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Prepositions with nouns

Mine with prepositions

Mine may refer to an excavation site or function as a possessive pronoun. The surrounding preposition changes the meaning.

Quick answer

Typical uses

Use in a mine for location, from a mine for origin, and like mine when comparing possessions. Of mine is a common possessive structure.

He works in a mine in Chile.
The gold came from a mine nearby.
A friend of mine lives there.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
of mine

Showing possession or relationship

Use this possessive pattern after a noun.

That colleague of mine speaks Japanese.
2
in a mine

Showing location

Use in for work or activity inside a mine.

They spent years working in a mine.
3
from a mine

Showing origin

Use from for materials taken out of a mine.

The diamonds came from a mine in Botswana.
4
like mine

Making comparisons

Use like before the possessive pronoun mine.

Few cities have weather like mine.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
of mine
A neighbour of mine is a pilot.
possessive relationship
in a mine
Many people worked in the mine.
location
like mine
Your bag looks like mine.
comparison
to mine
The company plans to mine lithium.
verb phrase, not noun plus preposition
for mine
This equipment is for mine safety.
for relates to the following noun

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using to mine as a noun pattern

To mine is usually an infinitive verb phrase.

✕ workers to mine ✓ workers in the mine

Confusing of mine and mine

Of mine follows another noun.

✕ He is friend mine. ✓ He is a friend of mine.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. A cousin ___ mine lives abroad.
2. They worked ___ a mine for ten years.
3. The minerals came ___ a mine nearby.

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Frequently asked questions

What does of mine mean?

It is a possessive expression meaning belonging or connected to me.

Is like mine correct?

Yes. It is used for comparisons.

Can mine be a verb?

Yes. To mine means to extract minerals from the ground.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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