Prepositions

Prepositions
A Preposition is a word or set of words that indicates location or some other relationship between
a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence.
Examples
I met my friend at the market.
Rishi’s school is behind the railway station.
Rajamahendravaram is on the banks of the Godavari.
The lecturer is going into the class room.
Charan is in the park.
Prepositions are connecting words. They link the nouns, pronouns, verbs and phrases together in
a sentence. Without prepositions, it would be impossible to understand communication. Let us
look at how a preposition functions in a sentence.
E.g. The book is on the table.
In this sentence on is a preposition. It relates ‘The book’ to ‘The table’ by showing the place
where the book is kept. Here ‘on the table’ is a prepositional phrase.
The object of a preposition is a noun or pronoun : In the example above, ‘The table’ is the object
of the preposition ‘on’.
Look at the following examples
1. We spent a quiet evening at home.

2. I am growing tomatoes in my garden.
3. We watch TV in the living-room.
4. My brother lives in Bengaluru.
5. She looks at herself in the mirror.
6. I hung my shirt behind the door.
7. The cat is under the chair.
8. The plane is just below the cloud.
9. She jumped over the gate.
10. He rowed across the Krishna river.
11. Sunitha’s birthday is on 3rd June.
12. They walked slowly through the woods.
13. She stood up and walked towards him.
14. I have a meeting at 9 A.M.
15. Dinner counter closes at midnight.
16. Do you work on Sundays ?
Prepositions AT/IN/ON
Prepositions and their use
Other Important Prepositions
Task 1
Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. Choose your answers from the options given in
the brackets.
1. We are on the way …………. Vizag to Vijayawada. (from/for)
Answer:
from
2. You should explain this them. (to/at)

Answer:
to
3. Teja has been absent Monday. (since/for)

Answer:
since
4. I haven’t been to the theatre a long time. (since/for)

Answer:
for
5. Mariaswi goes ……… school by car (to/at)

Answer:
to
6. This is a comfortable house to live ……. (on/in)

Answer:
in
7. They are called ……… different names. (by/with)

Answer:
with
8. We should not spend money …….. luxuries. (on/with)

Answer:
on
9. I gave him a chair to sit ……. (at/in)

Answer:
at
10. The new term begins ……… June 1st. (on/from)

Answer:
from
11. He poured the tea …….. the mug. (into/in)

Answer:
into
12. What shall we have …….. coffee (beside/besides)
Answer:
besides
13. Prasad is a cousin ……… mine. (of/for)

Answer:
of
14. Beer drinkers suffer abnormally ……. rectal cancer. (from/with)

Answer:
from
15. He can …… swim the river. (by/across)

Answer:
across
Kinds of Prepositions
1. Simple Prepositions : Simple prepositions are short words which are used in simple sentences
like at, by, for, from, in, into, of, off, on, out, over, till, to, up, upon, with, under, down, etc.)
E.g. I am coming with you.
Dr. Sunshine is in the lecture hall.
We are going to the market.
2. Compound Prepositions: Which are generally formed by prefixing a Preposition (usually a =

no or be = by) to a Noun, an Adjective or an Adverb.) about, above, across, along, amidst,
among, amongst, around, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, inside,
outside, underneath, within, without.
3. Phrase Prepositions : (Groups of words used with the force of a single preposition.)
according to — in accordance with — in place of
agreeably to — in addition to — in reference to
along with — in (on) behalf of — in regard to
away from — in case of — in spite of
because of — in comparison to — instead of
by means of — in consequence of — account of
by virtue of — in favour of — with a view to
by way of — in front of — with an eye to
conformably to — in lieu of — with reference to
for the sake of — in order to — with regard to
E.g. He did everything according to the rules.
Because of her sickness, Rajani did not go to the party.
Task 2:
Match the following sentences in Column – A with the Prepositions in Column – B
Answers:
1–b
2 – i,
3 – c,
4 – e,
5 – d,
6 – g,
7 – a,
8 – j,
9 – h,
10 – f
Exercises 1
Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. Amaravati is the capital city ………. Andhra Pradesh.

Answer:
of
2. Bhanu goes ……… school by bus.

Answer:
to
3. Chandini said that she was very much pleased ……… my work.
Answer:
with
4. It is better to get a cab if you are out alone …….. night.

Answer:
at
5. The mango harvest in A.P. lasts …….. April to June.

Answer:
from
6. Let us meet at the restaurant …….. 7:00 P.M.

Answer:
at
7. Mohan likes to drink coffee ……… the morning.

Answer:
in
8. Lalitha bought the dress ………. two thousand rupees.

Answer:
for
9. We have a party ……….. his birthday.

Answer:
on
10. What are you doing …… the weekend ?

Answer:
on
11. The trees here are beautiful ………. the summer.

Answer:
in
12. I have been waiting for you ……… 7 O’ clock.

Answer:
since
13. Suguna hung her family photo ………. the wall.

Answer:
on
14. One should have respect ……….. one’s own parents.
Answer:
for
15. Participation ………. games and sports should be made compulsory in schools.
Answer:
in
16. The game usually lasted ……. the younger boys are called home to bed.
Answer:
until
17. Satya is feeling sorry ……… his bad temper.

Answer:
for
18. Varma is very sure ……… making profits in his business this year.
Answer:
of
19. Konaseema is a pleasant place surrounded ………. green fields and trees.
Answer:
with
20. In hide and seek, I always used to hide ……… two wooden cupboards.
Answer:
between
21. Students are anxious …….. their results.

Answer:
about
22. An MNC is looking ……. good marketing personnel.

Answer:
for
23. We will fight ……… corruption with full strength.

Answer:
against
24. The opening speech will be made ………. the Principal.

Answer:
by
25. John warned his son to keep away ………… bad company.
Answer:
from
26. Anitha has left ………. Delhi to see her friend.

Answer:
for
27. We walked …….. a narrow line.

Answer:
through
28. Greatly disappointed, the little boy burst out …… tears.

Answer:
into
29. Aruna has not seen her friend …….. her wedding.
Answer:
since
30. Sreshta always sits …….. Sonica in church.

Answer:
beside
Exercises II
Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. Choose your answers from the options given in
the brackets.
1. Look ……… the word in a dictionary. (for/up)

Answer:
up
2. The police are looking ………. the incident. (into/after)

Answer:
into
3. An atheist does not believe ……… the existence of God. (in/for)

Answer:
in
4. Who does this bag belong ……….? (of/to)

Answer:
to
5. I came ………. the article in a magazine. (across/up)
Answer:
across
6. The car collided ………… a van. (with/against)

Answer:
with
7. I want to concentrate ………. my mathematics. (in/on)

Answer:
on
8. The flat consists ………. four rooms.(of/in)

Answer:
of
9. We managed to cope …….. all of these difficulties. (up/with)

Answer:
with
10. Sangeetha insisted ……… playing her song. (for/on)

Answer:
on
11. Seventy countries participated ………. the Commonwealth Games. (to/in)

Answer:
in
12. Please refrain ……… drinking alcohol. (from/to)

Answer:
from
13. I will have to see ……… the arrangements. (to/for)

Answer:
to
14. Let’s stick …….. our original plan. (to/on)

Answer:
to
15. Sunil succeeded ……. starting the car. (in/by)

Answer:
in
16. Abdul suffers …….. back-ache. (from/with)
Answer:
from
17. Sindhuri takes ………. her mother. (up/after)

Answer:
after
18. I objected ……… being kept waiting. (against/to)

Answer:
to
19. I’m sure Murthy can deal ……. the situation. (with/in)
Answer:
with
20. It is impolite to talk ……. people when they are not here. (about/with)
Answer:
about
Exercises III
Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. Giridhar plays computer games ………. hours on end.

Answer:
for
2. The Pandits have lived here …….. 1985.

Answer:
since
3. Not many people work ………… Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Answer:
between
4. We were talking ……. the weather.

Answer:
about
5. Pradeep is reading a book written ……… Kazuo Ishiguro.

Answer:
by
6. Its up ……… you to make your own decision.
Answer:
to
7. Shivamani is the man ………. long hair.

Answer:
with
8. She is an actress ……… great ability.

Answer:
of
9. The thieves broke the door down ………. a hammer.

Answer:
with
10. I prefer ………….. travel by train.

Answer:
to
11. Advitha prefers to go ……… foot.

Answer:
on
12. Prabhakar is …….. leave this week. He’ll be in the office next Monday.
Answer:
on
13. I saw it ……. television.

Answer:
on
14. The plane took ……… on time.

Answer:
off
15. Pradeep paid …… the meal.

Answer:
for
16. The children are being looked ……… by a neighbour.

Answer:
after
17. The matter has been dealt ………
Answer:
with
18. Harsha has given ………….. smoking.

Answer:
up
19. A new company has been set …… in the capital.

Answer:
up
20. Maruthi fell a sleep ……… the meeting.

Answer:
in

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Prepositions

Look at the following examples

1. We spent a quiet evening at home.

2. You should explain this them. (to/at)

3. Teja has been absent Monday. (since/for)

4. I haven’t been to the theatre a long time. (since/for)

5. Mariaswi goes ……… school by car (to/at)

6. This is a comfortable house to live ……. (on/in)

7. They are called ……… different names. (by/with)

8. We should not spend money …….. luxuries. (on/with)

9. I gave him a chair to sit ……. (at/in)

10. The new term begins ……… June 1st. (on/from)

11. He poured the tea …….. the mug. (into/in)

13. Prasad is a cousin ……… mine. (of/for)

14. Beer drinkers suffer abnormally ……. rectal cancer. (from/with)

15. He can …… swim the river. (by/across)

2. Compound Prepositions: Which are generally formed by prefixing a Preposition (usually a =

Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. Amaravati is the capital city ………. Andhra Pradesh.

2. Bhanu goes ……… school by bus.

4. It is better to get a cab if you are out alone …….. night.

5. The mango harvest in A.P. lasts …….. April to June.

6. Let us meet at the restaurant …….. 7:00 P.M.

7. Mohan likes to drink coffee ……… the morning.

8. Lalitha bought the dress ………. two thousand rupees.

9. We have a party ……….. his birthday.

10. What are you doing …… the weekend ?

11. The trees here are beautiful ………. the summer.

12. I have been waiting for you ……… 7 O’ clock.

13. Suguna hung her family photo ………. the wall.

17. Satya is feeling sorry ……… his bad temper.

21. Students are anxious …….. their results.

22. An MNC is looking ……. good marketing personnel.

23. We will fight ……… corruption with full strength.

24. The opening speech will be made ………. the Principal.

26. Anitha has left ………. Delhi to see her friend.

27. We walked …….. a narrow line.

28. Greatly disappointed, the little boy burst out …… tears.

30. Sreshta always sits …….. Sonica in church.

1. Look ……… the word in a dictionary. (for/up)

2. The police are looking ………. the incident. (into/after)

3. An atheist does not believe ……… the existence of God. (in/for)

4. Who does this bag belong ……….? (of/to)

6. The car collided ………… a van. (with/against)

7. I want to concentrate ………. my mathematics. (in/on)

8. The flat consists ………. four rooms.(of/in)

9. We managed to cope …….. all of these difficulties. (up/with)

10. Sangeetha insisted ……… playing her song. (for/on)

11. Seventy countries participated ………. the Commonwealth Games. (to/in)

12. Please refrain ……… drinking alcohol. (from/to)

13. I will have to see ……… the arrangements. (to/for)

14. Let’s stick …….. our original plan. (to/on)

15. Sunil succeeded ……. starting the car. (in/by)

17. Sindhuri takes ………. her mother. (up/after)

18. I objected ……… being kept waiting. (against/to)

Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. Giridhar plays computer games ………. hours on end.

2. The Pandits have lived here …….. 1985.

4. We were talking ……. the weather.