PREPOSITIONS

MISS SANIA SAJJAD

WHAT IS A PREPOSITION?

A PREPOSITION
IS A WORD USED TO LINK NOUNS, PRONOUNS,
OR PHRASES TO OTHER
WORDS WITHIN A SENTENCE. THEY ACT TO
CONNECT THE PEOPLE, OBJECTS, TIME
AND LOCATIONS OF A
SENTENCE. PREPOSITIONS ARE USUALLY
SHORT WORDS, AND THEY ARE NORMALLY
PLACED DIRECTLY IN
FRONT OF NOUNS.
IN SOME CASES, YOU’LL FIND PREPOSITIONS
IN FRONT OF GERUND VERBS (A
VERB FORM WHICH FUNCTIONS AS A NOUN).
 PREPOSITIONS OF TIME
BASIC EXAMPLES OF
TIME PREPOSITIONS
INCLUDES:

AT, ON, IN,

BEFORE AND AFTER. THEY A
RE USED TO HELP INDICATE
WHEN SOMETHING
HAPPENED, HAPPENS OR
WILL HAPPEN.
IT CAN GET A LITTLE
CONFUSING THOUGH, AS
MANY
DIFFERENT PREPOSITIONS
CAN BE USED.
 AT: THIS PREPOSITION
OF TIME IS USED TO
DISCUSS CLOCK TIMES,
HOLIDAYS, FESTIVALS
AND OTHER SPECIFIC
TIME FRAMES INCLUDIN
G EXCEPTIONS SUCH AS
“AT NIGHT.”
IN: THIS PREPOSITION
OF TIME IS USED TO
DISCUSS MONTHS, SEASONS,
YEARS, CENTURIES, GENERAL TIMES
OF THE DAY AND LONGER PERIODS OF
TIME SUCH AS “IN THE PAST.”

ON: THIS PREPOSITION

OF TIME IS USED TO DISCUSS
CERTAIN DAYS OF
THE WEEK OR PORTIONS
OF DAYS OF THE WEEK,
SPECIFIC DATES AND SPECIAL DAYS SUCH
AS “NEW YEAR’S DAY."
PREPOSITIONS
OF TIME EXAMPLES IN THE FOLLOWING
SENTENCESARE IN BOLD FOR EASY
IDENTIFICATION.
For example:

• I was born on July 4th, 1982.

• I was born in 1982.
• I was born at exactly 2am.
• I was born two minutes before my twin brother.
• I was born after the Great War ended.
The above makes it seem quite
difficult, with five different
prepositions used to
indicate when something happened.

However,
there is a set of guidelines
that can help
decide which preposition to use:
For years, months, seasons, centuries
and times of day, use
the preposition in
• I first met John in 1987.
• It’s always cold in January
• Easter falls in spring each year.

• We eat breakfast in the morning.

• The 2nd World War occurred in the
20th century.
 For days, dates and specific
holiday days, use the
preposition on.

1. We go to
school on Mondays, but
not on Sunday
2. Christmas
is on December 25th.
3. Buy me a
present on my birthday.
For times, indicators of
exception and festivals, use the
preposition at:

• Families often argue at

Christmas time.
• I work faster at night.
• Her shift finished at 7pm
Before and after should be
much easier
to understand than the other
examples of prepositions of
time. Both are used
to explain when something ha
ppened, happens or
will happen, but specifically
in relation to another thing.

• Before I discovered this

bar, I used to go straight
home after work.
• We will
not leave before 3pm.
• David comes before Bryan
in the line,
but after Louise.
Other prepositions of time could
include: During, about, around,
until and throughout.

• The concert will

be staged throughout the
month of May.
• I learned how
to ski during the holidays.
• He usually
arrives around 3pm.
• It was about six in the
morning when we made it
to bed.
• The store is
open until midnight.
Prepositions of Place: To confuse matters a bit,
the most common prepositions to indicate time – on, at, in –
are also the most common prepositions to
indicate position. However, the rules are a little clearer as
place prepositions are a
more rigid concept than time prepositions.
Prepositions of place examples in the following sentences are
in bold for easy identification.

• The cat is on the table.

• The dogs are in the kennel.
• We can meet at the crossroads.

The guidelines can be broken down as follows:

On is used when referring to something with a surface:

• The sculpture hangs on the wall.

• The images are on the page.
• The specials are on the menu, which is on the table.
 In is used when
referring to
something that
is inside or within
confined boundaries.
This could be
anything, even
a country:

1. Jim is in France, visiting

his aunt in the hospital.
2. The whiskey is in the
jar in the fridge.
3. The girls
play in the garden.
 At is used when referring to
something at a
specific point/certain point:

1. The boys are at the

entrance at the movie theater.
2. He stood at the bus stop at the
corner of Water and
High streets.
3. We will meet at the airport.
Lot’s of other prepositions of place, such
as under, over, inside, outside, above and
below are used in English. There is,
however, a lot less confusion as they refer
to rigid positions rather than abstract
ones.
• The cat is under the table.
• Put the sandwich over there.
• The key is locked inside the car.
• They stepped outside the house.
• Major is ranked above corporal.
• He is waving at you from below the
stairs.
Prepositions of Movement: Prepositions of movement
are quite easy to understand as they are less abstract
than prepositions of place and time. Essentially, they
describe how something or someone moves from one
place to another. The most commonly used preposition
of movement is to, which usually serves to highlight
that there is movement towards a specific destination.
Prepositions of movement examples in
the following sentences are in bold for
easy identification.
• He has gone on vacation to France.
• She went to the bowling alley every
Friday last summer.
• I will go to bed when I am tired.
• They will go to the zoo if they finish
their errands.
More specific prepositions of movement include:

Across refers to moving from one side to another.

• Mike travelled across America on

his motorcycle.
• Rebecca and Judi
are swimming across the lake.

Through refers to moving directly inside something

and out the other end.

• The bullet Ben

shot went through the window.
• The train passes through the tunnel.

Into refers to entering or looking inside something.

• James went into the room.

• They stare into the darkness.
 Up, over,
down, past and around indicat
e directions of movement:

1. Jack went up the hill.

2. Jill came tumbling down after.
3. We
will travel over rough terrain
on our way to
Grandma’s house.
4. The horse runs around the
track all morning.
5. A car zoomed past a truck on
the highway
How to Recognize a Preposition?
Recognizing prepositions can be challenging as they do not
always follow a consistent pattern in terms of their position in a
sentence, nor do they have a discernible structure or spelling.
We do know, however, that prepositions are almost always short
words, with the majority having less than six letters. One
technique people use to identify a preposition is to think of a
preposition as anywhere a mouse can go. Above, below, next
to, between, beyond, through, by, with…It won’t cover them
all, but it can be a useful question to ask when trying to
identify and recognize a preposition. While there are over 100
prepositions, there are around 500,00-700,000 nouns in
English! It is unlikely anyone will learn so many nouns,
but recognizing and then mastering prepositions might be a
worthwhile and attainable goal.
Prepositions with Nouns:There are lots of
different nouns that carry specific
prepositions to consolidate their meaning.
These are called dependent
prepositions. Again, there isn’t a set rule
that says a particular type of noun will take a
dependent preposition,
although they normally follow the noun.

Moreover, there are many

possible combinations. Essentially, it’s case
of familiarizing yourself with the
different possibilities of
nouns and dependent prepositions.
Examples:
• He displayed cruelty towards his dog.
• She had knowledge of physics.
• The trouble with Jack.
• 21 is the age at which you are allowed
to drink.
• Bolt made another attempt at the
world record.
• The police held an inquiry
into the murder.
Prepositions with Verbs: Prepositional verbs – the phrasal
combinations of verbs and prepositions – are important parts of
speech. The prepositions again act as links between the verb and
noun or gerund, giving extra meaning to the sentence.
The prepositions
most commonly used with verbs are: to, for, about, of, in,
at and from. The good news is that these will always come
after the verb in the sentence. However, it should also be noted
that the prepositional verbs can have slightly different meaning
compared to the original verb.
For example, to relate a story simply means to tell a story, to
relate to a story means you identify with it, find some personally
meaning in that story.
Verb + to:​
He admitted to the charge.​
I go to Vancouver on vacation twice a year.​
William can relate to the character in the play.​

Verb + for:​
He must apologize for his actions.​
We searched for ages before we found the perfect apartment.​
I provide for my family by working two jobs.​
 Verb + with:​

 I don’t agree with your claim.​

 The lawyer said he will meet
with your representatives.​
 They began with a quick warm-up.​

 Verb + of:​

 I dream of a better life.​

 Have you heard of Shakespeare?​
 The bread consists of dough, raisins
and a little honey.​
 Verb + in:

 Does Rick believe in miracles?

 Fallon lives in New York.
 The bus accident resulted in my
being late to work.

 Verb + at

 We arrived at our destination.

 Ilene excels at singing.
 Will the baby smile at her mother?
 Verb + on:​
 We should really concentrate on our studies now.​
 Helen insisted on Brenda’s company.​
 Morris experimented on some canvas.​

 Verb + from:​
 Since turning 80, she suffers from lapses in concentration.
 Dad retired from the navy in the 1970s.
 Billy Bob, please refrain from doing that.
Prepositions with Adjectives: Prepositions can form phrases with
adjectives to give further context to the action, emotion or thing
the adjective is describing. Like verbs and nouns, adjectives can
be followed by: to, about, In, for, with, at and by.​

•I am happily married to David.​

•Ellie is crazy about this movie.​
•Michelle is interested in politics.​
•We are sorry for your loss.​
•Jane will be delighted with her results.​
•Is he still angry at the world?​
•The entire room was astonished by the election results.​
There can sometimes be a pattern in deciding which prepositions
go with adjectives, for example, when adjectives have the same
or very similar meaning to each other, they might take
the same preposition:
• Frightened of, afraid of, scared of, terrified of

Indeed, when adjectives have opposite meaning they

might also take the same preposition:

• Good at, great at, superb at, wonderful at

• Bad at, terrible at, woeful at, inept at

There are always many exceptions to the above, but it can help
that there seems to be some consistency when adjectives have the
same meaning or opposite meaning.
Nevertheless, perhaps a more general rule is that English
speakers simply need to learn which prepositions go with
which adjectives, as meaning can change significantly by
using a different preposition.
• I am good at sports means I have some athletic talent.
• The nurse was good to my mother means she took care of her and was
nice, kind, and helpful.
• I am good with animals means I get along with them and handle them
well.
• Swimming is good for your health.
• That was good of you to come means you were begin nice and good to
visit.
• My little brother is good inside (his body) means even though you can’t
see how he thinks and feels, he is good. Even if his behavior is bad.
• The blueberry jam will be good on toast.
Preposition of place Explanation Example
• inside • I watch TV in the living-room
• I live in NewYork
• Look at the picture in the book
• She looks at herself in the mirror.
in • She is in the car.
• Look at the girl in the picture
• This is the best team in the world
• used to show an exact position or • I met her at the
particular place entrance, at the bus stop
• table • She sat at the table
at • events • at a concert, at the party
• place where you are to do something • at the
typical (watch a film, study, work) movies, at university, at work
 • attached • Look at the picture on the wall
• next to or along the side of (river) • Cambridge is on the River Cam.
• used to show that something is in a • The book is on the desk
position above something else and • A smile on his face
on touching it. • The shop is on the left
• left, right • My apartment is on the first floor
• a floor in a house • I love traveling on trains /on the
• used for showing some methods of traveling bus / on a plane
• television, radio • My favorite
program on TV, on the radio

by, • not far away in distance • The girl who is by / next to / beside the house.
next to, beside,
near

• in or into the space which separates • The town lies

between two places, people or objects halfway between Rome and Florence.

behind • at the back (of) • I hung my coat behind the door.

 ▪ further forward than someone ▪ She started talking to the man
in front of or something else in front of her
▪ lower than (or covered by) ▪ the cat is under the chair.
under something else
▪ lower than something else.
▪ the plane is just below the
below cloud

▪ above or higher than ▪ She held the umbrella over

over both of us.
something else, sometimes so ▪ Most of the carpets
that one thing covers the
other.
 over • more than.​ are over $100.​
• across from one side • I walked over the bridge​
to the other.​ • She jumped over the gate​
• overcoming an obstacle​
above​ • higher than • a path above the lake​
something else, but not directly
over it​
• from one side to the other • She walked across the field/road.​
across​ of something with • He sailed across the Atlantic​
clear limits / getting to the
other side​

through​ • from one end or side of something • They walked​

to the other​ slowly through the woods.​
 ▪ in the direction of ▪ We went to Prague last year.
to ▪ bed ▪ I go to bed at ten.

▪ towards the inside or middle ▪ Shall we go into the garden?

of something and about to be contained,
into surrounded or enclosed by it

towards ▪ in the direction of, or closer to someone ▪ She stood up and walked
or something towards him.

onto ▪ used to show movement into or on a ▪ I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
particular place

from ▪ used to show the place where someone ▪ What time does the
or something starts: flight from Amsterdam arrive?
Preposition of time​ Explanations​ Example​
• days​ • Many shops don't
on​ • weekend (American English)​ open on Sundays.​
• What did you do on the weekend?​

• months / seasons / year​ • I visited​

• morning / evening / afternoon​ Italy in July, in spring, in 1994​
in​ • period of time​ • In the evenings, I like to relax.​
• This is the first cigarette
I've had in three years.​
at​ • night​ • It gets cold at night.​
• weekend (British English)​ • What did you do at the weekend?​
• used to show an exact or a​ • There's a meeting at 2.30 this​
 particular time:​ afternoon / at lunch time.​
• from a particular time • England have not won the
since​ in the past until a World Cup in
later time, or until now​ football since 1966​

for​ • used to show • I'm just going to bed for an hour

an amount of time.​ or so.​
ago​ • back in the • The dinosaurs died out 65
past; back in time from million years ago.​
the present:​
before​ • at or during a time earlier than​ • She's always
up before dawn.​
• used when saying the time, to • It's twenty to six.​
to​ mean before the stated hour​

past​ • telling the time​ • five past ten​

• until a particular time, marking • It's only two weeks
to​ end of a period of time​ to Christmas.​
 from ▪ used to show the ▪ The museum is open from 9.30 to
time when something 6.00 Tuesday to Sunday.
starts

till / until ▪ up to (the time that) ▪ We waited till / until half past six for you.

by ▪ not later than; at or before ▪ She had promised to be back by five o'clock.
Preposition​ Explanation​ Example​
particular unit​
• used to show the person or thing • I'm reading some short
by​ that does something:​ stories (written) by Chekhov.​
• used for showing some methods • It'd be quicker to get there on foot​
of travelling​ / on horse​
on​ • entering a public transport vehicle​ • get on the train​

in​ • entering a car / Taxi​ • She got in the car and drove fast.​
• leaving a public transport vehicle​ • She got off the bus​
off​
Prepositions Exercise 1

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how
prepositions work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The bone was _ the dog.

a.About
b.For
c. After
d.Considering
2. We are going on vacation August.
a.On
b.At
c. In
d.Since
3. Please put the vase the table.
a.In
b.On
c. For
d.Over
4.I received a present Janet.
a.From
b.Of
c.By
d.About

5.School begins Monday.

a.In
b.On
c.From
d.Since
Prepositions Exercise 2
Please choose the correct preposition (about/for/to) for the sentences
in this exercise.
1. In addition to the formal contact time required________each
course students will need to allocate non-contact time.
2. The course encourages students
to think critically______development.
3. The relative proportion of contact and non-contact time may
vary from course ______course.
4. The course aims to help people
make sound choices_______health.
Prepositions Exercise 3

Please add prepositions to the gaps in this passage. You will need: at, for, from,
in, of, on, to,​

In order to write a thesis,

one must engage_________research which focuses________a
specific topic relevantone's field of study. Current issues________the field
should
be addressed by means of a review_________the literature___________their
chosen subject. Candidates should show an awareness
__________recent debate _________the area and not rely
_____________secondary sources but make
use primary data with particular reference recent findings.
 Prepositions Exercise 4

Fill in the blanks with a suitable preposition.

1. The child responded to his mother's demands_______throwing a tantrum.
2. I will wait_______6.30, but then I'm going home.
3. My best friend, John, is named________his grandfather.
4. My parents have been married__________forty years.
5. It's been snowing_________Christmas morning.
6. I get paid____________the end of the month.
7. I'll be with you_________a moment.
8. I've got a meeting_____________Monday morning.
9. He enjoyed the peace as he walked__________the forest.