👑 Prepositions in English, including their types and examples.

What are Prepositions?

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence. It typically indicates direction, place, time, or manner.

  • Examples:

    • In: I live in a house.

    • On: The book is on the table.

    • At: We will meet at the park.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be divided into several types, depending on their function. Here are the main types of prepositions:

1. Prepositions of Place

These prepositions show where something is located.

  • Examples:

    • In: The keys are in the drawer.

    • On: The book is on the table.

    • Under: The cat is under the bed.

    • Between: The ball is between the shoes.

    • Next to: The bank is next to the supermarket.

    • Behind: The school is behind the mall.

2. Prepositions of Time

These prepositions indicate when something happens or for how long.

  • Examples:

    • At: The meeting is at 3 p.m.

    • In: I was born in 1995.

    • On: The event is on Monday.

    • Before: He leaves before 6 a.m.

    • After: The shop opens after noon.

    • During: We went for a walk during the break.

3. Prepositions of Direction/Movement

These prepositions show movement or direction of something.

  • Examples:

    • To: He is going to the office.

    • Into: She walked into the room.

    • Onto: The cat jumped onto the roof.

    • Through: We walked through the park.

    • Towards: He is heading towards the school.

4. Prepositions of Manner

These prepositions describe how something is done.

  • Examples:

    • By: She traveled by train.

    • With: He cut the paper with scissors.

    • Like: She sings like a professional.

5. Prepositions of Cause, Reason, and Purpose

These prepositions show the reason or purpose of something.

  • Examples:

    • For: I bought a gift for her birthday.

    • Because of: The flight was delayed because of the weather.

    • Due to: The cancellation was due to the rain.

6. Prepositions of Instrument or Agent

These prepositions show the means or agent by which something happens.

  • Examples:

    • By: The letter was written by him.

    • With: He fixed the chair with a hammer.

7. Prepositions of Possession

These prepositions indicate possession.

  • Examples:

    • Of: The color of the car is red.

    • With: The man with the red jacket is my brother.

8. Prepositions of Comparison

These prepositions are used for comparing things.

  • Examples:

    • Like: She is like her mother.

    • As: He works as a teacher.

9. Complex Prepositions

A complex preposition is a preposition made up of more than one word. These are also called phrasal prepositions.

  • Examples:

    • In front of: The car is parked in front of the house.

    • On behalf of: She spoke on behalf of the team.

    • Due to: The cancellation was due to rain.

    • In spite of: They finished the race in spite of the rain.

Common Prepositions with Examples

PrepositionExample
InHe is in the room.
OnThe book is on the table.
AtI will meet you at 5 o'clock.
ByShe traveled by bus.
WithHe is writing with a pen.
UnderThe cat is hiding under the bed.
OverThe picture is hanging over the sofa.
ThroughWe walked through the tunnel.
BetweenThe park is between the two houses.
BehindThe car is parked behind the house.

Prepositions with Verbs

Certain verbs are often used with specific prepositions to form common phrases. These are called prepositional verbs.

  • Examples:

    • Look at: She looked at the painting.

    • Listen to: I like to listen to music.

    • Believe in: I believe in hard work.

    • Think about: He thinks about his family.

    • Talk to: She talks to her friends every day.

Prepositions with Nouns

Certain nouns also require specific prepositions. These are known as noun + preposition combinations.

  • Examples:

    • Interest in: She has an interest in science.

    • Reason for: The reason for his absence is unknown.

    • Dependence on: The success of the project is based on our dependence on technology.

    • Effect on: The new law had a major effect on the industry.

Practice Time!

Identify and fill in the correct preposition in the following sentences:

  1. She sat _____ the table.

  2. I will meet you _____ the park.

  3. He arrived _____ the airport at 3 p.m.

  4. The cat jumped _____ the wall.

  5. She was punished _____ her behavior.

  1. She sat at the table.

  2. I will meet you at the park.

  3. He arrived at the airport at 3 p.m..

  4. The cat jumped over the wall.

  5. She was punished for her behavior.

Explanation of Prepositions Used:

  1. At: We use "at" for specific locations like "at the table" or "at the park."

  2. At: "At" is used for points in time like specific places, "at the airport."

  3. Over: "Over" is used when something moves above something else, like "over the wall."

  4. For: "For" is used to indicate the reason or cause of something, like "punished for her behavior."