Question

Identify the type of preposition underlined in the following sentence:
The house was destroyed by fire.

• A. Preposition of Time
• B. Preposition of Contrast
• C. Preposition of Agency
• D. Preposition of Possession

Answer 1

The correct option is C Preposition of Agency

Option C is the correct answer because 'prepositions of agency' are those prepositions that describe a person or a thing that has caused or is causing something to occur. In the given example the preposition 'by' describes that it was the fire that caused the house's destruction.

Option A is incorrect because a preposition of time answers the question when.

A preposition of contrast is that preposition which signifies the irony or the stark difference that one would find within the sentence. Hence option B is incorrect.

Option D is incorrect because prepositions of possession are used to express that something belongs to a person, animal or thing. eg. with, of, to and so on.