UNDERSTANDING PREPOSITIONS IN ENGLISH
A preposition is a word that links a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to another
word in a sentence, showing the relationship between them. These words
help to "glue" a sentence together by indicating relationships of time,
location, direction, and manner.
MAIN TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS
While there are over 100 prepositions in English, they can be grouped into
several main categories based on their function. Some prepositions can
belong to more than one category depending on the context.
1. Prepositions of Time
These prepositions specify a point in time when an event occurs.
• At: Used for precise times.
◦ Example: The class starts at 9 a.m.
• On: Used for specific days and dates.
◦ Example: My vacation begins on Thursday.
• In: Used for non-specific times during a day, month, season, or year.
◦ Example: The movie starts in ten minutes.
• During: Used to describe a period when something happens.
◦ Example: Please don't talk during the movie.
• For: Used to indicate a duration of time.
◦ Example: We were in Hawaii for two weeks.
• Since: Used to refer to a point in time when an action began.
◦ Example: I haven’t seen her since yesterday.
• Until/Till: Used to indicate when an action will stop.
◦ Example: We waited till Tom arrived to start dinner.
• Before/After: Used to show the sequence of events.
◦ Example: After dinner, we ate dessert.
2. Prepositions of Place and Position
These prepositions are used to indicate the location or position of something.
• At: Used for a specific point or location.
◦ Example: We don't have a coffee maker at work.
• In: Used for an enclosed space or a larger area.
◦ Example: The laptop is in my backpack.
• On: Used to refer to a surface.
◦ Example: The pencil is on the table.
• Under/Below/Beneath: Used to indicate a position lower than
something else.
◦ Example: The cat is under my chair.
• Over/Above: Used to indicate a position higher than something else.
◦ Example: There was a rainbow over us.
• Near/By/Beside/Next to: Used to show proximity.
◦ Example: The dog sat beside him obediently.
• Between/Among: "Between" is used for two items, while "among" is
used for more than two.
◦ Example: There was a fence between the two houses.
◦ Example: The deer hid among the trees.
• Behind/In front of: Used to describe the position relative to an object's
front or back.
◦ Example: The car was parked in front of the store.
3. Prepositions of Direction or Movement
These prepositions describe the direction in which someone or something is
moving.
• To: Indicates movement toward a destination.
◦ Example: Nancy walked to the mall.
• Into: Shows movement toward the inside of something.
◦ Example: Naomi walked into the house.
• Across: Describes movement from one side to the other.
◦ Example: We walked across the street.
• Through: Indicates movement within an enclosed space.
◦ Example: We walked through the tunnel.
• Over: Shows movement above and across something.
◦ Example: He jumped over the snake.
• Toward(s): Indicates movement in a particular direction.
◦ Example: The boat sailed towards the horizon.
• From: Shows the starting point of a movement.
◦ Example: He comes from France.
OTHER CATEGORIES AND PHRASAL PREPOSITIONS
Beyond time, place, and direction, prepositions can serve other functions.
• Prepositions of Agency and Instrumentality: These show who
performed an action or what tool was used. The preposition "by"
indicates the agent (doer), and "with" indicates the instrument.
◦ Example: The letter was written by her with a golden pen.
• Phrasal or Compound Prepositions: These are combinations of two or
more words that function as a single preposition.
◦ Examples include: "because of," "in front of," "next to," "in addition
to," "instead of."
◦ Sentence: She couldn't come because of the rain.
Would you like to explore any of these categories in more detail, or perhaps
practice using them in sentences?
