Prepositions

What Are Prepositions?

Prepositions are small words that show the relationship between things - usually about place (where?), time (when?), or direction (which way?).

Common prepositions: in, on, at, by, from, to, for, with, about, of, under, over, between, among, through, during, before, after

Prepositions are often the hardest part of English because:

1. They're used differently than in other languages
2. There aren't always clear rules - you often just have to learn them
3. One preposition can have many different meanings

Prepositions of Place (Where?)

In, On, At - The Big Three

These are the most important prepositions of place, and choosing the right one is crucial.

IN = inside a space (enclosed):

• in a room / in a building / in a box
• in the kitchen / in the office / in the car
• in London / in Germany / in Europe
• in the water / in the sky / in the picture

Think: enclosed spaces, cities, countries, continents

ON = on a surface (touching):

• on the table / on the wall / on the floor
• on the shelf / on the roof / on the page
• on the street / on Main Street / on the bus
• on the left / on the right

Think: surfaces, streets, public transport you can stand on

AT = at a specific point/location:

• at the door / at the bus stop / at the corner
• at home / at work / at school / at the office
• at the party / at the concert / at the station
• at 42 High Street (specific address)

Think: specific points, addresses, events, buildings (as points)

Common Confusions

In the car BUT on the bus/train/plane:

• I'm in the car. (you sit inside)
• I'm on the bus. (public transport - you could stand)
• She's on the train.
• We're on the plane.

Exception: You're in a taxi (because it's like a private car).

At vs. In for buildings:

• I'm at the cinema. (the location/event)
• I'm in the cinema. (physically inside the building)
• She's at school. (general - she's there)
• She's in the school. (physically inside)

On the street vs. In the street:

• British English: in the street (I saw him in the street.)
• American English: on the street (I saw him on the street.)

Both are correct!

Other Common Place Prepositions

UNDER = below, beneath:

• The cat is under the table.
• The book is under the pillow.

OVER = above, covering:

• The lamp is over the table.
• There's a bridge over the river.
• She put a blanket over the child.

ABOVE = higher than (but not touching):

• The picture is above the sofa.
• The plane is above the clouds.

BELOW = lower than (but not touching):

• The temperature is below zero.
• The valley is below the mountain.

NEXT TO / BESIDE = at the side of:

• The bank is next to the post office.
• Sit beside me.

BETWEEN = in the middle of two things:

• The shop is between the bank and the café.
• Choose between A and B.

AMONG = in the middle of many things:

• She was among friends.
• The house is among the trees.

OPPOSITE = facing, on the other side:

• The bank is opposite the cinema.

IN FRONT OF ≠ BEHIND:

• The car is in front of the house.
• The garden is behind the house.

NEAR / CLOSE TO = not far from:

• I live near the station.
• The hotel is close to the beach.

FAR FROM = a long distance from:

• Berlin is far from Munich.

Prepositions of Time (When?)

In, On, At for Time

Just like with place, these three are crucial for time.

AT = specific times:

• at 3 o'clock / at midnight / at noon
• at night / at the weekend (British)
• at Christmas / at Easter (the day/holiday period)
• at the moment / at present

ON = days and dates:

• on Monday / on Friday / on weekdays
• on January 15th / on the 1st of May
• on Christmas Day / on New Year's Eve
• on my birthday / on the weekend (American)

IN = longer periods (months, years, seasons, parts of day):

• in January / in summer / in 2024
• in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening
• in the 21st century / in the past / in the future

Exception: at night (not "in the night")

No preposition with:

• yesterday / today / tomorrow
• last week / next month / this year
• I'll see you tomorrow. (NOT: on tomorrow)
• He came last week. (NOT: in last week)

Other Time Prepositions

BEFORE = earlier than:

• Before 9 AM
• Before lunch
• Before the meeting

AFTER = later than:

• After work
• After dinner
• After the movie

DURING = throughout a period:

• During the meeting (while it was happening)
• During the summer
• During the war

FOR = length of time:

• for two hours / for three days / for ten years
• I waited for an hour.
• She lived there for five years.

SINCE = from a point in the past until now:

• since Monday / since 2020 / since January
• I've been here since 9 AM.
• She's lived here since 2015.

BY = not later than (deadline):

• Finish by Friday. (Friday is the deadline)
• I'll be there by 6 PM. (at 6 or before)

UNTIL/TILL = up to a point in time:

• I'll wait until 6 PM. (I'll stop waiting at 6)
• The shop is open till 9 PM.

Compare BY and UNTIL:

• Finish by Friday. (Friday is the deadline - you can finish earlier)
• Work until Friday. (continue working up to Friday)

FROM...TO = start and end time:

• I work from 9 AM to 5 PM.
• The shop is open from Monday to Friday.

WITHIN = before the period ends:

• I'll call you within an hour. (sometime in the next hour)
• Respond within 24 hours.

AGO = before now (goes at the end):

• two days ago
• five years ago
• I saw him ten minutes ago.

Prepositions of Movement (Which direction?)

TO = toward a destination:

• I'm going to work.
• She walked to the station.
• We're traveling to Paris.

INTO = movement from outside to inside:

• He went into the house.
• She jumped into the water.
• Come into the room.

OUT OF = movement from inside to outside:

• He came out of the building.
• Take it out of the box.

ONTO = movement to a surface:

• The cat jumped onto the table.
• Put it onto the shelf.

OFF = movement away from a surface:

• The cat jumped off the table.
• Take your feet off the sofa.

THROUGH = from one side to the other:

• We drove through the tunnel.
• The light came through the window.

ACROSS = from one side to the other (a surface):

• Walk across the street.
• The bridge goes across the river.

OVER = above and across:

• The bird flew over the house.
• Jump over the fence.

ALONG = following a line:

• Walk along the river.
• Drive along the road.

PAST = by and beyond:

• We drove past the church.
• Walk past the bank.

TOWARD(S) = in the direction of:

• She walked toward me.
• He's moving towards the door.

AWAY FROM = in the opposite direction:

• Walk away from the danger.
• Move away from the edge.

UP / DOWN:

• Go up the stairs.
• Come down the hill.

Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

Many verbs are always followed by specific prepositions. You just have to learn these!

Common Combinations

LOOK:

• look at something (direct your eyes at)
• look for something (try to find)
• look after someone (take care of)
• look forward to something (anticipate with pleasure)

LISTEN:

• listen to music/someone

WAIT:

• wait for someone/something

BELONG:

• belong to someone

DEPEND:

• depend on someone/something

THINK:

• think about something (consider)
• think of someone/something (have an opinion, remember)

TALK / SPEAK:

• talk/speak to someone (British)
• talk/speak with someone (American)
• talk about something

LAUGH / SMILE:

• laugh at something (find it funny)
• smile at someone

ARRIVE:

• arrive at a place (small - station, airport, building)
• arrive in a city/country

GET:

• get to a place (arrive at)
• get on a bus/train (board)
• get off a bus/train (exit)
• get into a car (enter)
• get out of a car (exit)

WRITE:

• write to someone (send a letter)
• write about something (the topic)

DREAM:

• dream about something
• dream of something (both mean the same)

WORRY:

• worry about something

CARE:

• care about something (think it's important)
• care for someone (like them or look after them)

COMPLAIN:

• complain about something

APOLOGIZE:

• apologize for something
• apologize to someone

THANK:

• thank someone for something

Adjective + Preposition Combinations

Certain adjectives are always followed by specific prepositions.

GOOD / BAD:

• good at something (skilled)
• bad at something (not skilled)

INTERESTED:

• interested in something

TIRED:

• tired of something (fed up with)

AFRAID / SCARED:

• afraid of something
• scared of something

PROUD:

• proud of someone/something

ANGRY:

• angry with someone (British)
• angry at someone (American)
• angry about something

PLEASED / HAPPY:

• pleased with something
• happy about something

MARRIED:

• married to someone

DIFFERENT:

• different from something (traditional)
• different than something (American)
• different to something (British)

SIMILAR:

• similar to something

FAMOUS:

• famous for something

RESPONSIBLE:

• responsible for something

FULL:

• full of something

AWARE:

• aware of something

CAPABLE:

• capable of something

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Wrong preposition with time expressions

• ❌ in Monday
• ✅ on Monday
• ❌ at the morning
• ✅ in the morning
• ❌ on 3 o'clock
• ✅ at 3 o'clock

Mistake 2: Using prepositions with yesterday/tomorrow

• ❌ I'll see you on tomorrow.
• ✅ I'll see you tomorrow. (no preposition)
• ❌ in last week
• ✅ last week (no preposition)

Mistake 3: Wrong preposition with arrive

• ❌ arrive to Paris
• ✅ arrive in Paris (city/country)
• ✅ arrive at the station (specific place)

Mistake 4: Confusing "for" and "during"

• ❌ I lived there during five years.
• ✅ I lived there for five years. (length of time)
• ❌ It rained for the meeting.
• ✅ It rained during the meeting. (while it was happening)

Mistake 5: Wrong verb + preposition

• ❌ listen the music
• ✅ listen to the music
• ❌ wait you
• ✅ wait for you
• ❌ depend of you
• ✅ depend on you

Mistake 6: Mixing up "in" and "on" with transport

• ❌ on the car
• ✅ in the car
• ❌ in the bus
• ✅ on the bus

Practice Examples

Choose in, on, or at (answers at bottom):

1. I live _______ Berlin.
2. The meeting is _______ Monday.
3. I'll see you _______ 3 PM.
4. There's a picture _______ the wall.
5. She's _______ work right now.
6. I was born _______ 1990.
7. Let's meet _______ the station.
8. The book is _______ the table.

Choose the correct preposition:

9. I'm waiting _______ the bus. (for/to)
10. She arrived _______ London yesterday. (in/at/to)
11. I've lived here _______ five years. (for/during/since)
12. Let's talk _______ the problem. (about/of)
13. He's good _______ mathematics. (in/at)
14. I'm interested _______ learning Spanish. (in/at)

Fill in with a preposition of movement:

15. Come _______ the room.
16. She jumped _______ the water.
17. Get _______ the car. (enter)
18. Walk _______ the bridge.

Choose for or during:

19. I lived there _______ ten years.
20. I slept _______ the movie.

Correct the mistakes:

21. I'll see you on tomorrow.
22. She's good in English.
23. Listen the music!
24. I arrived to Berlin.
25. in Monday

Complete with the correct preposition:

26. I'm afraid _______ spiders.
27. She's married _______ a doctor.
28. This is different _______ that.
29. He's famous _______ his paintings.
30. I depend _______ you.

Answers: 1. in (city), 2. on (day), 3. at (specific time), 4. on (surface), 5. at (location), 6. in (year), 7. at (specific point), 8. on (surface), 9. for, 10. in (city), 11. for (length of time), 12. about, 13. at, 14. in, 15. into, 16. into, 17. into (or in), 18. across (or over), 19. for (length), 20. during (while it was happening), 21. I'll see you tomorrow., 22. She's good at English., 23. Listen to the music!, 24. I arrived in Berlin., 25. on Monday, 26. of, 27. to, 28. from (or to/than), 29. for, 30. on

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Quick Reference Charts

TIME - In, On, At

AT	ON	IN
at 3 PM	on Monday	in January
at midnight	on July 4th	in 2024
at night	on Christmas Day	in summer
at the weekend (British)	on my birthday	in the morning
at the moment	on weekdays	in the 21st century

No preposition: yesterday, today, tomorrow, last/next/this + time

PLACE - In, On, At

AT	ON	IN
at home	on the table	in the room
at work	on the wall	in the building
at school	on the floor	in London
at the station	on the street	in Germany
at the party	on the bus/train	in the car
at the door	on the page	in the picture

Common Verb + Preposition

• look at / look for / look after
• listen to
• wait for
• depend on
• arrive at (place) / arrive in (city)
• get on/off (bus) / get into/out of (car)
• think about / think of
• talk to/with / talk about

Common Adjective + Preposition

• good/bad at
• interested in
• afraid of
• proud of
• married to
• different from/to/than
• similar to
• famous for

Time Expressions

• for = length (for two hours)
• since = from a point (since Monday)
• during = while something was happening (during the meeting)
• by = deadline (by Friday)
• until = up to a time (until 6 PM)
• ago = before now (two days ago)

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Part of the LearnFast.life Grammar Series

Practice Quiz

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