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Prepositions

Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund verbs).

Even advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult, as a 1:1 translation is usually not possible. One preposition in your

native language might have several translations depending on the situation.

There are hardly any rules as to when to use which preposition. The only way to learn prepositions is looking them up in a

dictionary,reading a lot in English (literature)and learning useful phrases off by heart

The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

PrepositionsTime

English Usage Example

on days of the week on Monday

in months / seasons

time of day

year

after a certain period of time (when?)

in August / in winter

in the morning

in 2006

in an hour

at for night

for weekend

a certain point of time (when?)

at night

at the weekend

at half past nine

since from a certain point of time (past till now) since 1980

for over a certain period of time (past till now) for 2 years

ago a certain time in the past 2 years ago

before earlier than a certain point of time before 2004

to telling the time ten to six (5:50)

past telling the time ten past six (6:10)

to /

till /

until

marking the beginning and end of a period of time from Monday to/till Friday

till /

until

in the sense of how long something is going to last He is on holiday until Friday.

by in the sense of at the latest

up to a certain time

I will be back by 6 oclock.

By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages.

PrepositionsPlace (Position and Direction)

English Usage Example

in room, building, street, town, countrybook, paper etc.

car, taxi

picture, world

in the kitchen, in London

in the book

in the car, in a taxi

in the picture, in the world

at meaning next to, by an objectfor table

for events

place where you are to do something typical (watcha film, study, work)

at the door, at the station

at the table

at a concert, at the party

at the cinema, at school, at work

on attachedfor a place with a river

being on a surface

for a certain side (left, right)

for a floor in a house

for public transport

for television, radio

the picture on the wall

London lies on the Thames.

on the table

on the left

on the first floor

on the bus, on a plane

on TV, on the radio

by, next to,

beside

left or right of somebody or something Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car.

under on the ground, lower than (or covered by) somethingelse

the bag is under the table

below lower than something else but above ground the fish are below the surface

over covered by something elsemeaning more than

getting to the other side (also across)

put a jacket over your shirt

over 16 years of age

walk over the bridge

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English Usage Example

overcoming an obstacle climb over the wall

above higher than something else, but not directly over it a path above the lake

across getting to the other side (also over)

getting to the other side

walk across the bridge

swim across the lake

through something with limits on top, bottom and the sides drive through the tunnel

to movement to person or buildingmovement to a place or country

for bed

go to the cinema

go to London / Ireland

go to bed

into enter a room / a building go into the kitchen / the housetowards movement in the direction of something (but not

directly to it)

go 5 steps towards the house

onto movement to the top of something jump onto the table from in the sense of where from a flower from the gardenOther important Prepositions

English Usage Example

from who gave it a present from Jane

of who/what does it belong towhat does it show

a page of the book

the picture of a palace by who made it a book by Mark Twain on walking or riding on horseback

entering a public transport vehicle

on foot, on horseback

get on the bus

in entering a car / Taxi get in the car off leaving a public transport vehicle get off the train

out of leaving a car / Taxi get out of the taxi

by rise or fall of somethingtravelling (other than walking or horseriding)

prices have risen by 10 percent

by car, by bus

at for age she learned Russian at 45about for topics, meaning what about we were talking about you

1) Please don't leave your luggage __________________ the doors. From/on/among/beside

2) There is a letter for you __________________ your desk. In/on/at/for

3) The plane will be landing __________________ Toronto in less than twenty minutes to/for/in/into

4) The lesson has been postponed __________________ tomorrow,8:15 in/to/by/at

5) The next meeting will be held __________________ the seventh of November. At/on/in/for

6) The stapler is __________________ the drawer. Into/on/in/at

7) All the reports are due __________________ Monday. Until/for/at/on

8) Our guests will arrive __________________ ten thirty and eleven. From/through/at/between

9) The telephone directory is on the table, __________________ the other books. Next/from/to/among

10) Passengers may check in at gates 10 __________________ 20. From/at/between/through

11) He has booked you a room __________________ five nights in London. To/from/for/in

12) You will be sitting __________________ the manager at the meeting. From/by/to/next to

13) This report must be finished __________________ Friday from/throughbetween/by

1. Has anybody asked _____________________________ me while I was away?

2. He should come _____________________________ a few minutes.

3. He wasn't angry _____________________________ all.

4. I am _____________________________ loss, I don't know what to do.

5. I would like to know if you could make it _____________________________ tomorrow.

6. If she doesn't get angry _____________________________ five minutes everything will be all right.

7. It didn't happen yesterday but the day _____________________________ yesterday.

8. She promised to call back _____________________________ an hour.

9. The vocabulary seems to be easy _____________________________ the beginning.

10. There were two intervals _____________________________ the performance.

11. There's an excellent restaurant _____________________________ the end of the street.

12. This contract will be confirmed _____________________________ January.

13. We wanted to hide _____________________________ a big storm. He didn't want to get wet.

14. We will know everything _____________________________ he comes.

15. _____________________________ Christmas day our family eat carp.

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1) Please don't leave your luggage __________________ the doors. From/on/among/beside

2) There is a letter for you __________________ your desk. In/on/at/for

3) The plane will be landing __________________ Toronto in less than twenty minutes to/for/in/into

4) The lesson has been postponed __________________ tomorrow,8:15 in/to/by/at

5) The next meeting will be held __________________ the seventh of November. At/on/in/for

6) The stapler is __________________ the drawer. Into/on/in/at

7) All the reports are due __________________ Monday. Until/for/at/on

8) Our guests will arrive __________________ ten thirty and eleven. From/through/at/between

9) The telephone directory is on the table, __________________ the other books. Next/from/to/among

10) Passengers may check in at gates 10 __________________ 20. From/at/between/through11) He has booked you a room __________________ five nights in London. To/from/for/in

12) You will be sitting __________________ the manager at the meeting. From/by/to/next to

13) This report must be finished __________________ Friday from/throughbetween/by

1. Has anybody asked _____________________________ me while I was away?

2. He should come _____________________________ a few minutes.

3. He wasn't angry _____________________________ all.

4. I am _____________________________ loss, I don't know what to do.

5. I would like to know if you could make it _____________________________ tomorrow.

6. If she doesn't get angry _____________________________ five minutes everything will be all right.

7. It didn't happen yesterday but the day _____________________________ yesterday.

8. She promised to call back _____________________________ an hour.

9. The vocabulary seems to be easy _____________________________ the beginning.10. There were two intervals _____________________________ the performance.

11. There's an excellent restaurant _____________________________ the end of the street.

12. This contract will be confirmed _____________________________ January.

13. We wanted to hide _____________________________ a big storm. He didn't want to get wet.

14. We will know everything _____________________________ he comes.

15. _____________________________ Christmas day our family eat carp.

REPONSES:

1. beside

2. on

3. in

4. to

5. on6. in

7. on

8. between

9. among

10. through

11. for

12. next to

13. By

REPONSES:

1. after

2. in

3. after

4. at5. by

6. within

7. before

8. within

9. in

10. during

11. at

12. in

13. before

14. before

15. on

13) from is also possible

14) after is also possible