Prepositions in English: Rules and Examples Guide

Prepositions are tricky for many students, but they're essential for correct English. A preposition shows the relationship between words—usually between a noun and other words in a sentence. Let's explore the most common prepositions and when to use them.

What Is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun and other parts of the sentence. It usually comes before a noun and indicates direction, location, time, or manner.

Examples:

• The book is on the table.
• She walks to school.
• He arrived at 9 o'clock.

Prepositions of Place (Location)

These prepositions tell us where something is.

In

Use "in" for enclosed spaces or inside something:

The pen is in the drawer.

She lives in Delhi.

The cat is in the room.

He studied in London.

On

Use "on" for surfaces:

The book is on the desk.

The picture is on the wall.

There are flowers on the table.

At

Use "at" for specific points or locations:

I'm at home.

She waits at the bus stop.

The meeting is at the office.

The conference is at Sydney Opera House.

Between

Use "between" for two things with space in the middle:

The park is between the school and the hospital.

I stood between Priya and Rahul.

Among

Use "among" for more than two things (a group):

He is among his friends.

The winner was chosen among the contestants.

Under

Use "under" for something below or underneath:

The bag is under the table.

The dog is sleeping under the tree.

Over / Above

Use "over" and "above" for something higher up:

The bird flies over the buildings. (moving over)

The fan is above my head. (position)

Behind / In Front Of

Use "behind" for back position and "in front of" for front position:

The school is behind the market.

I sit in front of the teacher.

Inside / Outside

Use "inside" for within and "outside" for external:

The toys are inside the box.

Let's play outside the house.

Near / Beside

Use "near" and "beside" for closeness:

The park is near my house.

She sits beside me in class.

Prepositions of Time

These prepositions tell us when something happens.

At

Use "at" for specific times:

The class starts at 9 o'clock.

We meet at noon.

The party is at midnight.

In

Use "in" for months, seasons, and years:

My birthday is in May.

School starts in summer.

We moved here in 2020.

On

Use "on" for specific dates and days:

The exam is on Monday.

My birthday is on February 14.

The meeting is on next Tuesday.

During

Use "during" for something that happens within a time period:

I slept during the movie.

He studied during the holidays.

Before / After

Use "before" and "after" for time order:

Come before 5 PM.

The party is after school.

Since / For

Use "since" for when something started and "for" for how long:

I've studied here since 2018.

I studied for two hours.

Prepositions of Direction

These prepositions show movement or direction.

To

Use "to" for destination or direction:

She walks to school.

We went to the cinema.

Give this book to Priya.

From

Use "from" for starting point:

He came from London.

The bus goes from Delhi to Mumbai.

Into

Use "into" for movement into something:

The students went into the classroom.

He jumped into the pool.

Out Of

Use "out of" for movement away from:

She came out of the house.

Take the book out of the bag.

Through

Use "through" for movement within or across:

We walked through the forest.

Light comes through the window.

Across

Use "across" for movement from one side to another:

She ran across the street.

We swam across the river.

Along

Use "along" for movement beside something:

They walked along the path.

Houses are built along the road.

Prepositions of Manner

These prepositions show how something is done.

By

Use "by" for the method or doer of an action:

The book was written by Chetan Bhagat.

I sent the letter by email.

I travel by bus.

With

Use "with" for using something or accompanying:

Write with a pen.

I went with my friends.

She spoke with confidence.

Without

Use "without" for lacking something:

I can't write without a pen.

He went without telling anyone.

Common Preposition Mistakes

Mistake 1: Wrong preposition for place

Wrong: "She lives at Delhi."

Correct: "She lives in Delhi."

Mistake 2: Confusing "in" and "on"

Wrong: "The picture is in the wall."

Correct: "The picture is on the wall."

Mistake 3: Wrong preposition for time

Wrong: "The meeting is in Monday."

Correct: "The meeting is on Monday."

Mistake 4: Extra preposition (common in Indian English)

Wrong: "Where you are coming from?"

Correct: "Where are you coming from?" or "From where are you coming?"

Mistake 5: Missing preposition

Wrong: "I go school."

Correct: "I go to school."

Prepositions That Are Often Confused

In vs. On vs. At

To vs. For

FAQ: Preposition Questions