Prepositions are fundamental elements of the English language, essential for constructing meaningful and grammatically correct sentences. They serve as connectors, linking nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence to indicate relationships such as time, place, direction, and more.
Table of contents
What Are Prepositions?
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or a pronoun) and other elements in a sentence. Prepositions typically indicate relationships related to:
- Time (e.g., at, on, in)
- Place (e.g., above, below, beside)
- Direction (e.g., to, from, toward)
- Agent or Instrument (e.g., by, with)
- Possession (e.g., of)
- Purpose (e.g., for)
Examples:
- She will arrive at 5 PM.
- The book is on the table.
- They walked toward the park.
- The painting was created by an artist.
- The cover of the book is red.
- This tool is for cutting wood.
Types of Prepositions
Prepositions can be categorized based on the relationships they express. Here are the primary types:
1. Prepositions of Time
Indicate when something happens.
Common Prepositions: at, on, in, during, before, after, since, for
Examples:
- At midnight
- On Monday
- In summer
- During the movie
- Before dinner
- After the meeting
- Since 2010
- For two hours
2. Prepositions of Place
Show the location or position of something.
Common Prepositions: at, on, in, above, below, beside, between, under, near, inside, outside
Examples:
- At the door
- On the wall
- In the room
- Above the clouds
- Below the surface
- Beside the river
- Between the buildings
- Under the bridge
- Near the school
- Inside the box
- Outside the house
3. Prepositions of Direction
Express movement toward something or the origin of movement.
Common Prepositions: to, from, toward, into, out of, up, down, through
Examples:
- She is going to the market.
- They came from Italy.
- Walk toward the sunset.
- He jumped into the pool.
- She walked out of the room.
- Climb up the ladder.
- Move down the stairs.
- Drive through the tunnel.
4. Prepositions of Agent or Instrument
Indicate the means by which something is done or who performs the action.
Common Prepositions: by, with
Examples:
- The cake was made by my grandmother.
- She wrote the letter with a pen.
- The building was constructed by a famous architect.
- He cut the paper with scissors.
5. Prepositions of Possession
Show ownership or possession.
Common Prepositions: of, with
Examples:
- The legs of the table
- A friend with a dog
- The color of the car
- A person with a talent for music
6. Prepositions of Purpose
Express the reason for an action or the intended use.
Common Prepositions: for, to
Examples:
- This gift is for you.
- She went to the store to buy milk.
- A tool for gardening
- A place to relax
Here’s a table with common prepositions categorized by type:
| Category | Prepositions |
|---|---|
| Place | on, in, under, above, below, between, behind, in front of, near, beside |
| Time | at, on, in, during, before, after, by, since, until, throughout |
| Direction | to, from, towards, into, onto, through, across, up, down, along |
| Agent or Cause | by, for, with, about |
| Method | by, with, on, via |
| Possession | of |
| Purpose | for, to, in order to |
| Comparison | like, as, than |
| Instrument | with, by |
This is not an exhaustive list, but it covers many of the commonly used prepositions!
Compound Prepositions
These are phrases made up of multiple words that function as a single preposition. They often express more complex relationships.
Common Compound Prepositions:
- According to
- Because of
- In front of
- Next to
- On behalf of
- In spite of
- Due to
- Out of
Examples:
- According to the report, sales have increased.
- The match was canceled because of the rain.
- The car is parked in front of the house.
- She sat next to her friend.
- He spoke on behalf of the team.
- In spite of the challenges, they succeeded.
- The flight was delayed due to fog.
- She stepped out of the room.
Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object. It functions as an adjective or adverb within a sentence.
Structure: Preposition + Object (noun/pronoun) + Modifiers (optional)
Examples:
- Under the bridge (Prepositional phrase acting as an adverb)
- With a red cover (Prepositional phrase acting as an adjective)
- In the morning (Prepositional phrase acting as an adverb)
- Of the highest quality (Prepositional phrase acting as an adjective)
Usage:
- She sat under the bridge. (Adverb: Where did she sit?)
- The book with a red cover is mine. (Adjective: Which book?)
- We will leave in the morning. (Adverb: When will we leave?)
- They live in a house of the highest quality. (Adjective: What kind of house?)
Rules for Using Prepositions
While prepositions are straightforward in many cases, their usage can be nuanced. Here are some key rules to consider:
1. Prepositions Are Followed by Nouns, Pronouns, or Noun Phrases
A preposition must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase, not by a verb.
Correct:
- She arrived after the meeting.
- He walked to the store.
Incorrect:
- She arrived after to eat. (Should be: She arrived after eating.)
- He walked to singing. (Should be: He walked to sing.)
2. Prepositions at the End of Sentences
In formal English, it’s generally acceptable to end sentences with prepositions, especially when avoiding it would make the sentence awkward. However, in very formal writing, rearranging the sentence to place the preposition earlier is sometimes preferred.
Acceptable:
- What are you talking about?
- This is the house I live in.
More Formal:
- About what are you talking?
- This is the house in which I live.
3. Prepositions in Questions
When forming questions, prepositions can often be moved to the beginning of the question.
Examples:
- With whom are you going?
- To where are you traveling?
4. Using the Correct Preposition with Verbs
Certain verbs are followed by specific prepositions. It’s important to memorize these combinations.
Examples:
- Interested in
- Depend on
- Agree with
- Apologize for
- Believe in
Sentences:
- She is interested in painting.
- It depends on the weather.
- I agree with your opinion.
- He apologized for the mistake.
- They believe in ghosts.
5. Avoiding Double Prepositions
Using two prepositions in a row is usually incorrect unless one is part of a compound preposition.
Incorrect:
- She walked to in the park.
Correct:
- She walked in the park.
6. Prepositions vs. Conjunctions
Prepositions and conjunctions can sometimes be confused. Remember, prepositions link to nouns or pronouns, while conjunctions link clauses or sentences.
Preposition Example:
- She sat on the chair.
Conjunction Example:
- She wanted to go, but she was too tired.
Common Prepositions and Their Uses
Here’s a list of some of the most commonly used prepositions categorized by their function:
Prepositions of Time
- At: Used for precise times (at 5 PM), festivals (at Christmas), and parts of the day (at night).
- On: Used for days and dates (on Monday, on July 4th), and specific occasions (on my birthday).
- In: Used for longer periods (in January, in 2020, in the morning, in summer).
Prepositions of Place
- At: Used for specific points (at the door, at the airport).
- In: Used for enclosed spaces (in the room, in a box, in a city).
- On: Used for surfaces (on the table, on the wall).
- Above/Over: Higher than something (above the clouds).
- Below/Under: Lower than something (under the bed).
- Beside/Next to: At the side of (beside the lamp).
- Between: In the middle of two things (between the two buildings).
- Behind: At the back of (behind the curtain).
- In front of: Before something (in front of the house).
- Near: Close to (near the school).
Prepositions of Direction
- To: Moving toward a place (to the store).
- From: Originating point (from Canada).
- Toward: In the direction of (toward the north).
- Into: Entering something (into the room).
- Out of: Leaving something (out of the car).
- Through: Moving in one side and out the other (through the tunnel).
- Up/Down: Movement along a vertical axis (up the hill, down the stairs).
Prepositions of Agent or Instrument
- By: Indicates the doer in passive sentences (The song was written by her).
- With: Indicates the instrument used (He cut the paper with scissors).
Prepositions of Possession
- Of: Indicates ownership (the color of the sky).
- With: Indicates possession in certain contexts (a man with a beard).
Prepositions of Purpose
- For: Indicates purpose (a tool for gardening).
- To: Used before a verb to indicate purpose (I went there to study).
Common Mistakes with Prepositions
Prepositions can be tricky, leading to common errors in usage. Here are some frequent mistakes and how to avoid them:
1. Incorrect Preposition After Certain Verbs
Certain verbs require specific prepositions. Using the wrong one changes the meaning or makes the sentence incorrect.
Mistake:
- She is good in mathematics. (Incorrect)
Correction:
- She is good at mathematics.
2. Using “In” vs. “On” vs. “At” for Time and Place
Choosing the wrong preposition for time and place is a common error.
Mistake:
- I will meet you on Monday. (Correct)
- I will meet you in Monday. (Incorrect)
Another Example:
- The keys are on the table. (Correct)
- The keys are in the table. (Incorrect)
3. Ending Sentences with Prepositions Unnecessarily
While ending sentences with prepositions is acceptable in many contexts, overdoing it or doing so in formal writing can be seen as incorrect.
Less Preferred (Formal):
- To whom are you referring?
More Common (Informal):
- Who are you referring to?
4. Double Prepositions
Using two prepositions where one suffices can lead to redundancy or confusion.
Mistake:
- She walked to in the park.
Correction:
- She walked in the park.
5. Confusing “Since” and “For”
Both can express time, but they are used differently.
Mistake:
- I have lived here since five years. (Incorrect)
Correction:
- I have lived here for five years.
6. Using Prepositions with Adjectives
Certain adjectives are followed by specific prepositions.
Mistake:
- She is afraid of about spiders. (Incorrect)
Correction:
- She is afraid of spiders.
Exercises to Practice Prepositions
To solidify your understanding of prepositions, try the following exercises:
1. Fill in the Blanks:
Choose the correct preposition from the options provided.
a) She arrived ___ the airport just in time.
- at
- in
- on
Answer: at
b) The cat is hiding ___ the sofa.
- under
- over
- between
Answer: under
c) We will have a meeting ___ Monday.
- in
- on
- at
Answer: on
2. Correct the Sentences:
Identify and correct the prepositional errors.
a) He is interested about learning Spanish.
Correction: He is interested in learning Spanish.
b) She was standing between the two cars.
Note: This sentence is correct.
c) They moved to in the new house last month.
Correction: They moved into the new house last month.
3. Match the Prepositions:
Match the preposition to its correct usage.
- At
- In
- On
- By
- For
a) Expressing means or instrument
b) Specific time
c) Surface location
d) Purpose
e) Enclosed space
Answers: 1 – b (At – Specific time)
2 – e (In – Enclosed space)
3 – c (On – Surface location)
4 – a (By – Means or instrument)
5 – d (For – Purpose)