1.2 Aims of present study 2

1.3 The organization of the thesis 2

2. Literature Review 4

2.1 The use of games in language teaching 4

2.1.1 Definition of games 4

2.1.2 Classifications of games 4

2.1.3 Advantages of games 5

2.2 Prepositions 5

2.2.1 Definition and classification of prepositions 5

2.2.2 Choice of prepositions on, in, at 6

2.3 Previous researches on English prepositions 7

3. Research Methods 9

3.1 Participants 9

3.2 Tests 9

3.2.1 Materials 9

3.2.2 Pretest 9

3.2.3 Treatment 10

3.2.4 Posttest 11

3.3 Class observation 11

3.4 Questionnaires 11

4. Research Results and Discussion 12

4.1 Results and analyses from experiment 12

4.2 Results and analyses from class observation 13

4.3 Results and analyses from questionnaires 13

5. Conclusion 16

5.1 Summary of the research 16

5.2 Limitations of the research 16

References 18

Appendix I 20

Appendix II 22

Appendix III 24

1. Introduction

1.1 The background of the research

In the field of foreign language teaching, grammar teaching has been an essential topic for a long time. As Rutherford (1987) referred, grammar teaching almost equals to foreign language teaching for more than two thousand and five hundred years. Thus, the significance of grammar teaching cannot be doubted. Grammar is deemed to be an inseparable part of English teaching and learning. It is fundamental for English listening, speaking, reading and writing. Grammar also is one of the three basic components (pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar) of language, and is significant for people to learn language and to communicate.