Prepositions in English| A Comprehensive Guide

Prepositions are those tiny words that link nouns, pronouns, and phrases in a sentence. Prepositions might seem small, but they play a huge role in conveying relationships and connecting different elements in our language. They help us describe relationships in both concrete and abstract terms. From describing physical locations (“The book is on the table”) to indicating time (“She’ll arrive at 3 o’clock”), prepositions are the key to expressing ideas accurately.

What Are Prepositions?

Simply put, prepositions are words that show the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence. They often indicate location, direction, time, or the way things are done. Think of them as connectors that help us understand where things are, when they happen, and how they relate to each other. Examples of common prepositions include “in,” “on,” “at,” “from,” “to,” “with,” “about,” and many more.

Why Are Prepositions Important?

Understanding prepositions is crucial for effective communication. Think of prepositions as the glue that holds sentences together. Without them, our language would lack clarity and coherence. Imagine trying to explain where you’re going, when an event occurred, or how something is done without using prepositions – it would be quite a challenge, right? Let’s try to understand this using an example:

Imagine constructing a sentence without using prepositions:

Sentence without Prepositions: “She went the store.”

This sentence lacks the essential connecting elements that prepositions provide.

Sentence with Prepositions: “She went to the store.”

In this revised sentence, the preposition “to” establishes the relationship between “she” and “store,” indicating the direction of her movement. This tiny word, “to,” transforms a fragment into a complete, understandable sentence.

Example:

Sentence without Prepositions: “He walked the park.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He walked to the park.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We drove the city.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We drove to the city.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She flew Paris.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She flew to Paris.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They moved the countryside.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They moved to the countryside.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He ran the beach.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He ran to the beach.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She climbed the mountain.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She climbed to the mountain.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We traveled the island.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We traveled to the island.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They went the concert.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They went to the concert.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He biked the office.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He biked to the office.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She hurried the theater.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She hurried to the theater.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We sailed the harbor.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We sailed to the harbor.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They flew the festival.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They flew to the festival.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He walked the store.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He walked to the store.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She drove the mall.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She drove to the mall.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We hiked the cabin.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We hiked to the cabin.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They ran the stadium.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They ran to the stadium.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He swam the dock.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He swam to the dock.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She walked the school.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She walked to the school.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We drove the campsite.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We drove to the campsite.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They cycled the event.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They cycled to the event.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He walked the market.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He walked to the market.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She flew the meeting.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She flew to the meeting.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We sailed the island.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We sailed to the island.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They moved the city.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They moved to the city.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He ran the house.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He ran to the house.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She drove the office.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She drove to the office.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “We walked the cafe.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “We walked to the cafe.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “They hurried the stadium.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “They hurried to the stadium.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “He flew the conference.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “He flew to the conference.”

Sentence without Prepositions: “She hiked the peak.” 

Sentence with Prepositions: “She hiked to the peak.”

Preposition Examples

Here’s a list of common prepositions to get you started:

above 

across 

after 

against 

along 

among 

around 

at 

before 

behind 

below 

beneath 

beside 

between 

beyond 

but 

by 

concerning 

considering 

despite 

down 

during 

except 

for 

from 

in 

inside 

into 

like 

near 

of 

off 

on 

onto 

out 

outside 

over 

past 

regarding 

round 

since 

through 

to 

toward 

under 

underneath 

until 

up 

upon 

with 

within 

without

Examples of Prepositions Used in Sentences

• The cat jumped off the counter.
• He is hiding under the bed.
• The library is across the street.
• The keys are beside the door.
• The plane flew above the clouds.
• The restaurant is near the cinema.
• The meeting is scheduled for 3 PM.
• She sat between her two friends.
• Despite the rain, they played outside.
• We waited patiently for the bus at the corner of the street.
• He has been working diligently since early morning on his research paper.

Common Mistakes :

It’s not uncommon to make mistakes with prepositions, even for native English speakers. Here are a few common errors to watch out for:

Confusing “In” and “On” for Time:

One of the common mistakes learners make is using “in” and “on” interchangeably when talking about time. However, these two prepositions have distinct uses when it comes to expressing time.

• Use “in” when referring to longer periods or durations.

Correct: I’ll see you in a week.

Correct: We’ll complete the project in a few months.

• Use “on” when specifying a particular date or day of the week.

Correct: The meeting will be held on Monday.

Correct: The party is happening on the 15th of August.

Examples

Correct: I’ll see you in a week. 

Incorrect: I’ll see you on a week.

Correct: We’ll complete the project in a few months. 

Incorrect: We’ll complete the project on a few months.

Correct: The flowers bloom in spring. 

Incorrect: The flowers bloom on spring.

Correct: He will arrive in the afternoon. 

Incorrect: He will arrive on the afternoon.

Correct: She will graduate in three years.

Incorrect: She will graduate on three years.

Correct: They met in 2020. 

Incorrect: They met on 2020.

Correct: The event is scheduled in December. 

Incorrect: The event is scheduled on December.

Correct: I woke up early in the morning. 

Incorrect: I woke up early on the morning.

Correct: We will finish the work in an hour. 

Incorrect: We will finish the work on an hour.

Correct: The book will be published in a year. 

Incorrect: The book will be published on a year.

Correct: The party is on Saturday. 

Incorrect: The party is in Saturday.

Correct: Her birthday is on June 5th. 

Incorrect: Her birthday is in June 5th.

Correct: The meeting is on Monday. 

Incorrect: The meeting is in Monday.

Correct: We will leave on the weekend. 

Incorrect: We will leave in the weekend.

Correct: The deadline is on the 30th of this month. 

Incorrect: The deadline is in the 30th of this month.

Correct: The conference starts on Wednesday. 

Incorrect: The conference starts in Wednesday.

Correct: The sale ends on December 1st. 

Incorrect: The sale ends in December 1st.

Correct: She will be here on her birthday. 

Incorrect: She will be here in her birthday.

Correct: The show is on New Year’s Eve. 

Incorrect: The show is in New Year’s Eve.

Correct: The announcement was made on Thursday. 

Incorrect: The announcement was made in Thursday.

Misusing “At” and “In” for Places:

 Another common mistake is using “at” and “in” incorrectly when talking about places. These prepositions have different applications depending on the context.

• Use “at” for specific, precise locations or points.

Correct: She lives at 123 Elm Street.

Correct: The conference will be at the convention center.

• Use “in” when referring to larger areas, regions, or enclosed spaces.

Correct: She lives in New York City.

Correct: The party is in her house.

Examples:

• Correct: She lives at 123 Elm Street. Incorrect: She lives in 123 Elm Street.
• Correct: The conference will be at the convention center. Incorrect: The conference will be in the convention center.
• Correct: We met at the restaurant. Incorrect: We met in the restaurant.
• Correct: The car is parked at the corner. Incorrect: The car is parked in the corner.
• Correct: He works at the bank. Incorrect: He works in the bank.
• Correct: The concert is at the stadium. Incorrect: The concert is in the stadium.
• Correct: The presentation is at the office. Incorrect: The presentation is in the office.
• Correct: They are at the bus stop. Incorrect: They are in the bus stop.
• Correct: She’s waiting at the entrance. Incorrect: She’s waiting in the entrance.
• Correct: The meeting is at the hotel. Incorrect: The meeting is in the hotel.
• Correct: She lives in New York City. Incorrect: She lives at New York City.
• Correct: The party is in her house. Incorrect: The party is at her house.
• Correct: They are staying in the country. Incorrect: They are staying at the country.
• Correct: He is in the garden. Incorrect: He is at the garden.
• Correct: She’s working in the kitchen. Incorrect: She’s working at the kitchen.
• Correct: They are playing in the park. Incorrect: They are playing at the park.
• Correct: The cat is in the box. Incorrect: The cat is at the box.
• Correct: She’s studying in the library. Incorrect: She’s studying at the library.
• Correct: He’s shopping in the mall. Incorrect: He’s shopping at the mall.
• Correct: They are living in the suburbs. Incorrect: They are living at the suburbs.

Mixing Up “Between” and “Among”:

Some learners may misuse “between” and “among” when referring to the relationship or distribution among multiple items or people.

• Use “between” when discussing the relationship or comparison of two things or people.

Correct: The choice is between chocolate and vanilla.

Correct: The secret remained between the two of us.

• Use “among” when talking about the relationship or distribution involving three or more items or people.

Correct: She distributed the cookies among her students.

Correct: The treasure was hidden among the rocks.

Examples:

Correct: The choice is between chocolate and vanilla. 

Incorrect: The choice is among chocolate and vanilla.

Correct: The secret remained between the two of us.

Incorrect: The secret remained among the two of us.

Correct: She sat between her brother and sister. 

Incorrect: She sat among her brother and sister.

Correct: The discussion was between the manager and the employee. 

Incorrect: The discussion was among the manager and the employee.

Correct: The contract was signed between the company and the client. 

Incorrect: The contract was signed among the company and the client.

Correct: There is a strong bond between mother and child. 

Incorrect: There is a strong bond among mother and child.

Correct: The path runs between the two buildings. 

Incorrect: The path runs among the two buildings.

Correct: The negotiations between the two parties were successful. 

Incorrect: The negotiations among the two parties were successful.

Correct: She had to choose between the red dress and the blue one. 

Incorrect: She had to choose among the red dress and the blue one.

Correct: The competition between the two teams was intense.

Incorrect: The competition among the two teams was intense.

Correct: She distributed the cookies among her classmates. 

Incorrect: She distributed the cookies between her classmates.

Correct: The treasure was hidden among the rocks. 

Incorrect: The treasure was hidden between the rocks.

Correct: They shared the profits among the five partners. 

Incorrect: They shared the profits between the five partners.

Correct: There was a lot of discussion among the committee members. 

Incorrect: There was a lot of discussion between the committee members.

Correct: The forest is among the oldest in the country. 

Incorrect: The forest is between the oldest in the country.

Correct: She felt comfortable among her friends. 

Incorrect: She felt comfortable between her friends.

Correct: The agreement was reached among all the members.

Incorrect: The agreement was reached between all the members.

Correct: The decision must be made among the group. 

Incorrect: The decision must be made between the group.

Correct: There is an understanding among the team members. 

Incorrect: There is an understanding between the team members.

Correct: The responsibilities were divided among the three departments. 

Incorrect: The responsibilities were divided between the three departments.

By understanding these common mistakes and their corrections, you’ll be better equipped to use prepositions accurately in your English communication. Remember that practice and exposure to various contexts will further enhance your grasp of prepositions and reduce these common errors over time.

Examples commonly used:

• The cat jumped off the counter.
• He is hiding under the bed.
• The library is across the street.
• The keys are beside the door.
• The plane flew above the clouds.
• The restaurant is near the cinema.
• The meeting is scheduled for 3 PM.
• She sat between her two friends.
• Despite the rain, they played outside.
• We waited patiently for the bus at the corner of the street.
• He has been working diligently since early morning on his research paper.
• She placed the vase on the table.
• They traveled to Italy during the summer.
• The gift is from my grandmother.
• He ran toward the finish line.
• The bird flew into the house.
• She was standing in the doorway.
• They walked through the park.
• The letter was addressed to him.
• She was sitting next to her brother.
• He arrived at the airport in the morning.
• The ball rolled underneath the couch.
• She lived in London for five years.
• They were talking about the weather.
• The book was written by an acclaimed author.
• The dog ran around the yard.
• The car stopped at the traffic light.
• She was born in April.
• He stood behind the counter.
• The concert will be held at the stadium.
• The picnic is planned for next weekend.
• The painting is hung above the fireplace.
• The cat slept underneath the blanket.
• The office is on the second floor.
• They walked down the hill.
• The store is beside the bank.
• The children are playing in the garden.
• She was angry with her friend.
• The house beyond the river is beautiful.
• The movie starts in 10 minutes.
• He wrote a letter to his sister.
• She climbed up the ladder.
• The photo is of my family.
• The car drove over the bridge.
• He was talking to his colleague.
• The keys are inside the drawer.
• The boat sailed across the lake.
• She sat among her peers.
• The cup fell off the table.
• The cat ran out of the house.

FAQs

What are the 4 most common prepositions? 

The four most common prepositions are in, on, at, and by.

What are the three main prepositions? 

The three main prepositions are in, on, and at.

What is a basic preposition in English? 

A basic preposition in English is “in”, which indicates location or time.

What is the number one rule of prepositions? 

The number one rule of prepositions is to use them to show the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence.

What are some uncommon prepositions? 

Some uncommon prepositions include amid, amongst, beneath, and beyond.

How to use prepositions correctly? 

To use prepositions correctly, understand their meaning and context, and practice using them in sentences to show relationships between different parts of the sentence.

How many prepositions are in grammar? 

There are about 150 prepositions in English grammar.

Is the word “instead” a preposition? 

Yes, “instead” can be used as a preposition, especially in the phrase “instead of.”

When not to use prepositions? 

Do not use prepositions when they are unnecessary or make the sentence redundant. For example, avoid saying “Where are you at?” instead of “Where are you?”

Are prepositions grammar or vocabulary? 

Prepositions are part of both grammar and vocabulary. They are grammatical tools used to show relationships in sentences, and they are also individual words to be learned and used correctly.

Final tips:

Understanding and using prepositions correctly is essential for effective communication in English. These small but powerful words help us convey precise relationships and connections in our sentences, whether we’re talking about location, time, direction, or manner. By mastering prepositions, you can enhance the clarity and coherence of your language, making your expressions more accurate and understandable. Remember, practice and exposure to various contexts will improve your grasp of prepositions over time. So, keep practicing and soon, using prepositions will become second nature.