These Preposition Examples Will Help You Master the English Grammar

Prepositions are one of the most important parts of speech in the English language, but they can also be one of the most challenging to master. They indicate the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, such as location, direction, time, and more. With so many different prepositions and their varying definitions, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

But fear not! Our article will provide you with plenty of preposition examples and exercises to help you better understand how to use them correctly. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer understanding of prepositions and be able to use them with confidence in your writing and speech. So, let’s dive in and explore the world of prepositions!

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Preposition Examples

Prepositions are essential parts of English grammar. They are words that indicate the relationship between two words in a sentence, such as the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in the sentence. Prepositions can show a variety of relationships, including time, location, direction, and manner.

For example:

She walked to the store.
The book is on the table.
He ran through the park.

In each of these sentences, the preposition shows the relationship between the subject and the object of the sentence.

Prepositions can be classified into seven types:

Time prepositions: at, in, on, during, for, since, by, until, before, after
Place prepositions: at, in, on, by, next to, behind, under, over, above, below, among, between
Direction prepositions: to, from, into, out of, towards, away from, along, across, through, over
Agent prepositions: by
Manner prepositions: with, without
Instrument prepositions: by, with
Miscellaneous prepositions: of, about, for, with, among, between, against, despite, concerning, according to, except, like

It is important to note that some prepositions can have multiple meanings, depending on the context in which they are used.

Another Classification of Prepositions

Prepositions are words that indicate the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. In addition to the previously mentioned categorization in the last section, prepositions can also be categorized into Simple Prepositions, Compound Prepositions, Double Prepositions, and Participle Prepositions.

Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions are the most common type of prepositions. They are single-word prepositions that show the relationship between two words in a sentence. Some examples of simple prepositions include: at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, and with.

The cat is sitting on the table.
I am going to the store.
She is talking to her friend.

Compound Prepositions

Compound prepositions are made up of two or more words that function as a single preposition. They are used to show more complex relationships between words in a sentence. Some examples of compound prepositions include: according to, ahead of, because of, in front of, and in spite of.

According to the weather report, it’s going to rain today.
He was ahead of the other runners in the race.
We had to cancel the picnic because of the rain.

Double Prepositions

Double prepositions are prepositions that are made up of two words that function as a single preposition. They are used to show the relationship between two words in a sentence in a more specific way. Some examples of double prepositions include: into, onto, upon, and within.

She climbed onto the roof of the house.
The book is within reach on the shelf.
The bird flew into the cage.

Participle Prepositions

Participle prepositions are formed by using the present participle (-ing) or past participle (-ed) of a verb as a preposition. They are used to show the relationship between a noun and a verb in a sentence. Some examples of participle prepositions include: concerning, considering, during, and regarding.

She is concerned about her grades.
During the movie, I fell asleep.
He is considering changing his major.

In the next sections, we’ll look into some popular types of prepositions, along with their examples.

Prepositions of Time

In English grammar, prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Prepositions of time are used to indicate when an event or action takes place. In this section, we’ll cover the different prepositions used for specific and extended times.

Prepositions for Specific Times

The prepositions ‘at’, ‘in’, and ‘on’ are used for specific times.

‘At’ is used for specific times of the day, such as ‘at 3 pm’, ‘at midnight’, or ‘at noon’.
‘In’ is used for months, years, and seasons, such as ‘in July’, ‘in 2023’, or ‘in winter’.
‘On’ is used for days and dates, such as ‘on Monday’, ‘on July 24th’, or ‘on Christmas Day’.

Examples:

I have a meeting at 10 am.
My birthday is in September.
We usually have a family dinner on Sundays.

Prepositions for Extended Times

The prepositions ‘for’, ‘during’, and ‘since’ are used for extended times.

‘For’ is used to indicate a duration of time, such as ‘for two hours’, ‘for a week’, or ‘for a year’.
‘During’ is used to indicate a period of time when something happens, such as ‘during the summer’, ‘during the movie’, or ‘during the meeting’.
‘Since’ is used to indicate a starting point in time, such as ‘since 2010’, ‘since I was a child’, or ‘since yesterday’.

Examples:

I have been studying English for three years.
I fell asleep during the movie.
I have been living in this city since 2015.

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place are used to describe the location of an object or person. They help us to understand the relationship between objects and places in our environment. In this section, we will discuss the two types of prepositions of place: prepositions for specific places and prepositions for general places.

Prepositions for Specific Places

Prepositions for specific places are used to describe a particular location. Here are some examples:

At: Used to describe a specific point or location. For example, “I am at the park” or “The party is at John’s house.”
On: Used to describe a surface. For example, “The book is on the table” or “The picture is on the wall.”
In: Used to describe an enclosed space. For example, “The cat is in the box” or “I am in the car.”

Prepositions for General Places

Prepositions for general places are used to describe a more general location. Here are some examples:

Above: Used to describe something that is higher than another object. For example, “The bird is flying above the tree” or “The plane is flying above the clouds.”
Below: Used to describe something that is lower than another object. For example, “The fish is swimming below the surface of the water” or “The roots of the tree are below the ground.”
Between: Used to describe the position of something in relation to two other things. For example, “The house is between the two trees” or “The pencil is between the book and the paper.”

It’s important to note that prepositions of place can be used in combination with other prepositions to provide a more specific location. For example, “The cat is under the table” or “The book is inside the box.”

Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions of direction are used to give readers a sense of place or location. They indicate the direction of movement or the position of an object in relation to another object or place. In English, there are several prepositions of direction, including:

In
Into
On
Onto
At
To
Towards
From
Out of
Off

Here are some examples of how these prepositions are used:

Mary jumped into the water.
Paul got into the shower.
The cat is on the roof.
The bird flew onto the branch.
John is at the park.
Sarah is walking towards the store.
The train is coming from the station.
The cat jumped out of the window.
The dog jumped off the couch.

Prepositions of Manner

Prepositions of manner describe how an action is performed. They provide more information about the verb in a sentence. These prepositions are used to explain how something is done or how an action takes place. Here are some examples of prepositions of manner:

With
In
By
Like
As

Using prepositions of manner can help to add depth and detail to a sentence. They can also make your writing more interesting and engaging. Let’s take a look at some examples:

She walked to the store with confidence.
He spoke to the audience in a clear and concise manner.
The artist painted the picture with great care and attention to detail.

In each of these examples, the preposition of manner adds more detail to the sentence. It helps the reader to understand how the action was performed.

Using prepositions of manner can also help to avoid ambiguity in your writing. For example, consider the following sentence:

She ate the cake with a fork.

Without the preposition of manner, the sentence would be incomplete. It would be unclear how she ate the cake. Did she use her hands? Did she use a spoon? By adding the preposition of manner, the sentence becomes clear and complete.

Here are some more examples of prepositions of manner:

He ran like the wind.
She sang the song in a beautiful voice.
The children played with enthusiasm and joy.

In each of these examples, the preposition of manner adds more detail to the sentence. It helps to paint a picture in the reader’s mind of how the action was performed.

Common Mistakes with Prepositions

Prepositions are tricky little words that can cause confusion even for native speakers. Here are some common mistakes that learners of English make with prepositions:

Mistake #1: Using the wrong preposition with verbs

Verbs often require specific prepositions to convey their intended meaning. For example, we say “listen to” instead of “listen at” or “listen for”. Similarly, we say “depend on” instead of “depend at” or “depend from”. Using the wrong preposition can lead to misunderstandings and confusion.

Mistake #2: Using prepositions incorrectly with adjectives

Some adjectives require specific prepositions to convey their intended meaning. For example, we say “afraid of” instead of “afraid from” or “afraid at”. Similarly, we say “interested in” instead of “interested at” or “interested from”. Using the wrong preposition can change the meaning of the sentence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you provide some common prepositions in English?

Some common prepositions in English are: in, on, at, to, from, with, without, for, of, about, among, between, beyond, by, despite, during, except, inside, into, like, near, off, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, throughout, under, until, up, upon, and within.

What are some examples of prepositions used in sentences?

Here are some examples of prepositions used in sentences:

I am sitting in the chair.
The book is on the table.
We will meet at the park.
She is going to the store.
He is coming from work.

What is a prepositional phrase and can you give me some examples?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Here are some examples of prepositional phrases:

In the morning, I like to drink coffee.
The cat is on the roof.
We went to the beach yesterday.
The movie was about a detective.
He walked through the park.

Preposition	Definition
in	inside or within
on	resting or being supported by
at	in the vicinity of
to	indicating movement towards
from	indicating the point of origin
with	accompanied by
without	not accompanied by
for	indicating the purpose of an action
of	indicating possession or association
about	concerning or around
among	in the midst of
between	in the space separating
beyond	on the other side of
by	near or beside
despite	in spite of
during	throughout the course of
except	not including
inside	within the limits of
into	indicating movement towards the inside
like	similar to
near	close to
off	away from
onto	indicating movement towards the top of
out	away from the inside
outside	beyond the limits of
over	above
past	beyond
through	from one end to the other
throughout	in every part of
under	beneath
until	up to the point in time
up	towards a higher place
upon	on top of
within	inside the limits of

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