Prepositions.

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

Prepositions – Time

English Usage Example

 on  days of the week  on Monday

 in  months / seasons  in August / in winter

 time of day  in the morning
 year  in 2006
 after a certain period of time (when?)  in an hour

 at  for night  at night

 for weekend  at the weekend
 a certain point of time (when?)  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  He is on holiday until Friday.
last

 by  in the sense of at the latest  I will be back by 6 o’clock.

 up to a certain time  By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages.

Prepositions – Place (Position and Direction)

English Usage Example

 in  room, building, street, town, country  in the kitchen, in London

 book, paper etc.  in the book
 car, taxi  in the car, in a taxi
 picture, world  in the picture, in the world

 at  meaning next to, by an object  at the door, at the station

 for table  at the table
 for events  at a concert, at the party
 place where you are to do something typical (watch a  at the cinema, at school, at work
film, study, work)

 on  attached  the picture on the wall

 for a place with a river  London lies on the Thames.
 English Usage Example

 being on a surface  on the table

 for a certain side (left, right)  on the left
 for a floor in a house  on the first floor
 for public transport  on the bus, on a plane
 for television, radio  on TV, on the radio

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

 under  on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else the bag is under the table

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

 over  covered by something else  put a jacket over your shirt

 meaning more than  over 16 years of age
 getting to the other side (also across)  walk over the bridge
 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)  walk across the bridge
 getting to the other side  swim across the lake

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

 to  movement to person or building  go to the cinema

 movement to a place or country  go to London / Ireland
 for bed  go to bed

 into  enter a room / a building  go into the kitchen / the house

 towards  movement in the direction of something (but not directly  go 5 steps towards the house
to it)

 onto  movement to the top of something  jump onto the table

 from  in the sense of where from  a flower from the garden

Other important Prepositions

English Usage Example

 from  who gave it  a present from Jane

 of  who/what does it belong to  a page of the book

 what does it show  the picture of a palace

 by  who made it  a book by Mark Twain

 on  walking or riding on horseback  on foot, on horseback

 entering a public transport vehicle  get on the bus
 English Usage Example

 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 something  prices have risen by 10 percent

 travelling (other than walking or horseriding)  by car, by bus

 at  for age  she learned Russian at 45

 about  for topics, meaning what about  we were talking about you
A) Fill in the blanks with convenient prepositions.
1. Nice to meet you.
2. Don’t be late for/to school.
3. Are you the new student from Portugal?
4. Are you a teacher at/in this school?
5. She is on vacation. She is in Italy now.
6. What is this called in English?
7. Look at the flowers.
8. Adam's birthday is in july.
9. Don’t run in the classroom.

B) Fill in the blanks

1. Compare your answers with your partner.
2. This key holder is very special for me.
3. Apple and pears are in the same box.
4. Write to me soon.
5. Have you got a piece of paper?
6. What’s the calculator for? It is for my exams.
7. I’m tall with black hair and brown eyes.
8. We have a house with a big garden.
9. I come from a big family.
10. Match the pictures with the names.
11. Is your house in the country?
12. Guess what I have in my hand?
13. I have two color pens. What about you?
C) Fill in the blanks

1. Most people agree that kindergarten contributes ---- the child's mental development.
2. Since Jennifer was a year younger than her friends, she had a hard time keeping ---- with them.

3. In most countries, children start the primary school ---- the age of six.
4. Although he studied hard, he couldn't succeed ---- getting a high score in his test.
5. There are different sets of language learning sets available ---- all age groups.
6. All candidates are looking forward ---- the announcement of our test scores.
7. Since I will be busy ---- my homework and prepare ---- the exam tomorrow, I don't think I will be able to
go out tonight.
8. The students walk five kilometers to school, so they need to get up very early ---- the morning.

9. Since our school was next to our house, I used to come home ---- lunch time.
10. I was born ---- the 23rd ---- April, so there is no school when it's my birthday.

ANS: 1. to 2. Up 3. At 4. In 5. For 6. To 7. with, for 8. In 9. At 10. on, of

D) Fill in the blanks with the suitable prepositions.

1. Some people are very keen ---- working in a team, but some others don't like depending on others.

2. I'm terribly bored of having that day- .... -day battle with my manager, so I'm planning to resign.

3. My son is mad ---- science and technology. I guess he'll become an engineer.

4. I wish I were experienced ---- the field of marketing.

5. People who are good ---- making friends usually work in the field of trade, which requires having good
communicative skills.

6. Most office workers are fond ---- having frequent coffee breaks.

7. I wish my daughter were interested ---- learning foreign languages.

8. In the competitive business world, one has to be perfect ---- communicating with customers.

9. Working at a big company will certainly enable you to have a large circle ---- friends.

10. Everyone hopes to get a job with prospects ---- promotion, but not many people manage to do so.

ANS: 1. on 2. To 3. About 4. In 5. At 6. Of 7. In 8. At 9. Of 10. of

E) Fill in the blanks with the suitable prepositions.

1. Betty asked Barney for help, but it turned out he was even worse math than her.
2. Luckily, my husband is not very keen playing football.
3. Most men are not very fond going to wedding parties.
4. This brand of cream is better preventing wrinkles on your face.
5. Like many other children, my daughter is mad chocolate.
6. Students are sometimes taught things that they are not interested at all.
7. When Tom was a schoolboy, he was crazy cars and he kept drawing them in his drawing book.
8. Why should I be scared ghosts? They don't exist.
9. Norman was dying a cigarette but he was determined to give it up.
10. Walter is not mean; he is just very careful money.
ANS: 1. at 2. On 3. Of 4. At 5. About 6. In 7. About 8. Of 9. For 10. With
 F) Choose the appropriate prepositions on, in, at or to.

1. Jose is a brilliant student, especially English.

2. We are going a vacation next weekend.
3. Bianca is going Rome this summer for a vacation.
4. I was born a Saturday.
5. The train leaves 5 o'clock, hurry up!
6. It never snows here even winter time.
7. Shreya has been living India.
8. Blue jacket sounds good me.
9. I don't want to go out night, it is too cold.
10. The wheels the bus go round and round.
ANS: 1. In 2. On 3. To 4. On 5. At 6. In 7. In 8. To 9. At 10. on

G) Complete the exercise with the correct prepositions.

1. The first McDonald’s restaurant was opened by Dick and Mac McDonald on the 15th of May 1940.
2. The best selling products at their restaurant were hamburgers.
3. So the McDonald brothers thought of a way to produce hamburgers more quickly.
4. This was introduced in 1948 and became known as the Speedee Service System.
5. The first franchised McDonald’s restaurant was opened in 1953, and today you can find McDonald’s
restaurants in more than 100 countries.
6. The meats for the burgers vary with the culture of the country.
7. Franchisees and future managers of McDonald’s restaurants are trained at Hamburger University, which is
located in Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago.
8. McDonalds is also known for its sponsorship in various international sport events.

H) at, in or on? – Choose the correct preposition and form correct time phases.

1 October
2 10 a.m
3 winter
4 Easter Sunday
5 5th September, 1939
6 Christmas
7 Thursday
8 the weekend
9 my birthday
10 the end of the month

1. in October
2. at 10 a.m
3. in winter
4. on Easter Sunday
 5. on 5th September, 1939
6. at Christmas
7. on Thursday
8. at the weekend
9. on my birthday
10. at the end of the month

I ) Choose the correct preposition

1We first visited China 2006.

2My birthday is the second of July.
3Let's meet five o'clock this evening.
4School starts again September.
5Where do you usually go Easter Sunday?
6There are lots of people the restaurant.
7Gorillas live the rain forests of Africa.
8Do you really want to spend the whole day the beach ?
9My aunt and uncle have decided to move New Zealand
10Do you want to go the cinema tomorrow?

J) Choose from the following prepositions at, between, below, by, in, on and complete the sentences and
questions.

a. My dad studied at university.

b. There is a waste bin in the corner of my room.
c. The Dead Sea is 430 metres below sea level.
d. The train stopped at the station.
e. Manchester is between London and Glasgow.
f. There was a crash at the traffic lights.
g. Congratulations on your promotion!
h. Can I pay by credit card?
i. Sit here between me and Susan.
j. Our route is via Manchester.
 Preposition (Practice)-1
Fill in the blanks with preposition. In some questions choices are given.

Exercise: 1

1) All ----Ram were present.

2) He was born -----1935.
3) He will see me ------a week (after/for).
4) A dog jumped -----the table. (on/upon).
5) They went ----the room. (in/into).
6) Essay was written ------pencil (by/with).
7) We will go to Mumbai-----Sunday.
8) He paid the loan ------installments. (in/by).
9) Oil is Sold ----the liter.
10) ------all his weakness, I love him.

Exercise: 2

1) Distribute the money -----two brothers. (Between/among)

2) Tajmahal is made -------marbles.(of/by/with)
3) Rakesh was sitting ------me. (beside/besides).
4) I completed my course -----January.
5) He has been living in Delhi -----1998. (since/for).
6) He will join our group ----Tuesday. (Since/from).
7) Rohit was ----me in the rank.(above/over)
8) I agree ----you. (to/with).
9) Frog jumped ------the well (in/into).
10) King was blind ----his weakness.(to/of)

Exercise:3

1) We have nothing to lose -----chains.

2) He applied ----the post. (to/for).
3) Please call -----the doctor. (in/out).
4) Principal distributed the prizes ------student. (between/among).
5) We should not compare one person -----another.(to/with)
6) He agreed ----my suggestion. (to/with).
7) School will open -----Tuesday.
8) Shivaji is compared -----a lion. ( to/with)
9) It is 8o’clock ------my watch. (by/in).
10) We called -----principal in 5th period (on/in).
Answer
Exercise1

1) But. 2) In. 3) After. 4) Upon. 5) Into. 6) With.

7) On 8) By. 9) By. 10) With.

Exercise2

1) Between 2) Of. 3) Beside. 4) in 5) Since. 6) From. 7) Above.

8) With. 9) Into. 10) To.

Exercise3

1) But. 2) For. 3) In. 4) Among. 5) With. 6) To.

7) On. 8) To. 9) By 10) On
Preposition Exercises 1

Test your knowledge of the prepositions in / at / to / nothing - showing place and movement. Choose either in, at,
to, or nothing and click on the arrow to see you have answered correctly.
1. He lives Zielona Gora.
2. She went home.
3. Piotrek works Gorzów Wlkp.
4. He went his friend's house.
5. She arrived Manchester for the celebrations.
6. I'm going to stay home this weekend.
7. Joanna works the hospital.
8. Why don't we go the movies tonight?
9. I'm going to see Hania France this summer.
10. I arrived work early this morning.
11. She came home early.
12. We stayed the Mieszko Hotel.
13. They visited England last summer.
14. She's going to travel Finland this summer.
15. I'll be school later today.

Preposition Exercises 2
Test you knowledge of the prepositions for / while / during. Choose either for, while or during and click on the
arrow to see you have answered correctly.
1. He's been working three weeks.
2. I fell asleep the film.
3. Did you see Donata your holiday?
4. We talked an hour.
5. He watched TV I cooked.
6. our stay in London, we visited a lot of museums.
7. What did you do you were in London?
8. I think I need to study Polish a few months before I go there.
9. I came up with a great idea I was thinking about my class.
10. They drove through the countryside they were staying in France.
11. He was out of work six months before he found a new job.
12. I broke my finger I was playing squash.
13. Please, don't interrupt the teacher he is speaking.
14. Magda broke into tears the film.
15. Could you hold on a few moments?
Preposition Exercises 3

Test you knowledge of the prepositions in / at / on - showing time and date. Choose either in, at or on and click
on the arrow to see you have answered correctly.
1. Let's meet seven o'clock.
2. He was born July.
3. I went there 1998.
4. She'll be at work Thursday.
5. We met Christmas day.
6. They drove to Barlinek September 15th.
7. We arrived in this country September.
8. I love to go shopping Christmas time.
9. We get up early the morning.
10. Do you dream night?
11. What do you like doing weekends?
12. He's working on his homework the moment.
13. I lived in Holland the 1990s.
14. I'll see you a few weeks.
15. We like going to the cinema Fridays.

Preposition Exercises 4

1 - She wasn't short, she wasn't tall; she was average height.
2 - What are you going to buy Hania her birthday?
3 - The police are looking a tall, black man who was seen standing outside the bank just
before the robbery took place.
4 - The teacher asked the class to do the exercise the bottom of page 12.
5 - As a child I was always ashamed my parents because they were uneducated.
6 - I was always very good Geography when I was at school.
7 - My uncle specializes in .
8 - We arrived Gorzów at 3.30 in the morning.
9 - I didn't see you the party on Saturday.
10 - There was a lot of coughing the performance of Moniusko's 'Fairy Tale' symphony.
11 - He saw her as the most attractive woman the world.
12 - Simon is completely useless sports.