- Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence.
- They often indicate direction, time, place, cause, manner, or instrumentality.
- Prepositions of Place/Position
- at – at the door, at school
- in – in the box, in the room
- on – on the table, on the wall
- under – under the chair
- over – over the bridge
- between – between two buildings
- behind – behind the curtain
- Prepositions of Time
- at – at 5 PM, at noon, at night
- on – on Monday, on Christmas Day
- in – in January, in 2025, in the evening
- since – since 2000
- for – for two hours
- before – before lunch
- after – after the meeting
- Prepositions of Direction/Movement
- to – go to school
- into – walk into the room
- onto – jump onto the bed
- out of – run out of the building
- off – fall off the chair
- from – come from Delhi
- Prepositions of Cause/Purpose
- because of – because of the rain
- due to – due to his laziness
- for – for your help
- Prepositions of Manner/Instrument
- by – by car, by train, by someone
- with – with a pen, with force
- like – like a boss
- Between – Among
- Beside- Besides
- For – Since
- Across – Through
- On – Upon
- On – Over
- Over – under
- In – Into
- In – Within
- On time – In time
- By – in
- By – With
- Before- In front Of
- at – in
- in spite of – despite
Preposition Notes
Prepositions are words used before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship with another word in a sentence (e.g., place, time, direction, reason). Mastering them is crucial for scoring high in the English section.
1. Prepositions of Time (When?)
- At: Used for a specific time.
- Example: The exam starts at 10:00 AM.
- Example: I go to bed at midnight.
- On: Used for days and dates.
- Example: We have a test on Monday.
- Example: He was born on the 5th of January.
- In: Used for months, years, centuries, seasons, and longer periods.
- Example: She will return in May.
- Example: The company was founded in 1998.
- Example: People wear warm clothes in winter.
- For: Used to express a period of time (duration).
- Example: He lived in London for five years.
- Since: Used to point to a starting point in time (always used with a perfect tense).
- Example: It has been raining since morning.
- During: Used to say when something happens (not how long).
- Example: He fell asleep during the lecture.
- By: Means “not later than” a specific time.
- Example: Please submit your assignment by Friday.
2. Prepositions of Place (Where?)
- At: Used for a specific point or place.
- Example: Meet me at the bus stop.
- Example: She is at home.
- In: Used for an enclosed space or a large area.
- Example: The money is in my bag.
- Example: He lives in Delhi.
- On: Used for a surface.
- Example: The book is on the table.
- Example: There is a poster on the wall.
- Above/Over: Means higher than something.
- Example: The plane flew over the clouds.
- Example: Keep your hands above the table.
- Below/Under: Means lower than something.
- Example: The cat is hiding under the bed.
- Example: The temperature is below freezing.
- Between: Used for two distinct things/people.
- Example: The secret is between you and me.
- Among: Used for a group (more than two).
- Example: Distribute the sweets among the children.
3. Prepositions of Movement/Direction (To where? From where?)
- To: Shows movement towards a destination.
- Example: We are going to the market.
- From: Shows the starting point of a movement.
- Example: He traveled from Mumbai to Chennai.
- Into: Shows movement from outside to inside.
- Example: He jumped into the pool.
- Out of: Shows movement from inside to outside.
- Example: She ran out of the room.
- Through: Means going from one end to the other.
- Example: The train passed through a tunnel.
- Across: Means from one side to the other.
- Example: We walked across the bridge.
4. Prepositions of Agency, Instrument, or Reason
- By: Used for the doer of an action (in passive voice) or means of travel.
- Example: The song was written by a famous poet.
- Example: She came by car.
- With: Used to indicate the instrument used for an action.
- Example: He cut the cake with a knife.
- Example: She wrote the letter with a pen.
- Because of: Used for a reason.
- Example: The match was canceled because of the rain.
- Due to: Also used for a reason (often after the verb ‘to be’).
- Example: His success was due to his hard work.
5. Phrasal Prepositions & Fixed Combinations
These are groups of words that function as a single preposition.
- According to: As stated by.
- Example: According to the weather forecast, it will rain today.
- In spite of / Despite: Without being affected by.
- Example: Despite the traffic, we reached on time.
- Example: In spite of his illness, he attended the meeting.
- On behalf of: As a representative of.
- Example: I am speaking on behalf of my entire team.
- In front of: Opposite of behind.
- Example: A car parked in front of my house.
- Owing to: Because of.
- Example: Owing to a technical fault, the flight was delayed.
Commonly Confused Prepositions
- In vs. Into: ‘In’ shows a static position, ‘Into’ shows movement.
- She is in the room. (Static)
- She walked into the room. (Movement)
- Between vs. Among: ‘Between’ for two, ‘Among’ for more than two.
- Divide the chocolate between the two girls.
- Divide the chocolate among all the students.
- By vs. With: ‘By’ for the doer, ‘With’ for the tool.
- The door was opened by the guard. (Doer)
- The door was opened with a key. (Tool)