Preposition

A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a

noun and the other words of a sentence. They explain relationships
of sequence, space, and logic between the object of the sentence
and the rest of the sentence. They help us understand order, time
connections, and positions.

Types of Preposition

Most of the prepositions have many uses. There are some prepositions
which are common in every type of preposition as they function in a
versatile way.

 Prepositions of Time
 Prepositions of Place and Direction
 Prepositions of Agents or Things
 Phrasal Prepositions
 
 
Prepositions of Time:
 
Prepositions of time show the relationship of time between the nouns to
the other parts of a sentence.
 
On, at, in, from, to, for, since, ago, before, till/until, by , etc. are the
most common preposition of time.
Example:

 He started working at 10 AM.

 The company called meeting on 25 October.
 There is a holiday in December.
 He has been ill since[sins] Monday.
 
Prepositions of Time Usage
 Prepositions of time show the relationship of time between the nouns to
the other parts of a sentence.
 
Common preposition of time: On, at, in, from, to, for, since, ago, before,
till/until, by, etc. are the most common.

AT, ON, IN
 
AT:
At always indicates an exact and specific time.
Example:
 I started working at 10 AM.
 The movie starts at 6 PM.
 The shop closes at 30 AM.

Note: Exceptions are that we say – at the weekend, at night, at Chrismas,

at Easter, at the moment, etc.

On:
On generally indicates a fixed date or a day.
Example:
 I’ll see her on Friday.
 He broke a record on Monday morning.
 I have a meeting on 25 October. 
In:
In generally indicates an indefinite and unspecific time of months, seasons,
years, centuries, etc.
Example:
 I will get a holiday in December.
 Murphy was born in 2001.
 I love playing cricket in summer.

Note: Some very common exceptions are – in the morning, in the evening, in
the afternoon, in five minutes, in six days, in two years, etc.

 
FROM....TO ,  UNTIL, SINCE,  FOR
From....to:

From....to  indicates a fixed time-span with the beginning and the end.
Example:
 I worked there from 2010 to 2017.
 I usually work from Saturday to Thursday.
 I will stay there from 10 AM to 6 PM.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Until/till:
Until/till indicates a specific or unspecific time/event up to a point.
Example:
 They will not return until Friday.    
 Wait for me until I return.
 I do not give up until I am succeeded.
 I will be there until Monday.

Since:
Since indicates a time-span beginning in a time in the past and still
continuing in the present (now).
Example:
 Alex has been in the village since Sunday.
 He has been suffering from fever since Friday.
 Robin and Susan have been friends since childhood.

For:
For indicates a period of time (amount of time) in the past, present or
future.

Example:
 He stayed there for four days.
 I will be staying there for five months.
 I will work with them for a year.
 He was standing there for a long time.
 
BEFORE, AFTER, DURING, BY
Before:
Before indicates a prior[pra-yor] event/ period of time from a point. 
Example:
 Robin was very nervous before the interview.
 I want to leave before lunch.
 These batsmen should not get out before the tea break.
 Before going, close all the window.

After:
After indicates a following event/period of time from a point. This
preposition is the exact opposite of before.
Example:
 Robin felt confident after the interview.
 I want to leave after lunch.
 After playing football, we went home.

During:
During indicates a period of time throughout the course or duration of any
event or action.
Example:
 Robert was sleeping during the film.
 They don’t talk during dinner.
 I don’t usually smoke during office time.

By:
By means ‘within the extent or period of; during’ something.
Example:
 I will complete the assignment[homework] by Sunday.
 He will return[ri-tern] by 6 PM.
 I will submit[sab-mit] the list by 11 AM.
 
Prepositions of Place and Direction:
Prepositions of place show the relationship of place between the nouns to
the other parts of a sentence.

Common prepositions of places & direction: On, at, in, by, from, to,
towards, up, down, across, between, among, through, in front of,
behind, above, over, under, below, etc. are the most common.

On, at, in, by, from, to, towards, up, down, across, between, among,
through, in front of, behind, above, over, under, below, etc. are the
most common prepositions of place/direction.
Example:

 He is at home.
 He came from England.
 The police broke into the house.
 I live across the river.
 

IN, AT

IN:
In indicates something to be present in a place or enclosure. It does not
say particularly where but gives an enclosure to the noun it connects with.
Example:

 Your shirt is in the closet. (Does not indicate an exact place)

 He lives in Australia.
 Alex works in that building.

AT:
At indicates an exact place.
Example:
 He is at the door.
 I am standing at 13/4 George Street.
 He is at home.
 

ON, ABOVE, OVER 

ON:
On indicates a position above but touching the object.
Example:
 The phone is on the table. (Phone is touching with the table)
 He is on the third floor.
 Sit on the sofa.

ABOVE:
Above indicates a much higher position than the preposition on does. It also
indicates something out of reach.
Example:
 The sky is above my head.
 Hold your hands above your head.
 Stars are above the sky.

OVER
Over means a position between on and above which is not touching.
Example:
 There are clouds over the hills.
 A bird flew over my head.
 My flat is over that shop. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UNDER, BELOW
UNDER:
Under is the opposite of on and means ‘below the surface of’ something.
Example:
 The cat is under the table.
 The carpet under my feet is very soft.
 That book is under my glasses.

BELLOW:
Below indicates something at a slightly lower position than what under
indicates.
Example:
 I have a scar just below my right eye.
  Do you see the line below the paper?
 Please, don’t write below this line.
 
TO, FROM
TO:
To indicates a motion in the direction of a place.
Example:
 He went to college.
 We are going to Mexico.
 We walked from the farm to the beach.

FROM
From indicates the point of place at which a motion, journey, or action
starts.
Example:
 He came from England.
 We walked from the beach to the farm.
 He drove here from Atlanta.

 
INTO, OUT OF
INTO:
Into indicates a motion towards/going inside something. It has many uses.
Example:
 He came into the house.
 The police broke into the bar.
 My car crashed into a street sign.

OUT OF:
Out of means the opposite of into. It indicates a motion towards outside of
something.
Example:
 He is going out of the town.
 Get out of my house.
 Please, remain out of this. (Not indicating a place but an issue)

THROUGH,  ACROSS, BESIDE,  IN FRONT OF, BEHIND,

TOWARDS,  BY
THROUGH:
Through indicates a motion in the middle of something.
Example:
 We drove through the tunnel.
 They came through a forest.
 He came through a wedding gate.

ACROSS:
Across means going to the other side of a river or road or something
straight.
Example:
 He went across the river.
 I walked across the road.
 My house is across the bank. (There is a road between the house and the
bank)

BESIDE:
Beside means at the side of/ next to something.
Example:
 The car beside the cycle is mine.
 He is standing beside the shop.
 I will always be beside you.
IN FRONT OF
In front of means a position facing someone/something.
Example:
 He parked his car in front of my house.
 I have a pool in front of my resthouse.
 He was nervous in front of me.
BEHIND:
Behind means at the far side of something (might be out of sight). It is
opposite of in front of.
Example:
 He parked his car behind my car.
 I have a pool behind my house.
 Go behind that tree.
TOWARDS:
Towards means a motion in the direction of something literary or
metaphorically.
Example:
 Take five steps towards the post and stand there.
 They moved towards the Labour Party.
 I walked towards the car when you were standing.
BY
By means ‘near to or next to’ something or someone.
Example:
 He has a house by the river.
 I was standing by the car.
 My flat is by the saloon.
 
 
 
UP, DOWN
UP:
Up means a motion towards a higher place or position.
Example:
 We were climbing up the mountain.
 Lift your hands up.
 John is going up to London. (From a lower place of the country)
 Climb up the stairs.
DOWN:
Down indicates the opposite meaning of up. It means a motion towards a
lower place or position.
Example:
 He was walking down the river.
 I am climbing down the hill.
 Go down the stairs.
 
BETWEEN, AMONG
BETWEEN:
Between indicates something/someone to be in the middle of two other
things or persons.
Example:
 Alex is sitting between Robin and Robert.
 The cat is between the two boxes.
 This matter is between you and him.
Among:
Among indicates something/someone to be in the middle of three or more
other things or persons.
Example:
 Alex is sitting among the patients.
  He is the best among them.
 Among all the people, John had the courage to speak up.

Prepositions of Time Exercise

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate preposition.

1. I will be here ....until............. next week.

since
for
Until

2. The school reopens .........on............... Monday.

on
at
In

3. I invite my friends to dinner ..........in................ Christmas eve.

on
in
At

4. They are getting married ........on................ the tenth of August.

in
on
At

5. They will be here from Monday .............to............... Friday.

since
for
To

6. He hasn't worked ......since................... he lost his job.

for
since
until
7. The work won't be complete ........until................... Friday.
since
for
Until
8. They are getting married ............in............. the spring.
on
in
At

9. It usually rains .........in.............. the month of July.

in
on
At

10. You must leave .......by............... evening.

until
by
Since

11. I waited for them .........until................ evening and then I went home.
until
till
Either could be used here

12. She was absent .........for............. a week.

since
for
until

Now complete the sentences with the right preposition.

 1 - She went on holiday today. She said she'll be back

____in_______  a week.

 2 - All job applications must be received _____by______  Friday.

 3 - He's in a meeting at the moment. I'll get him to call you back

__in_________   ten minutes.

 4 - There's an important presentation starting ___at________  

noon.
  5 - Please don't call me ___at________   night. Just send me an

email.

 6 - We've been working on this project _____since______  last

week.

 7 - The company was established ___in________  1975.

 8 - I haven't seen her _____since______   last Tuesday.

 9 - We should always think about the poor ______at_____ 

Christmas.

 10 - We've been supplying them _____for______   6 years.

Grammar Exercise: Prepositions of location and direction

1. I sit __ Sarah at school.

  on
  next to 
  between

2. Our teacher stands __ the class.

  under
  above
  in front of

3. There are four students at each table. __ me is my friend Justine.

  In front of
  Near to
  Opposite

4. Julie sits __ Sasha.

  near to
  around
  next to
5. Tom sits __ Lucy and James.
  between
  in front
  near to

6. We have posters __ the walls.

  above
  on
  on top of

7. __ of the classroom is a cupboard. 

  At the back
  Opposite
  Behind

8. __ the teacher's desk is a clock.

  On top
  Opposite
  Above

9. The wall is __ her desk.

  behind
 in front of 
  above

10. There's a wastepaper basket __ her desk.

  on
  next
  under

11. Joe and Alan sit __ each other.

  between
  beside
  next

12. We hired a guide to take us __ the city.

  past
  around
  along
13. We walked __ a busy road.
  through
  around
  along

14. Go straight __ at the traffic lights.

  on
  up
  down

15. We need to cross __ the road here.

  over
  across
  on

16. We walked __ a lot of shops before we came to the park.

  across
  through
  past

17. We had sandwiches __ a pretty fountain.

  by
  over
  along

18. He drove __ the corner too fast and lost control.

  off
  round
  over

19. You need to walk __ this road quickly. There's lots of traffic.
  across
  through
  round

20. If you go __ the gate you'll get to the garden.

  across
  by
  through