What is a preposition in English?

A preposition is a word or a group of words that comes before a noun or a

pronoun and connects it to another part of a sentence. It generally shows
the relation between a noun/pronoun and another part of the sentence in
terms of place, time, and movement.

Types of prepositions in English

1. Prepositions of time
2. Prepositions of place
3. Prepositions of movement
Let’s understand what prepositions of time are!

PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

Prepositions of time come before a noun and show their relation with
another part of a sentence in terms of time.

Common prepositions of time: on, at, in, for, since, till/until, from, from…to, before,
after, by, during, etc.

‘ON’

Usage: the preposition ‘on‘ is generally used to talk about specific days,
dates, or occasions.

Examples of ‘on’

 • What are you doing on Sunday?

 • I will buy clothes for all of you on Diwali.
 • We have a surprise party on 20th December.
 • She did a lot of crazy things on your birthday.
 • I will have to be sober on Monday morning.
‘AT‘

Usage: The preposition ‘at‘ refers to a specific time.

Examples of ‘at’

 • I’ll call you at 6 PM. Be ready.

 • She woke up at 11 AM last night.
 • Will you be here at lunchtime?
 • We can discuss it at dinner or dinnertime.
 • Do you like to work at night?

Notice that we are using ‘at’ before lunchtime or dinnertime or just lunch or dinner as they are
very specific times of a day.

We can also use ‘at’ before the name of a festival. But when we use the
preposition ‘at’ this way, it doesn’t refer to a specific day, rather it refers to
a period of time the festival is celebrated for.

 • Will you be home at Christmas? (During the time of Christmas, not on a

specific day)
 • Will you be home on Christmas? (on a particular day)

‘IN‘

Usage: The preposition ‘in‘ is used to refer to unspecific time of months,

seasons, years, decades, centuries, etc.

Examples of ‘in’

 • We can organize his farewell party in January.

 • I have finals exams in 2022.
 • I love going to the hill stations in winter.
 • She doesn’t like to travel in summer.
 • A lot of things have changed in the last decade.
 • We are living in the 21st century.
The preposition ‘in‘ is also used in the following structure: IN + a number +
days/months/years

 • I will call you in 20 minutes. (within or after 20 minutes)

 • We will finish the project in two days. (within or after 2 days)
• You will master this course in two months. (within or after 2 months)
 • The HR manager will contact you in some time. (unspecific time period)

In + some time generally means within the time period but close to its

end. It could also mean “after the time period.”

‘FOR’

Usage: the preposition ‘for‘ is used to talk about the time duration of an
action.

Examples of ‘for’

 I have been teaching English for 6 years.

 You need to stay here at least for a week.
 We worked in that company for 2 years.
 Jon had been waiting for three hours before he caught the train.
 Try eating this for a month.
 You will have to wait here for some time.
 My father has been cooking for a long time.
Note: if can also refer to an unspecific time duration using the phrases
like a long time, some time, a couple of hours/minutes/days, a good amount
of time, etc.

‘SINCE’

Usage: the preposition ‘since‘ is used to talk about the starting point of an
action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present or
stopped in the past.
Examples of ‘since’

 We have been living here since 1992.

 Riya has been with me since last Sunday.
 Jon and I have been amazing friends since childhood.
 I have been facing a lot of financial problems since the beginning of
the last year.
 We haven’t been talking since we moved apart.

‘UNTIL/TILL’

Usage: Both ‘until’ and ‘till’ are unchangeable and mean the same thing. It
means up to a specific or an unspecific time.

Examples of ‘until/till’

 We will have to wait here until/till the morning.

 They are not coming back until Sunday.
 We will not see each other until next month.
We can also use an unspecific time after till/until.

 I will keep fighting for my people until I die.

(We don’t know when I die, but it will happen at some point in time in future.)
Don’t go anywhere until Jon comes back.
(We don’t know when Jon comes back.)

‘FROM‘

Usage: the preposition ‘from‘ tells us the starting point of an action.

Examples of ‘from’

 I will be available from the next month.

  The classes are going to resume from Monday.

‘FROM…TO’

Usage: the preposition ‘from…to’ is used to indicate a time duration

including the beginning and the end.

Examples of ‘from…to’

 All the shops will be closed from 9 AM to 7 PM.

 Most people work from Monday to Friday.
 I was working in China from 2018 to 2020.

‘BEFORE’

Usage: the preposition ‘before‘ is used to indicate a prior event or time from
a point.

Examples of ‘before’

 We have to finish the task before the deadline.

 Let’s finish the work before lunch.
 I had a lot of friends before 2020.
 She has to find a job before the end of the year.

‘AFTER’

Usage: the preposition ‘after‘ is just the opposite of the preposition ‘before.’

Examples of ‘after’
  He has become a different person after his wedding.
 We will go to his place after the match.
 You can do anything you want after the lecture.
 Jon started drinking a lot after losing to Tyson.
 Everyone started to cry after listening to his story.

‘BY’

Usage: the preposition ‘by‘ means within the time period mentioned or not

later than the time mentioned.

Examples of ‘by’

 Ron will have to come back by 11 PM.

(This sentence means that the listener can come back any time but not after 11 PM; he can
come back at 10 PM, or 10:20 PM, or 10:25 PM, or 10:40 PM, or even at 11 PM. But he can’t
come back after 11 PM. He has to be back within the time mentioned.)

 I need a job by the end of the year.

 We could submit the assignment by Monday.
 She will be here by Monday morning.
 You must pay the fee by June 18 to join the program.
 We must find a place to live by the end of this month. We will have
to live on streets otherwise.

‘DURING’

Usage: the preposition ‘during‘ means throughout the duration of an event.

Examples of ‘during’

 Most of this students were sleeping during my speech.

  We are not allowing to talk during lunch.
 The company does not allow the employees to use their
phones during office time.
 I was on my toes during the entire fight.
 Jon was caught eating during the lecture.

Prepositions of time exercise!

1. He is busy __ weekends.
2. Will it be okay to discuss the deal ___ dinner?
3. I don’t think that he will be back __ 10 PM.
4. We can talk about it __ the office time.
5. I will be completely free __ Sunday.
6. The market will be shut down __ 10 March __ 25 March.
7. I don’t want anyone to talk ___ the fight. I want complete silence.
8. Unfortunately, we will have to live here ___ the end of the month.
We can move to a new place next month.
9. We haven’t liked each other __ a long time back.
10. Leave it to dry __ 2 hours.
Answer

1. on
2. at
3. by (at/before)
4. after (before/during)
5. on
6. from…to
7. during
8. until/till
9. since
10. for
Prepositions of Place
Prepositions for kids: list of Prepositions of Place with examples.

 In – My parents live  in  New Zealand now.

 On – The town is right  on  the border.
 Under – We slept  under  the open sky.
 Next to – The hotel is situated  next to  the lively bustling port.
 Between – There is a gulf  between  the two cities.
 Among – I enjoy being  among  my friends.
 In front of – They massed  in front of  the city hall.
 Behind – The horse fell  behind  in the race.
 Above – Our friends in the apartment  above  us are really noisy.
 Below – He dived  below  the surface of the water.
 Near – There is a bush  near  the school playground.
 Far from – The children don’t go  far from  home.
 At – I was waiting  at  the bus stop.
Prepositions for Kids: Prepositions of Movement
List of Prepositions of Movement in English with examples.

 Down – It’s easier to run  down  the hill than go up.

 Up – She doesn’t like riding her bike  up  these hills.
 Out of – He jumped  out of  the window.
 Into – Don’t put new wine  into  old bottles.
 Toward – She was carrying a suitcase and walking  towards.
 Away – Dinah was crying as she drove slowly  away.
 Past – You drive  past  the stadium on your way to work, don’t you?
 Over – The hotel is  over  the bridge.
 Onto – I slipped as I stepped  onto  the platform.
 Off – I must be  off  now.
 Around – Her hair whipped  around  her face in the wind.
 Under – The pen fell  under  the desk.
 Along – We went for a walk  along  the beach at twilight.
 Across – The boys swam  across  the lake.
 Through – The Charles River flows  through  Boston.
What is a Preposition of Place?
A preposition of place is a preposition which is used to refer to a place where
something or someone is located.

Preposition of place examples:

 In  America
 In  a car
 On  a plane
 On  the Internet
 At  the corner
 At  the bus stop

Prepositions of Place List

Learn useful list of prepositions of place in English with meaning and example
sentences.

Above

Meaning:

At or to a higher place or position than something/somebody

Example:

Our friends in the apartment  above  us are really noisy.

After

Meaning:

One follows the other

Example:
He ran  after  her with the book.

By

Meaning:

Near or at the  side  of

Example:

The telephone is  by  the window.

Beneath

Meaning:

Under someone or something

Example:

Jaime  hid  the  letter  beneath  a  pile  of  papers.

Next to/ Beside

Meaning:

At the side of someone or something

(Beside and next to have the same meaning. The only difference

between beside and next to is their level of formality; beside is generally
considered to be more formal than next to.)

Examples:

We lay  beside  the pool to dry off in the sun.

The hotel is situated  next to  the lively bustling port.

Near/ Close to

Meaning:

Near/ Close to  is a short distance from a person or thing

Examples:

There is a bush  near  the  school playground.

The new shopping center is  close to  the railway station.

Between

Meaning: 

Something in or through the space that separates two things, objects, or places

Example:

There is a gulf  between  the two cities.

Among

Meaning: 

In the  middle  of or  surrounded  by other people or things

Example:

The girl quickly disappeared  among  the crowd.

In front of

Meaning:

Farther forward than someone or something else

Example:

They massed  in front of  the city hall.

Behind

Meaning:

At or towards the back of a thing or person

Example:

The horse fell  behind  in the race.

Across from/ Opposite

Meaning:

In a position facing someone or something but on the other side

Example:

The hospital is  opposite  the post office.

The shoe store is  across from  the bank.

Under

Meaning:
Below or at a lower level than something, or covered by something

Example:

We slept  under  the open sky.

Below

Meaning:

In a lower place or position  than something else

Example:

He dived  below  the surface of the water.

Over

Meaning:

Above or higher than something, without touching it

On something or covering it

Example:

She held the umbrella  over  both of us.

Prepositions of Place IN ON AT
In order to describe place, the prepositions at, on, and in go from GENERAL to
SPECIFIC.
Prepositions of Place: IN
For describing place, the preposition IN is used for the largest or most general
places. You can say that “I lived  in  London  as a child.” And “He’s a very famous
person  in  Chinatown.”

In + Countries

Examples:

In England

In America

In + Cities

Examples:

In London

In New York

In + Neighborhood

Examples:

In Manhattan

In Chinatown

In + Enclosed Space

Examples:

In a traffic jam
In a building

In a car

Prepositions of Place: ON
The preposition ON is used for more specific places, like certain streets. You can
say that “He took a northbound trolley  on  State Street.”

On + Means of transport

Examples:

On a bus

On a train

On a plane
On + Communications

Examples:

On the radio

On the television

On the phone

On the Internet

On + Surfaces

Examples:

On a table

On a wall

On the floor

On the roof

Prepositions of Place: ON | Picture

Prepositions of Place: AT
At + Exact Addresses or Intersections

Examples:

At 23 Birch Street

At 734 State Street

At + Specific Locations/ Points

Examples:

At The Empire State Building

At the corner
At the bus stop
What are Prepositions of Movement?
Prepositions of movement or direction are used to show movement from one
place to another. These prepositions are most often used with verbs of motion
and are found after the verb.

Preposition of movement examples:

 She turned  her back  to  the audience.

 He looked straight  into  her eyes.
 She pushed her face  towards  him.
 They rode  along  narrow country lanes.
 Her hair whipped  around  her face in the wind.
Prepositions of Movement List with Examples
TO

The preposition to is used to indicate a destination or direction.

Examples:
The boys  go  to  school in groups.

Many people  travel  to  work by car.

He got out of bed and  walked  to  the window.

Would you like to  run  to  the harbor to look at the ships?

We’re  driving  to  Maryland to look at a drop tank?

He  came  to  England in his infancy.

The preposition to is sometimes used to indicate a specific position, especially if

a person or object is facing something.

Examples:

The physics lab is down the hall  to  your right.

She turned  her back  to  the audience.

TOWARD(S)

The preposition towards is used to say that someone or something moves, looks,

faces,… in the direction of someone or something.

Examples:

She pushed her face  towards  him.

She was carrying a suitcase and walking  towards.

THROUGH

The preposition through is used when we talk about movement from one side to
another but “in something”, such as long grass or a forest.
Examples:

David walked slowly  through  the woods.

The Charles River flows  through  Boston.

INTO

The preposition into is used to talk about the movement that enters a space,

usually with a verb that expresses movement.

Examples:

Don’t put new wine  into  old bottles.

He looked straight  into  her eyes.

She swerved and crashed  into  the fence

OVER

The preposition over refers to movement at a higher level than something else. It

also can be used when talking about movement across a surface.

Examples:

He jumped  over  the wall.

A beautiful white bird flew  over  the lake.

 Over also functions as a preposition expressing position. It often has a similar

meaning to the preposition above.

Example:

He lived in a flat  above/ over  the shop.

ACROSS

The preposition across is used when talking about movement from one side of
something to the other which has sides or limits such as a city, road or river. It is
also used to when something touches or stretches from one side to another.

Examples:

The boys swam  across  the lake.

The truck skidded sideways  across  the road.

It’s the first time I’ve flown  across  the  Atlantic.

ALONG

The preposition along is used to show movement of something in a line that

follows the side of something long.

Examples:

We went for a walk  along  the beach at twilight.

They rode  along  narrow country lanes.

FROM

The preposition from is used to show the place where someone or something

starts.

Example:

What time does the flight  from  Amsterdam arrive?

AROUND
The preposition around refers to the movement in circles or in the vicinity of
something

Example:

Her hair whipped  around  her face in the wind.

ONTO

The preposition onto is used to talk about movement to a position on a surface,

usually with a verb that expresses movement.

Example:

I slipped as I stepped  onto  the platform.

UP

The preposition up refers to a higher position or movement to a higher position.

Example:

She doesn’t like riding her bike  up  these hills.

DOWN

The preposition down indicates the movement to a lower position.

Example:

It’s easier to run  down  the hill than go up.

Prepositions of Movement Image

Prepositions of Movement: To
‘To’ is used when there is a specific destination in mind. The destination can be a
number of things:

A place:

 I’m going to the doctor’s.

  Can you direct me to the nearest post office?
An event:

 Are you going to the party?

 I have never been to a concert.
A person:

 She came up to me.

 I go to my father for advice.
A position:

 The bathroom is to your left.

 Keep to the left.

Prepositions of Movement: Towards

‘Towards’ is used in the following instances:

When one has movement in a particular direction in mind, rather than simply a
destination:

 He was walking menacingly towards me.

Or to refer to a position, in relation to a direction from the point of view of the
speaker:

 He was sitting with his back towards me.

Prepositions of Movement: Through

‘Through’ refers to the following types of movement:

Within a space, which can be thought of as surrounding, enclosing or around the

object:

The train went through the tunnel.


Movement across something, i.e. from one side of it to the other:
  He cut through the gauze.

Prepositions of Movement: Into

‘Into’ refers to the following types of movement:

Movement from the outside to the inside of something that can be imagined as
surrounding, enclosing or around the object:

He got into the car.


Movement causing something to hit something else:

 He swerved into the tree.

Prepositions of Movement: Across

‘Across’ is used to describe:

Movement from one end of something to the other:

He walked across the road.

 He strode across the bridge.
Something’s position when it stretches over the surface it is on:

 There was a barricade across the road.

To describe something’s position when it is at the opposite end from one’s
position:

 We went to the restaurant across the road.

Prepositions of Movement: Over

‘Over’ is used in the following instances:

To describe something’s position when it is above something else:

 The bottle is in the cabinet over the sink in the kitchen.

To describe something’s position when it covers a surface:
  A white cloth had been spread over the corpse.

Prepositions of Movement: Along

‘Along’ is used to describe:

Movement in a line:

 We walked along the river.

The collective position of a group of things that are in a line:

 He lived in one of the houses along the river.

Prepositions of Movement: In
‘In’ is used in the following instances:

Something’s position in relation to the area or space or place surrounding it:

 We are going to have our picnic in the park.

 I left my car in the garage.
To express towards the inside of something:

 Put the pickle in the cabinet.

Prepositions of Movement: On
‘On’ is used in the following instances:

To describe something’s position in relation to a surface:

 There was an array of food on the table.

To describe movement in the direction of a surface:

 The rain falling on the roof kept me from sleeping.

Examples of Prepositions of Movement

Here are some more example sentences showing prepositions of movement in
context:

 We’re going  to  town  on the  bus,  okay?

 She  walked  over  to  the  window.
 We  received  another  invitation  to  a  wedding  this  morning.
 She  stood  up and  walked  towards  him.
 She  kept  glancing  towards  the  phone.
 I  walked  backwards  towards  the  door.
 They  walked  slowly  through  the  woods.
 He  struggled  through  the  crowd  till he  reached  the  front.
 Let’s go  into  the  garden.
 Stop  running  around and get  into  bed!
 She  walked  across  the  field/road.
 They’re  building  a new  bridge  across  the  river.
 Helicopters  dropped  leaflets  over  the  city.
 I put a  shawl  over  my  shoulders.
 We  walked  along  the  beach  collecting  small  crabs  in a  bucket.
 Cars were  parked  all  along  the  road.
 Get  in  the  car.
 She  stepped  in  the batter’s  box.
 Your  suitcase  is  on  top  of the  wardrobe.
 They  live  in that  old  house  on  the  hill.
What are Prepositions of Place?
Writers use this type of preposition to describe where something is located. There are
four Prepositions of Place. “At” describes a specific point in space. “In” describes an
enclosed space. “On” describes an object’s relationship to a surface. “By” describes
an object’s proximity to something else.

Prepositions of Place Examples

“At”

Meet me at the library.

“In”

[example]I’m trapped in the elevator!

“On”

Is that a cat sleeping on your car?

“By”

I’ve always wanted to try that cafe by the train station.

Prepositions of Direction
If you ask “Where?”, this type of preposition is usually part of the
answer. Prepositions of Direction let you know where something is going. They
indicate which direction something is moving. There are dozens of examples, but the
most common examples of Prepositions of Direction are:
above, across, along, among, around, at, behind, below, beside, over, through, toward, up, down
, between, by, inside, in, near, past, under

What is a Double Preposition?

Easily form a Double Prepositions by joining two simple prepositions.

Examples of Double Prepositions in Sentences

The dog jumped out of the moving car.

The child hid inside of the cabinet.

What is a Compound Preposition?

Double prepositions and compound prepositions are very similar. Both are two-
word phrases. The double preposition is formed through the conjunction of
two simple prepositions. Whereas the compound preposition is formed through the
conjunction of a non-prepositional word and a simple preposition.

Prepositions of Time Usage

  (5/5, 81 votes)



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:
o I started working at 10 AM.
o The movie starts at 6 PM.
o 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:
o I’ll see her on Friday.
o He broke a record on Monday morning .
o I have a meeting on 25 October . 

In:
In  generally indicates an indefinite and unspecific time of months, seasons, years,
centuries, etc.
Example:
o I will get a holiday in December .
o Murphy was born in 2001.
o 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:
o I worked there from 2010 to 2017 .
o I usually work from Saturday to Thursday .
 o 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:
o They will not return until Friday.    
o Wait for me until I return.
o I do not give up until I am succeeded .
o 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:
o Alex has been in the village since Sunday .
o He has been suffering from fever since Friday.
o 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:
o He stayed there for four days.
o I will be staying there for five months .
o I will work with them for a year.
o He was standing there for a long time .

BEFORE, AFTER, DURING, BY

Before:
Before indicates a prior event/ period of time from a point. 
Example:
o Robin was very nervous before the interview .
o I want to leave before lunch .
o These batsmen should not get out before the tea break .
o 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:
o Robin felt confident after the interview .
o I want to leave after lunch .
o After playing football , we went home.

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

By:
By means ‘within the extent or period of; during’ something.
Example:
o I will complete the assignment by Sunday.
o He will return by 6 PM.
o I will submit the list by 11 AM .

Prepositions of Agents or Things

Prepositions of agents or things indicate a causal relationship between nouns and other
parts of the sentence.
Of, for, by, with, about, etc. are the most used and common prepositions of agents or
things.
Example:
o This article is about smartphones .
o Most of the guests  have already left.
o I will always be here for you.
o He is playing with his brothers .

Prepositions of Place and Direction

Prepositions of place show the relationship of place between the nouns to the other
parts of a sentence.
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:
o He is at home.
o He came from England .
o The police broke into the house.
o I live across the river.

Prepositions of Places and Direction Usage

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.

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:
o Your shirt is in the closet . (Does not indicate an exact place)
o He lives in Australia .
o Alex works in that building .

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

ON, ABOVE, OVER 

ON:
On indicates a position above but touching the object.
Example:
o The phone is on the table.  (Phone is touching with the table)
o He is on the third floor .
o Sit on the sofa.
ABOVE:
Above indicates a much higher position than the preposition on does. It also indicates
something out of reach.
Example:
o The sky is above my head .
o Hold your hands above your head .
o Stars are above the sky .

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

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

BELLOW:
Below indicates something at a slightly lower position than what under indicates.
Example:
o I have a scar just below  my right eye .
o Do you see the line below the paper?
o Please, don’t write below this line .

TO, FROM
TO:
To indicates a motion in the direction of a place.
Example:
 o He went to college.
o We are going to Mexico.
o We walked from the farm to the beach.

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

INTO, OUT OF
INTO:
Into indicates a motion towards/going inside something. It has many uses.
Example:
o He came into the house.
o The police broke into the bar .
o 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:
o He is going out of the town .
o Get out of my house .
o 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:
o We drove through the tunnel.
o They came through a forest.
o He came through a wedding gate .
ACROSS:
Across means going to the other side of a river or road or something straight.
Example:
o He went across the river .
o I walked across the road.
o 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:
o The car beside the cycle  is mine.
o He is standing beside the shop .
o I will always be beside you.

IN FRONT OF
In front of means a position facing someone/something.
Example:
o He parked his car in front of my house.
o I have a pool in front of my resthouse.
o 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:
o He parked his car behind my car .
o I have a pool behind my house .
o Go behind that tree .

TOWARDS:
Towards means a motion in the direction of something literary or metaphorically.
Example:
o Take five steps towards the post  and stand there.
o They moved towards the Labour Party .
o I walked towards the car  when you were standing.

BY
By means ‘near to or next to’ something or someone.
Example:
 o He has a house by the river.
o I was standing by the car.
o My flat is by the saloon.

UP, DOWN
UP:
Up means a motion towards a higher place or position.
Example:
o We were climbing up the mountain .
o Lift your hands up.
o John is going up to London. (From a lower place of the country)
o Climb up the stairs .

DOWN:
Down indicates the opposite meaning of up. It means a motion towards a lower place or
position.
Example:
o He was walking down the river.
o I am climbing down the hill .
o Go down the stairs.

BETWEEN, AMONG
BETWEEN:
Between indicates something/someone to be in the middle of two other things or
persons.
Example:
o Alex is sitting between Robin and Robert .
o The cat is between the two boxes .
o 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:
o Alex is sitting among the patients .
 o He is the best among them.
o Among all the people , John had the courage to speak up.

o 6 Types of Prepositions with

Examples in English
o Leave a Comment / Grammar / By Chhavi Sharma

o Today we’ll discuss about the types or kinds of prepositions you can say and
learn them in brief with example sentences.
o We know that Prepositions are a major component of English language, a
preposition is placed between noun and governs the  relationship between noun
or pronoun(object) to the other words in a sentence (noun phrase), it is placed
before a noun to show in what relation the person or thing denoted by it stands in
regard to something else.
o There are six kinds of prepositions and Now It’s time to have a look at most
common types of relation that these prepositions show.

1. Preposition for Place

Prepositions of Place are used to show the relationship with the noun phrase in
context of the place for example about, across, against, on, to etc.
Let us understand them by their use in sentence.

 Went about the world.
 Ran across the road.
 Leaned against the wall.
 Kolkata is on Hooghly.
 Came to the end of the road.
 Within the house.

2. Preposition for Time

Prepositions of Time are used to show the relationship between noun phrase and
preposition in the context of any time examples are after, at, by, since, during etc.
Have a look at following sentences to see how they are used :

 After his death.
 At an early age.
 By Three o’clock.
 Since yesterday.
 During the whole day.
3. Preposition for Agent or Instrument
Prepositions for Agent are used to show a relationship between a noun, perhaps noun
as a doer in case of agency and an instrument as in instrumentality and an action. For
example at, by, with, using etc.
Take a look at sentences to see how they are used.

 Sell goods at an auction.

 Sent the parcel by the post.
 Cut it with a knife.
 Was destroyed by the fire.
4. Preposition for Manner
These types of prepositions tell you about the way something happened or how it is
done. for example by, with, like etc.
Following sentences will help you learn the way they are used.

Example:

 Dying by inches.
 Fought with courage.
 Won with ease.
 Adam says he laughs like a dog.
5. Preposition for Cause, Reason, Purpose
These are the prepositions that in show the reason of  something  happening or being in
a sentence.

These help us to know why something is happening. Examples of these types of

prepositions are of, for, with etc.

Following sentences will tell you how they are used.

 Died of fever.
 A man of means.
 The place for a picnic.
 Shivers with fever.
 Took medicine for cold.
 Did it for our good.
6. Preposition for Possession
These prepositions are used to indicate that one noun or pronoun owns something in
the sentence. examples are on, of, with etc.

Let’s look at some sentences to learn how they are used.

  There was no money on him.
 The mosque of Omar.
 A man of means.
 The boy with red hair.
It will be seen that the same preposition, according to the way in which it is used, would
have it’s place under several heads, like at can be used both for time and place. It
should be noted there are other types(uses) as well, like measure, standard, rate, value,
contrast, concession, inference, motive, source, or origin, and all of it could be
understood with the given reference.

Before ending our discussion on types of prepositions you might want to have look at
different classes of preposition based on the number of words a preposition contains.
Prepositions of Place
What are prepositions of place?
Prepositions of place refer to those prepositions that can be used to show where
something is located. There are three basic prepositions of place: in, on, at.

For example:

 At college
 At home
 At reception
 In a taxi
 In the sky
 In the building
 On the way
 On the radio
 On the page

Prepositions of Time
What are prepositions of time?

The prepositions are often used to refer to times and dates. There are three basic
prepositions of time: at, in, on

For examples:

 At 10.30am
 At 8 o’clock
 At bedtime
 At breakfast
 In 16 year’s time
 In 1991.
 In December
 On Christmas
 On Friday
 On holiday