Prepositions

A preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns or phrases to other words within a sentence. They act to connect the people, objects, time and locations of a sentence.  Prepositions are usually short words, and they are normally placed directly in front of nouns. In some cases, you’ll find prepositions in front of gerund verbs.

Types of Prepositions

There are three types of prepositions, including time prepositions, place prepositions, and direction prepositions.

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of Place are used to show the position or location of one thing with another. It answers the question "Where?"

Below we have some more examples of Prepositions of Place:

In front of

• A band plays their music in front of an audience.
• The teacher stands in front of the students.
• The man standing in the line in front of me smells bad.
• Teenagers normally squeeze their zits in front of a mirror.
•  Our house is in front of the supermarket

Behind

Behind is the opposite of In front of. It means at the back (part) of something.

• When the teacher writes on the whiteboard, the students are behind him (or her).
• Our house is behind the supermarket.
• Who is that person behind the mask?
• I slowly down because there was a police car behind me.

Between

Between normally refers to something in the middle of two objects or things (or places).

•  There are mountains between Chile and Argentina.
• The number 5 is between the number 4 and 6.
• There is a sea between England and France.

Opposite/across from

Means in a position facing someone or something but on the other side:

• We're in the building opposite the government offices.
• They sat opposite each other.
• She lives in the house opposite ours.
• The school is opposite a park.
• I played opposite the best player in the league.
• Put a tick opposite (= next to) the answer that you think is correct

Across

Means from one side to the other of something with clear limits, such as an area of land, a road, or a river:

Examples:

• She walked across the field/road.
• They're building a new bridge across the river.
• When I reached the river, I simply swam across.
• He folded his arms across his chest.
•  Her books and clothes were packed into chests and shipped across to Canada.
• Their hoofs threw up clods of earth as they galloped across the field.
•  On the eastern horizon, a huge cloud of smoke from burning oil tanks stretched across the sky.
• Quigley clouted me smartly across the side of the head.

Next to / Beside

Next to and beside mean the same thing. It usually refers to a thing (or person) that is at the side of another thing.

• At a wedding, the bride stands next to the groom.
•  Guards stand next to the entrance of the bank.
• He walked beside me as we went down the street.
• In this part of town there isn't a footpath beside the road so you have to be careful.

Near / Close to

Near and Close to mean the same thing. It is similar to next to / beside but there is more of a distance between the two things.

• The receptionist is near the front door.
• This building is near a subway station.
•  We couldn't park the car close to the store.
•  Our house is close to a supermarket.
•  She lives near her workplace.

On

On means that something is in a position that is physically touching, covering or attached to something.

•  The clock on the wall is slow.
• He put the food on the table.
• I can see a spider on the ceiling.
• We were told not to walk on the grass.
• The sculpture hangs on the wall.
• The images are on the page.
• The specials are on the menu, which is on the table.

We normally say:

• on the table
• on the wall
• on the floor
• on the window
• on my face 
• on a plate
• on the page
• on the sofa
• on a chair  
• on a bag
• on the river
• on a t-shirt
• on the ceiling       
• on a bottle
• on a bike    
• on his foot

Above / Over

They both mean "at a higher position than X" but above normally refers to being directly (vertically) above you.

•  Planes normally fly above the clouds.
• There is a ceiling above you.
• The picture hangs above my bed
• There is a halo over my head.
• We put a sun umbrella over the table so we wouldn't get so hot.
• Our neighbors in the apartment above us are rally noisy.

Over can also mean: physically covering the surface of something and is often used with the word all as in All over.

• There is water all over the floor.
• I accidentally spilled red wine all over the new carpet.
• Over is often used as a Preposition of Movement too.

In 

It is used when referring to something that is inside or within confined boundaries. This could be anything, even a country:

§  Jim is in France, visiting his aunt in the hospital.

§  The whiskey is in the jar in the fridge.

§  The girls play in the garden.

We usually say:

• in the newspaper 
• in a house
• in a cup     
• in a drawer
• in a bottle  
• in a bag
• in bed        
• in a car
• in London  
• in England
• in a book    
• in a pub
• in a field     
• in the sea
• in my stomach     
• in a river

By

Means close to or next to something or someone.

• They were sitting by the tree.
• His wife was sitting by him
• They have a house by the lake
• The bus went right by him without stopping.
• He lives in the house by the river

Off

Means away from a place. Used to indicate separation, distance or removal from someone or someone.

• The cat jumped off the counter.
• She still living off her parents
• The family lives off welfare
• They live off the land.

At 

It is used when referring to something at a specific point:

§  The boys are at the entrance at the movie theater.

§  He stood at the bus stop at the corner of Water and High streets.

§  We will meet at the airport.

We normally say:

• at the airport       
• at the door
• at the table 
• at the bus stop
• at the cinema       
• at the top
• at the bottom       
• at the pub
• at the traffic lights         
• at the front
• at the back 
• at school
• at university        
• at the window
• at the hospital     
• at the piano

Under/below

Means in or a lower place than, below or beneath something.

• The cat is under the table.
• I’m wearing a jacket under my coat.
• The girl is standing under a tree.
• Monsters live under your bed
• A river flows under a bridge.
• Miners work below the surface of the Earth.

Inside/outside

• We waited inside the store
• Several people were trapped inside the burning building.
• She kept her hands inside her pockets.
• The key is locked inside the car.
• They stepped outside the house.
• Can you wait outside?

Summary - Prepositions of place

Preposition of place	Explanation	Example
in	§  inside	§  I watch TV in the living-room §  I live in New York §  Look at the picture in the book §  She looks at herself in the mirror. §  She is in the car. §  Look at the girl in the picture §  This is the best team in the world
at	§  used to show an exact position or particular place §  table §  events §  place where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, work)	§  I met her at the entrance, at the bus stop §  She sat at the table §  at a concert, at the party §  at the movies, at university, at work
on	§  attached §  next to or along the side of (river) §  used to show that something is in a position above something else and touching it. §  left, right §  a floor in a house §  used for showing some methods of traveling §  television, radio	§  Look at the picture on the wall §  Cambridge is on the River Cam. §  The book is on the desk §  A smile on his face §  The shop is on the left §  My apartment is on the first floor §  I love traveling on trains /on the bus / on a plane §  My favorite program on TV, on the radio
by, next to, beside, near	§  not far away in distance	§  The girl who is by / next to / beside the house.
between	§  in or into the space which separates two places, people or objects	§  The town lies halfway between Rome and Florence.
behind	§  at the back (of)	§  I hung my coat behind the door.
in front of	§  further forward than someone or something else	§  She started talking to the man in front of her
under	§  lower than (or covered by) something else	§  the cat is under the chair.
below	§  lower than something else.	§  the plane is just below the the cloud
over	§  above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other. §  more than. §  across from one side to the other. §  overcoming an obstacle	§  She held the umbrella over both of us. §  Most of the carpets are over $100. §  I walked over the bridge §  She jumped over the gate
above	§  higher than something else, but not directly over it	§  a path above the lake
across	§  from one side to the other of something with clear limits / getting to the other side	§  She walked across the field/road. §  He sailed across the Atlantic
through	§  from one end or side of something to the other	§  They walked slowly through the woods.
to	§  in the direction of §  bed	§  We went to Prague last year. §  I go to bed at ten.
into	§  towards the inside or middle of something and about to be contained, surrounded or enclosed by it	§  Shall we go into the garden?
towards	§  in the direction of, or closer to someone or something	§  She stood up and walked towards him.
onto	§  used to show movement into or on a particular place	§  I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
from	§  used to show the place where someone or something starts:	§  What time does the flight from Amsterdam arrive?

Prepositions of Movement

Prepositions of movement are quite easy to understand as they are less abstract than prepositions of place and time. Essentially, they describe how something or someone moves from one place to another. The most commonly used preposition of movement include: 

TO

It usually serves to highlight that there is movement towards a specific destination.

Examples:

• He has gone on vacation to France.
• She went to the bowling alley every Friday last summer.
• I will go to bed when I am tired.
• They will go to the zoo if they finish their errands.

Across 

Refers to moving from one side to another.

• Mike traveled across America on his motorcycle.
• Rebecca and Judi are swimming across the lake.

Through 

Refers to moving directly inside something and out the other end.

• The bullet Ben shot went through the window.
• The train passes through the tunnel.

Into 

Refers to entering or looking inside something.

• James went into the room.
• They stare into the darkness.

Up, over, down, past and around 

They indicate directions of movement:

§  Jack went up the hill.

§  Jill came tumbling down after.

§  We will travel over rough terrain on our way to Grandma’s house.

§  The horse runs around the track all morning.

§  A car zoomed past a truck on the highway

From

• I got a package from a friend.

Off

• The cat jumped off the counter.

Out of

• I was unable to get out of the appointment.

Onto

• The baby climbed onto the table.

More explanations

Preposition	Explanation	Example
from	§  used to show the origin of something or someone §  used to show the material of which something is made §  used to show a change in the state of someone or something	§  "Where are you from?" "I'm from Italy." §  The desk is made from pine. §  Things went from bad to worse.
of	§  used to show possession, belonging or origin §  used after words or phrases expressing amount, number or particular unit	§  a friend of mine §  a kilo of apples
by	§  used to show the person or thing that does something:	§  I'm reading some short stories (written) by Chekhov.
on	§  used for showing some methods of travelling §  entering a public transport vehicle	§  It'd be quicker to get there on foot / on horse §  get on the train
in	§  entering a car  / Taxi	§  She got in the car and drove fast.
off	§  leaving a public transport vehicle	§  She got off the bus
out of	§  leaving a closed vehicle, building...	§  She got out of the car
by	§  used to show measurements or amounts §  travelling (other than walking or horseriding)	§  Their wages were increased by 12%. §  She went by car, by bus, by train
at	§  age	§  In theory, women can still have children at the age of 50.
about	§  on the subject of; connected with	§  What's that book about?

Prepositions of Time.

Basic examples of time prepositions include: at, on, in, before and after. They are used to help indicate when something happened, happens or will happen.

In

For years, months, seasons, centuries and times of day, use the preposition in:

• I first met John in 1987.
• It’s always cold in January
• Easter falls in spring each year.
• The Second World War occurred in the 20th century.
• We eat breakfast in the morning.

On

For days, dates and specific holiday days, use the preposition on.

·        We go to school on Mondays, but not on Sunday

·        Christmas is on December 25^th.

·        Buy me a present on my birthday.

At

For times, indicators of exception and festivals, use the preposition at:

• Families often argue at Christmas time.
• I work faster at night.
• Her shift finished at 7pm.

Before and after 

They explain when something happened, happens or will happen, but specifically in relation to another thing.

• Before I discovered this bar, I used to go straight home after work.
• We will not leave before 3pm.
• David comes before Bryan in the line, but after Louise.

Other prepositions of time could include: During, about, around, until and throughout.

• The concert will be staged throughout the month of May.
• I learned how to ski during the holidays.
• He usually arrives around 3pm.
• It was about six in the morning when we made it to bed.
• The store is open until midnight.

More explanations about prepositions of time

Preposition of time	Explanations	Example
on	§  days §  weekend (American English)	§  Many shops don't open on Sundays. §  What did you do on the weekend?
in	§  months / seasons / year §  morning / evening / afternoon §  period of time	§  I visited Italy in July, in spring, in 1994 §  In the evenings, I like to relax. §  This is the first cigarette I've had in three years.
at	§  night §  weekend (British English) §  used to show an exact or a particular time:	§  It gets cold at night. §  What did you do at the weekend? §  There's a meeting at 2.30 this afternoon / at lunch time.
since	§  from a particular time in the past until a later time, or until now	§  England have not won the World Cup in football since 1966
for	§  used to show an amount of time.	§  I'm just going to bed for an hour or so.
ago	§  back in the past; back in time from the present:	§  The dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago.
before	§  at or during a time earlier than	§  She's always up before dawn.
to	§  used when saying the time, to mean before the stated hour	§  It's twenty to six.
past	§  telling the time	§  five past ten
to	§  until a particular time, marking end of a period of time	§  It's only two weeks to Christmas.
from	§  used to show the time when something starts	§  The museum is open from 9.30 to 6.00 Tuesday to Sunday.
till / until	§  up to (the time that)	§  We waited till / until half past six for you.
by	§  not later than; at or before	§  She had promised to be back by five o'clock.

Compound Prepositions

Compound prepositions (or complex prepositions) consist of two or more words, usually a simple preposition and another word, to convey location. Some examples are in addition to, on behalf of, and in the middle of.

• She sat across from Marie.
• I attended the meeting on behalf of my company.
• We were in the middle of the storm.
• He has gym class in addition to his regular classes today.
• He picked up the penny from beneath the couch.
• Aside from singing, she also plays the piano at the bar.
• My car is parked in front of the mailbox.
• The weather will be good this weekend according to Tom.

Phrase Prepositions

Prepositional phrases include a preposition, an object, and the object's modifier. Examples include phrases like on time, at home, before class, and on the floor.

• I will get to the conference on time.
• The baseball game was canceled after the heavy rain.
• John found his homework under the bed.
• The children loved the gifts from their grandparents.
• He succeeded with a little help.
• We met to discuss the project before class.
• She left muddy footprints on the clean floor.
• According to his wishes, his funeral will be private.

 Prepositions with Nouns

There are lots of different nouns that carry specific prepositions to consolidate their meaning. These are called dependent prepositions. Examples:

• He displayed cruelty towards his dog.
• She had knowledge of physics.
• The trouble with Jack.
• 21 is the age at which you are allowed to drink.
• Bolt made another attempt at the world record.
• The police held an inquiry into the murder.

Prepositions with Verbs

The prepositions act as links between the verb and noun or gerund, giving extra meaning to the sentence. The prepositions most commonly used with verbs are: to, for, about, of, in, at and from. It should be noted that the prepositional verbs can have slightly different meaning compared to the original verb. For example, to relate a story simply means to tell a story, to relate to a story means you identify with it, find some personally meaning in that story.

Verb + to:

• He admitted to the charge.
• I go to Vancouver on vacation twice a year.
• William can relate to the character in the play.

Verb + for:

• He must apologize for his actions.
• We searched for ages before we found the perfect apartment.
• I provide for my family by working two jobs.

Verb + with:

• I don’t agree with your claim.
• The lawyer said he will meet with your representatives.
• They began with a quick warm-up.

Verb + of:

• I dream of a better life.
• Have you heard of Shakespeare?
• The bread consists of dough, raisins and a little honey.

Verb + in:

• Does Rick believe in miracles?
• Fallon lives in New York.
• The bus accident resulted in my being late to work.

Verb + at

1. We arrived at our destination.
2. Ilene excels at singing.
3. Will the baby smile at her mother?

Verb + on:

• We should really concentrate on our studies now.
• Helen insisted on Brenda’s company.
• Morris experimented on some canvas.

Verb + from:

• Since turning 80, she suffers from lapses in concentration.
• Dad retired from the navy in the 1970s.
• Billy Bob, please refrain from doing that.

Prepositions with Adjectives

Prepositions can form phrases with adjectives to give further context to the action, emotion or thing the adjective is describing. Like verbs and nouns, adjectives can be followed by: to, about, In, for, with, at and by.

• I am happily married to David.
• Ellie is crazy about this movie.
• Michelle is interested in politics.
• We are sorry for your loss.
• Jane will be delighted with her results.
• Is he still angry at the world?
• The entire room was astonished by the election results.

• I am good at sports means I have some athletic talent.
• The nurse was good to my mother means she took care of her and was nice, kind, and helpful.
• I am good with animals means I get along with them and handle them well.
• Swimming is good for your health.
• That was good of you to come means you were begin nice and good to visit.
• My little brother is good inside (his body) means even though you can’t see how he thinks and feels, he is good. Even if his behavior is bad.
• The blueberry jam will be good on toast. 

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