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What is a primary function of prepositions?

  1. To provide definiteness to nouns

  2. To join together words or clauses

  3. To connect nouns to other words

  4. To form comparative degrees

The correct answer is: To connect nouns to other words

The primary function of prepositions is to connect nouns to other words in a sentence. Prepositions show the relationship between the noun (or pronoun) and other elements, often indicating direction, location, time, or manner. For example, in the phrase "The book is on the table," the preposition "on" establishes a relationship between "book" and "table," clarifying where the book is located. While other options refer to important functions of language, they do not specifically capture the essence of what prepositions primarily do. Providing definiteness to nouns is typically a function of articles and determiners. Joining words or clauses pertains more to conjunctions, which link independent or dependent clauses. Forming comparative degrees is relevant to adjectives and adverbs that describe the relationship of one thing compared to another. Therefore, the most accurate description of the function of prepositions is that they connect nouns to other words.