for specific days of the week, unique calendar dates, and holidays. • Hindus do not eat meat or eggs on Tuesdays. | All friends will gather on your birthday.
In	Used for large temporal chunks like months, years, seasons, or general parts of days. • My new car will be on the road in June. | New singers will perform in today's party.
By	Means "not later than" a specific deadline point. • I'll finish my work by 6 o'clock. | The bus drops the children latest by 8 o'clock.
To / Till	Indicates endpoint limits (Note: 'Till' cannot sit gracefully without 'From' contextually). • She will be working with me from 4 PM to/till 6 PM.
During	Spans across a known, recognized period of time. • During the examinations, I did not watch any movies.
Since vs. For	• Since: Pinpoints an exact starting time framework (e.g., We have been living here since 1983). • For: Spans across a calculated duration or period (e.g., She has been living here for years).
Within	Indicates an action occurring inside the boundary limits of a duration. • You have to complete this work within five days. (Less than 5 days)
After / Before	• After: Later than an event contextually (e.g., She came back after two years). • Before: Earlier than an event timeline (e.g., Wash your hands before every meal).

Crucial Confusing Pairs

By vs. With

• By: Used for the active doer or agent executing the task.
• With: Used for the instrument, tool, or parameter utilized.
Example: An apple was cut by him with a sharp knife.

Between vs. Among

• Between: Used when distributing or dealing with exactly **two** distinct individuals or entities.
• Among: Used when dealing with a crowd or **more than two** entities collectively.
Example 1: Ramson distributed fodder between his two oxen.
Example 2: Ramson distributed the ancestral land among his three sons.

Beside vs. Besides

• Beside: Means directly "by the side of" or next to physically.
• Besides: Means "in addition to" or apart from parameter-wise.
Example 1: The tiny cat sat quietly beside a wooden chair.
Example 2: Besides Rohit, three other young boys were actively playing there.

On vs. Upon

• On: Used for objects completely at rest on a surface.
• Upon: Used for subjects in active motion intersecting a plane.
Example 1: They sat quietly on the comfortable bed.
Example 2: The wild cat pounced aggressively upon the helpless rat.

Prepositions with Forms of Transport

• We use by + Noun when speaking generally about means of transport. In this pattern, we strictly do not insert articles (*a, an, the*) before the noun.
  We traveled by train. (NOT by the train) | Options: by bicycle, by car, by plane, by air, by sea.
• We do not use by when referencing a highly specific vehicle owned by someone or containing determiners. Instead, we use on for specific bikes/buses/trains/planes, and in for specific cars/taxis/vans/ambulances.
  Suresh went there on my bike.  |  We traveled in Mr. Joshi's car.  |  They arrived in a taxi.
• We always say on foot to mean walking.
  He systematically goes to the city office on foot. (NOT by foot)

Key Prepositional Phrases

• At the end: Points directly to the specific chronological moment something concludes.
  The audience applauded the singer at the end of the lovely song.
• In the end: Implies a final outcome, wrapping up after delays or complications; means "finally".
  She was searching for me everywhere; in the end, we met near the crowded park.
• On time / In time:
  • On time: Matches the scheduled clock alignment exactly (not late). → You must arrive for the exam on time.
  • In time: Early enough with a safe buffer margin. → Reach the platform in time to catch the express.
• According to: As reported, documented, or stated by an external authority.
  According to her testimony, Rohini was her direct maternal cousin.

Comprehensive Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Contextual Passage Fill-In

Fill in each blank with the most logically appropriate preposition based on structural rules:

Passage A:

The first time when I saw him _________ the temple, he was standing _________ the boundary of the main chief deity, while the rest of us were standing _________ the rail lines. The arti went on _________ half an hour and then he walked calmly _________ of the boundary gates. An old lady was standing directly _________ him; he firmly but politely asked her if she was interested _________ going _________ him to Ambala. It seemed as if he was directing this query _________ me as well, since I was also standing right _________ that old lady.

Passage B (Tricky Mixed Rules):

Tom was sitting _________ the garden chair under the shade when an orange fell directly _________ his lap. He looked up swiftly and saw that a mischievous monkey was jumping _________ the branches. Tom picked up and threw a heavy stone _________ the monkey; _________ return, the creature showered more ripe oranges _________ Tom. Tom collected all _________ the scattered oranges and sold them at the local market _________ the afternoon. He walked home late _________ night _________ a pocket swollen heavily _________ shiny coins.

Exercise 2: Slash Placement Framework (Missing Words)

In the following passage, one preposition has been omitted from each line. Mark the exact missing spot with a slash (/) and write the correct preposition in the blank space on the right:

• a) On / the first day of Navratris,   On  
• b) the crop of barley is sown a shallow mud pot, and ________
• c) it is systematically watered every single day up ________
• d) the ninth day. Then a grand festive puja is organized ________
• e) where people worship and feed young girls delicious food ________
• f) Worshippers happily gift bangles and clean money these girls. ________
• g) Following that, devotees immerse the sacred barley crops the river. ________

Exercise 3: Editing Matrix — Error Tracking (Navratri Passages)

Identify the incorrect preposition token in each line, underline it, and write the corrected parameter in the blank:

• a) April Navratris are widely celebrated on North India only.   in  
• b) While the traditional Bengali puja is associated in October. ________
• c) October Navratris are joyously celebrated between all the Hindus ________
• d) upon all the different regional zones. In Bengal, huge images ________
• e) of Maa Durga are faithfully worshipped over this brief period. ________
• f) Above the final day, these gorgeous and beautiful clay idols ________
• g) are fully immersed into the different local rivers, and makers ________
• h) immediately start crafting new forms by the next cycle. ________

Exercise 4: Advanced Prepositional Corrections

Correct the prepositions in the narrative block below by identifying the errors:

• a) Once I watched an American woman featured into a live show.   on  
• b) She was emotionally sharing for them her deep internal narrative. ________
• c) She recounted her maiden spiritual experience in the banks of Ganga. ________
• d) While she was sitting silently on Haridwar watching the currents, ________
• e) her inner heart filled up completely by absolute compassion. ________
• f) Endless tears began to flow directly for her eyes as if she ________
• g) was reuniting with her real mother before a long, long time. ________
• h) I couldn't fully comprehend her expressions till I traveled by foot myself. → __________________

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Finished the exercises? Check your work here:

👉 Click Here for the Prepositions Answer Guide