Prepositions

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Prepositions

What is a Preposition?
A preposition is a word which connects two words by showing their relationship. Prepositions can show
a number of relationships such as time, location, direction, means, agent, purpose, etc.
Prepositions can also connect words without showing a specific meaning like the ones mentioned above
(Example: In retrospect, under surveillance, at stake ). In this case you must learn and memorize the
different combinations.

Prepositions of TIME
Prepositions

Meaning

Examples

ON

days and dates

- On Monday, on September 23rd

IN

For parts of the day, months, years and seasons, certain

expressions

- In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

(exception: AT night)
- In December
- In 1997
- In winter
- we didn't go in the end

AT

to express the time something happens, and certain

expressions

- At three oclock, at noon, at night, at midnight

- At last, at the most

FOR/DURING

Complete periods of time

Within complete periods of time

- Ive worked here for two years

- I heard noises during the night

SINCE

To mark the beginning of a period of time with reference

to the present

- Since 1950

BY

To mark the end of a time limit

- You must finish the report by 5 oclock on Tuesday

FROMTO
FROMUNTIL/
THROUGH

To mark the beginning and the end of a period

- I work from 9 to 5, Monday to Friday

- I work from 9 to 5, Monday until Friday
- I work from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday

Prepositions of LOCATION
Prepositions

Meaning

Examples

ON

To be on a surface

- The plate is on the table

IN/INSIDE
IN

To be within physical limits

- The monkey's in/inside the cage, he's inside the shop

AT

To be in a particular place in respect of an object of

reference

- At the theatre, at the cinema, at school. He is at the

traffic lights

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ABOVE/OVER

To be in a higher position in relation to something else

- The aeroplane is flying over the city

- The poster is on the wall above the desk

UNDER
/UNDERNEATH
/BELOW
/BENEATH

To be in a lower position in relation to something else

- The shoes are under the bed

- The shoes are underneath the bed
- The shoes are below the bed
- The shoes are beneath the bed

NEAR

in proximity to, be close to

- My school is near my home

BY /NEXT TO

directly touching or almost touching

- I live by the river

- My school is by my home
- My school is next to my home

OPPOSITE

To be directly in front but facing

- The petrol station is opposite the post office

IN FRONT OF

At the beginning of something, ahead of, leading, often

means opposite

- John was in front of me in the queue

BETWEEN

To be in the middle of two objects or people

- My house is between the pharmacy and the

supermarket

AMONG

To be in the middle of three or more objects or people

- I could hardly see Mary among all those people

Prepositions of DIRECTION
Prepositions

Meaning

Examples

ONTO

To be placed on a surface

- The cat jumped onto the table

TO

To go to (and arrive at) a place

- I go to school every morning

TOWARDS

indicate the direction of (but not necessarily arrive at)

- I saw Dan going towards the cinema

INTO

To be placed inside something

- Please put the food into the bag carefully

AROUND

To circle a place (building, field, etc.) to be here, there,

and everywhere

- I went around the world last year

- My dog likes running around the park

DOWN

Going increasingly lower

- The boy climbed down from the tree

UP

Going increasingly higher

- The boy climbed up the tree

FROM

indicating starting point

- Ive just come from work

THROUGH

Going directly into and out of a place

- The train went through the tunnel

Prepositions of MEANS, AGENT and PURPOSE

Type of
preposition

Prepositions

Meaning

Examples

Means

BY

a way of travelling

- I like to travel by car

Means

WITH

instrument or tool used to do something

- He painted the house with an electric roller

Agent

BY

person or thing who does the action

- The book was written by a psychologist

Purpose

TO

the objective of an action

- I brought my books to study

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Purpose

3
FOR

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having a particular function

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