Most Used Prepositions in English

Prepositions are small but powerful words that show relationships between other words in a sentence. They can indicate time, place, direction, and much more. In this lesson, we’ll dive into the most commonly used prepositions in English, explain their meanings, and give practical examples.

Master English Prepositions: Rules, Examples & Exercises Prepositions of time, place, and direction with examples

1. Prepositions of Time

These prepositions show when something happens.

a) At

  • Meaning: Used to indicate specific times or points of time.
  • Examples:
    • “The meeting is at 10 AM.”
    • “I’ll see you at lunch.”

b) On

  • Meaning: Used with days and dates.
  • Examples:
    • “We’ll go shopping on Saturday.”
    • “Her birthday is on the 5th of May.”

c) In

  • Meaning: Used with months, years, centuries, and long periods.
  • Examples:
    • “I was born in 1995.”
    • “We’ll finish the project in two weeks.”

2. Prepositions of Place

These prepositions show where something happens or is located.

a) In

  • Meaning: Indicates something is inside a space or enclosed area.
  • Examples:
    • “She’s in the kitchen.”
    • “The money is in my wallet.”

b) On

  • Meaning: Something is resting on a surface.
  • Examples:
    • “The book is on the table.”
    • “There’s a stain on your shirt.”

c) At

  • Meaning: Refers to a specific point or location.
  • Examples:
    • “I’m at the bus stop.”
    • “Let’s meet at the cafe.”

3. Prepositions of Direction/Movement

These prepositions describe the movement toward or away from something.

a) To

  • Meaning: Indicates direction or movement toward a place.
  • Examples:
    • “I’m going to the park.”
    • “She moved to New York last year.”

b) Into

  • Meaning: Indicates movement inside a space.
  • Examples:
    • “The cat jumped into the box.”
    • “He walked into the room.”

c) From

  • Meaning: Indicates the starting point of movement or action.
  • Examples:
    • “She’s traveling from London to Paris.”
    • “I received a gift from my friend.”

d) Out of

  • Meaning: Indicates movement from inside to outside.
  • Examples:
    • “He stepped out of the car.”
    • “They ran out of the house quickly.”

4. Prepositions of Cause or Reason

These prepositions explain why something happens.

a) Because of

  • Meaning: Indicates the reason for something.
  • Examples:
    • “The game was canceled because of the rain.”
    • “He succeeded because of his hard work.”

b) Due to

  • Meaning: A formal way to indicate cause or reason, often interchangeable with “because of.”
  • Examples:
    • “The flight was delayed due to bad weather.”
    • “The cancellation was due to technical problems.”

5. Prepositions of Agent

These prepositions indicate who or what performs an action.

a) By

  • Meaning: Shows who is responsible for an action.
  • Examples:
    • “The book was written by J.K. Rowling.”
    • “The cake was baked by my sister.”

b) With

  • Meaning: Indicates the instrument or tool used to perform an action.
  • Examples:
    • “He cut the paper with scissors.”
    • “She painted the wall with a brush.”

6. Prepositions of Manner

These prepositions describe how something is done.

a) By

  • Meaning: Describes a method or means of doing something.
  • Examples:
    • “We traveled by car.”
    • “She learned English by watching movies.”

b) With

  • Meaning: Shows the tool or instrument used in the action.
  • Examples:
    • “He fixed the chair with glue.”
    • “They decorated the room with flowers.”

c) Like

  • Meaning: Shows similarity or manner.
  • Examples:
    • “She sings like a professional.”
    • “He runs like the wind.”

7. Prepositions of Position

These prepositions describe the position of objects or people relative to something else.

a) Above

  • Meaning: Higher than something else.
  • Examples:
    • “The painting is above the sofa.”
    • “Birds fly above the trees.”

b) Below

  • Meaning: Lower than something else.
  • Examples:
    • “The temperature dropped below zero.”
    • “My apartment is below hers.”

c) Near

  • Meaning: Close to something.
  • Examples:
    • “The school is near the park.”
    • “I live near the supermarket.”

d) Between

  • Meaning: In the middle of two things.
  • Examples:
    • “She sat between her friends.”
    • “There’s a river between the two cities.”

Quick Tip:

If you’re confused about which preposition to use, consider how the preposition relates to time, place, or movement. Practicing with examples and understanding these categories will help you use prepositions correctly.


Activity:

Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition:

  1. I will meet you ___ 5 PM.
  2. The book is lying ___ the table.
  3. They went ___ the park for a picnic.
  4. He arrived ___ London yesterday.
  5. She did it ___ a lot of effort.

Summary:

Mastering prepositions can significantly improve your English fluency. Remember the common categories: time, place, direction, cause, and manner. Practice using them in context to better understand their meanings.


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Different Types of Exercises for Prepositions

To strengthen your understanding of prepositions, it’s important to practice them in various ways. Below are three different types of exercises that will help you get a better grasp of how prepositions work in sentences.


1. Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise (Prepositions of Time, Place, and Direction)

Instructions: Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions: inonattofrominto, or under.

  1. We’ll go shopping ___ Saturday.
  2. I was born ___ 1990.
  3. The cat jumped ___ the box.
  4. She works ___ a company in New York.
  5. They walked ___ the park after dinner.
  6. He moved ___ Mumbai ___ New York last year.
  7. The book is lying ___ the table.
  8. The kids are playing ___ the garden.
  9. He is arriving ___ the airport soon.
  10. The meeting is ___ 3 PM.

2. Multiple Choice (Prepositions of Time and Place)

Instructions: Choose the correct preposition from the options in each sentence.

  1. The train will arrive ___ 7 PM.
    • a) in
    • b) on
    • c) at
  2. I met her ___ the bus stop.
    • a) on
    • b) at
    • c) in
  3. We went to the beach ___ Sunday.
    • a) in
    • b) on
    • c) at
  4. My birthday is ___ December.
    • a) on
    • b) in
    • c) at
  5. They are sitting ___ the car.
    • a) in
    • b) on
    • c) at
  6. There’s a nice restaurant ___ the corner of the street.
    • a) at
    • b) in
    • c) on
  7. She will return ___ five minutes.
    • a) in
    • b) on
    • c) at
  8. He placed the vase ___ the table.
    • a) at
    • b) on
    • c) in

3. Sentence Correction (Identify the Incorrect Preposition)

Instructions: Each sentence contains an incorrect preposition. Find the mistake and correct it.

  1. She is waiting in the bus stop.
    • Correction: She is waiting at the bus stop.
  2. He is arriving on 8 o’clock.
    • Correction: He is arriving at 8 o’clock.
  3. The movie starts in Friday.
    • Correction: The movie starts on Friday.
  4. We are sitting on the car.
    • Correction: We are sitting in the car.
  5. She went in the market to buy groceries.
    • Correction: She went to the market to buy groceries.
  6. My friend lives on London.
    • Correction: My friend lives in London.
  7. I will see you at the morning.
    • Correction: I will see you in the morning.
  8. The book is in the table.
    • Correction: The book is on the table.

Want more practice?

Check out Guruji English Classes on YouTube for additional videos, quizzes, and fun lessons to improve your preposition skills!

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