Preposition
Definition
A preposition is usually a short word placed before a substantive (or a pronoun) and indicating the relation of
that substantive to other parts of the sentence (mostly verbs).
Example
"I was reading a book in the living-room."
The preposition “in” specifies, where exactly “I was reading a book”. It is placed directly before the noun
“living-room” (not counting a sometimes optional article like “the”).
Categories
Prepositions, as a class of words, can be divided in five categories.
1. Preposition of time (temporal) e.g. in, on, at, etc.
2. Preposition of place (spatial) e.g. in, on, at, etc.
3. Preposition for direction e.g. to, towards, into, through etc.
4. Preposition for device, instrument or machines e.g. on, by, with, etc. and various semantic roles e.g. of,
for, etc.
This classification is not disjunct: a lot of preposition fall in more than one group, e.g. “in” can be used for “in
the car” (spatial) or for “in five years” (temporal).
There is some overlap with transitions words, conjunctions and linking words in general. Keep in mind, that the
main purpose of a preposition is the determination of the relationship in time or place. Thus, contrary to other
“small words”, they are not an element of style, but absolutely mandatory.
To find the correct preposition is difficult, even for advanced ESL speakers, since a 1:1 translation from your
mother tongue is usually wrong. To make matters worse, no real rules exist, when to use which preposition. So
the only way is, to memorize them. As always, reading books or watching movies helps a lot.
The following lists contain some of the most frequently used prepositions in English.
Prepositions – Time
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
on Sunday; on May 1st; on Christmas
on days (of the week) & dates Eve; on my mark; on the weekend
(AmE.)
in
months / seasons / year in summer / in July / in 2017
part of the day in the evening
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
after a period of time in an hour; in the future
at 11:15 p.m.; at half past six
a specific point of time
at at noon; at night; learned English at 42;
exceptions (question: "When ...?")
at the weekend (BrE.); at first glance
from a specific point in time until
since since 1980; since yesterday
now (past till now)
until until Monday; I’ll wait to call my
up to a certain point in time
(till) manager until I hear from the client
for over a certain period of time for the first time in forever; for 3 years
from now to a specific point in the
ago a second ago; a decade ago; a while ago
past (now till past)
throughout the course or duration of during summer; during the vacation;
during
s.th. during the discussion
before winter; before dawn; I have to talk
before previous to in time; earlier than
to the client before I call my manager
Subsequent in time; at a later time
after after midnight; after tomorrow
than
to /
telling the time ten to two (1:50) / ten past two (2:10)
past
from /
a starting point / an end point from the beginning; from now to eternity
to
by not later than by 12 o'clock; by next week
Prepositions – Place
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
in London; in the book, in the mirror; in
in position or state inside sth.
love
in the area of ...; specific position at home; at the table; at my side
at
an event (or a place related to it) at the party; at the cinema; at school
on position above on the desk; on my shoulder
in contact with on the wall; on the water
a certain side (left, right) on the left side; on the bright side
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
the state or process of on leave; on fire; on the way
on the phone; on TV; on the menu
means of conveyance on trains; on the bus; on a plane
off the table; off the wall; went off to
off from a place or position Canada; got off the bus; turned off the
TV
by,
at the side of; close to, next to by the door; beside the car; stand by me
beside
in a lower position; beneath the
under under the table; under water
surface
in or at a position above put sth. over a shirt; walk over sth.; over
over my dead body
more than over 100 years; over ten miles
below the surface; below 20°; below the
below in or to a lower place; beneath
clouds
above the door; the clouds above; the
above higher than sth. else; overhead
problems cited above
up from a lower towards a higher point up the hill; up there is a …
rolled down the hill; walking down the
down a descending direction
street
Prepositions – Direction / Movement
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
across on, at, to or from the other side across the street; lines across the paper
through the tunnel; a tour through
through from one end or side to another
France
in a direction toward a person or
go to bed; move on to; face to face; to
thing
to the entrance
back to health; all the way to; to die for
toward a (given) state
into movement to the inside or interior went into the kitchen; crashed into a
of tree
to the condition, state, or form of breaking into pieces; go into banking
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
movement from the inside to the
drag myself out of bed; out of nowhere
outside
out of
no longer in the condition, state, or
out of town; out of order; out of fashion
form of
onto movement to the top jumped onto the table
movement in the direction of; or towards the house; toward the future;
towards
closer to toward peace
a starting point; movement away walked home from the station; traveled
from from NY to LA
from
a note from the teacher; know right
a source, a cause; a distinction from wrong
Other important Prepositions
English Explanation / Meaning Examples
originating from, composed of, men of the north; a cup of coffee; the
of
associated with, belonging to hand of God; that friend of yours
a book by Mark Twain; by myself;
in the name of; through the agency or
by played by the rules; killed by a bullet;
action of
one by one they left; by car, by bus
estimation of quantity about ten people; about five minutes;
about two miles
about
on the subject of a book about English
ready to do sth. the chorus is about to sing
happy for you; for sale; eager for fame;
for indicates the object, aim or purpose
for one thing, …; for heaven's sake
with a friend; with cheese; with
with in the presence or use of confidence; with a lot of …; will be with
you shortly; from Russia with love
