prepositions - Near, near to and nearby. What's the difference?


Why isn't near, near to and nearby always interchangeable?


They can precede the noun.



  • I live nearby the railway station

  • I live near the railway station

  • I live near to the railway station


When they are adverbs they can follow noun + be



  • The railway station is nearby (my house)

  • The railway station is near my house

  • The railway station is near to my house


But we don't normally say:



?Meet me at the near railway station
or
?Meet me at the railway station near (to)



The accepted version is:



Meet me at the railway station nearby
Meet me at the nearby railway station



Why?




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