Preposition – “From”
From
Preposition from refers to the source of action from something or someone:
The preposition from is used to indicate the direction of action, often answering the questions from where? and from whom?
Here are some examples to illustrate its usage:
From where?
I just returned from Paris.
She came from the store.
The package was shipped from China.
From whom?
I received a letter from my grandmother.
The gift was a surprise from my best friend.
He borrowed the book from his teacher.
In these examples, from is used to show the source or origin of an action, whether it’s coming from a location (from where) or from a person (from whom).
Preposition from refers to the moment of an action:
The preposition from can also be used to indicate the moment at which an action starts, similar to the preposition since.
Here are some examples to illustrate this usage:
I will be on vacation from July 1st to July 15th.
In this example, from indicates the starting point of the vacation, which is July 1st.
She has been working on her project from early morning.
Here, from signifies the beginning of her work, which is early morning.
They’ve known each other from childhood.
In this case, from indicates the starting point of their acquaintance, which is childhood.
The concert will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In this context, from shows the time when the concert begins, which is 7 p.m.
So, from can be used to denote the starting moment of an action, event, or time period, similar to since.
Preposition from usage in combination with other prepositions:
The preposition from is often used in combination with other prepositions to provide more specific information about the relationship between objects, locations, or times.
Here are some examples of such combinations:
Away from:
He moved away from the city to live in the countryside.
Keep the children away from the edge of the pool.
Apart from:
Apart from her, no one else knew the secret.
The book was great, apart from a few typos.
From…to:
The conference will run from Monday to Wednesday.
She works from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
From…until/until…from:
The store is open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
They’ll be on vacation from June 1st until June 15th.
From within:
The solution came from within the team.
Innovation often arises from within the organisation.
From beneath:
The cat emerged from beneath the bed.
The treasure was hidden from beneath the old oak tree.
From above:
Rain fell from above, drenching everyone.
The view from above was breathtaking.
These examples demonstrate how from can be combined with other prepositions to convey specific relationships and meanings in various contexts.
The verbs requiring preposition from:
Here are examples of sentences using some of the common verbs that are followed by the preposition from:
Abstain from:
She chose to abstain from eating sweets to maintain a healthy diet.
Benefit from:
Students can benefit from additional study resources provided by the school.
Borrow from:
I had to borrow some money from my friend to cover my expenses.
Descend from:
Many species of birds are believed to descend from dinosaurs.
Differ from:
His opinion on the matter differs significantly from hers.
Emerge from:
The butterfly emerged from its chrysalis in a stunning transformation.
Escape from:
The prisoners managed to escape from the maximum-security prison.
Evolve from:
Modern mammals evolved from early reptilian ancestors.
Hide from:
The cat likes to hide from the dog under the couch.
Learn from:
We should learn from our mistakes to avoid repeating them.
Protect from:
Sunscreen is essential to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Recover from:
It took him several weeks to recover from the illness.
Refrain from:
Please refrain from talking during the presentation.
Resemble from:
The young child closely resembles his grandfather from his childhood photos.
Suffer from:
She suffers from allergies and needs to be careful during pollen season.
Take from:
You can take inspiration from various sources for your art project.
Vary from:
The prices of goods can vary significantly from one store to another.
Withdraw from:
The company decided to withdraw from the international market due to economic challenges.
Common word combinations with preposition from:
Here are some word combinations or collocations that include the preposition from along with examples:
Learn from experience:
It’s important to learn from experience and avoid making the same mistakes.
Benefit from something:
Students can benefit from additional study materials.
Protect from harm:
Parents always want to protect their children from harm.
Recover from illness:
After a few weeks of rest, she finally started to recover from the illness.
Hide from view:
The treasure was well hidden from view.
Escape from reality:
Sometimes people watch movies to escape from the reality of their daily lives.
Suffer from allergies:
Many people suffer from allergies during the spring season.
Vary from person to person:
The effects of the medication can vary from person to person.
Derived from a source:
The novel was derived from a true story.
Differ from one another:
These two cars differ from one another in terms of fuel efficiency.
Refrain from doing something:
Please refrain from using your phone during the meeting.
Hide from the rain:
They had to find a spot to hide from the sudden rainstorm.
Rescue from danger:
The lifeguards rescued the swimmer from danger.
Exclude from consideration:
Some options were excluded from consideration due to budget constraints.
Break away from tradition:
The company decided to break away from tradition and adopt a more innovative approach.
Aside from that:
Aside from that one issue, everything else is going smoothly.
Learn from the past:
History teaches us valuable lessons, and we should learn from the past.
Apart from that:
Apart from that mistake, your essay is well-written.
From the beginning to the end:
She watched the movie from the beginning to the end without taking a break.
From day to day:
Her mood seems to change from day to day.
From time to time:
I like to visit my grandparents’ house from time to time.
From side to side:
The ship rocked from side to side in the rough sea.
From my point of view:
From my point of view, the decision was the right one.