Prepositions!

on behind

under

over out in

between

through

BYARCHANA GUPTA

SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS

aboard at down on to about before during onto toward above behind except opposite towards across below far from out under after beneath for outside underneath against beside from over until along besides in past unto alongside between inside per up amid beyond into round upon amidst but like since via among by near through with around concerning of throughout within as despite off till without

COMPOUND PREPOSITIONS

in the nature of inasmuch as instead of near to next to on behalf of on the basis of on top of out of prior to pursuant to similar to subsequent to up to with a view to with reference to with regard to with respect to

according to ahead of as far as as opposed to as to at that point in time at this point in time back from back to because of by means of by reason of by virtue of close to contrary to due to during the course of for the purposes of for the reason that from the point of view of

in a manner similar to in accordance with in addition to in back of in case of in close proximity with in excess of in favor of in front of in lieu of in light of in order to in receipt of in regard to in relation to in routine fashion in spite of in terms of in the event that in the immediate vicinity of

MOST COMMON PREPOSITIONS

These are the 9 most frequently used prepositions:

at by forfrom in ofon to with

However, this grouping is somewhat misleading, because each form has multiple meanings and functions.

Verb + Preposition Combinations

PPrreeppoossiittiioonnss ooff TTiimmee

at

(a) We have class at two o’clock.

(b) I have an appointment with the

doctor at 4:30.

(c) We sleep at night.

at + a specific time on the clock.

at + night

in

(d) My birthday is in July.

(e) I was born in 1978.

(f) We have class in the morning.

(g) Jason has class in the afternoon.

(h) I study in the evening.

in + a specific month

in + a specific year

in + the morning

in + the afternoon

in + the evening

on (i) I have class on Monday.

(j) I was born on May 3, 1982.

on + a specific day of the week

on + a specific date

from…to (k) We have class from 3:00 to 4:00. From (a specific time) to (a

specific time)

DDiirreeccttiioonnss:: Complete the sentences with prepositions of time.

11)) We have class ______ eleven o’clock.

22)) We have class ______ nine ______ eleven.

33)) Tom has class ______ the morning, and he works ______ the afternoon.

44)) I study ______ the evening.

55)) I sleep ______ night.

66)) Mary was born ______ October.

77)) Mary was born ______ 1967.

88)) Mary was born ______ October 28.

99)) Mary was born ______ October 28, 1967.

1100)) The bank isn’t open ______ Sundays.

1111)) The bank is open ______ 8:00 a.m. ______ 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

1122)) The bank closes ______ 5:00 p.m.

DDiirreeccttiioonnss:: Now make your own sentences using prepositions of time.

11)) _____________________________________________________________________

22)) _____________________________________________________________________

DDiirreeccttiioonnss:: Use the information in the pictures to complete the sentences.

April 10, 1954

11:00 a.m.

July 2, 1978 May 6, 1992

6:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m.

March 3, 2002

12:00 p.m.

June 16, 1949

5:00 a.m.

August 1, 1991

7:00a.m.

May 7, 1980

6:00 a.m.

11)) I was born ______ June 16. I was born ______ 1949. I am a ___________________. I go to work

______ 5:00 a.m.

22)) I go to work ______ the afternoon. I go to work ______ 12:00 p.m. I am a ___________________. I

was born ______ March.

33)) Hi, I am an ___________________. I go to work ______ the morning. I start work ______ 11:00

a.m. I was born ______ April 10.

44)) Howdy! I was born ______ July 2, 1978. I am a ___________________. I milk the cows ______ the

morning. I milk the cows ______ 6:00 a.m.

55)) Hey, I am a ___________________. I was born ______ August 1. I was born ______ 1991. I go to

practice ______ 7:00 a.m.

66)) I was born ______ 1992. I go to work ______ night. I go to work ______ 10:00 p.m. I work at night

because I like to take pictures of the stars. I am a ___________________.

77)) Good day citizen. I am a ___________________. I was born ______ May. I was born ______ 1980. I

go to work ______ 6:00 a.m. Move along, citizen.

In general, we use:

� at for a POINT

� in for an ENCLOSED SPACE

� on for a SURFACE

at in on

POINT ENCLOSED SPACE SURFACE

at the corner in the garden on the wall

at the bus stop in London on the ceiling

at the door in France on the door

at the top of the page in a box on the cover

at the end of the road in my pocket on the floor

at the entrance in my wallet on the carpet

at the crossroads in a building on the menu

at the front desk in a car on a page

Look at these examples:

• Jane is waiting for you at the bus stop.

• The shop is at the end of the street.

• My plane stopped at Dubai and Hanoi and arrived in Bangkok two hours late.

• When will you arrive at the office?

• Do you work in an office?

• I have a meeting in New York.

• Do you live in Japan?

• Jupiter is in the Solar System.

• The author's name is on the cover of the book.

• There are no prices on this menu.

• You are standing on my foot.

• There was a "no smoking" sign on the wall.

• I live on the 7th floor at 21 Oxford Street in London.

Notice the use of the prepositions of place aaaatttt, iiiinnnn and oooonnnn in these standard expressions:

at in on

at home in a car on a bus

at work in a taxi on a train

at school in a helicopter on a plane

at university in a boat on a ship

at college in a lift (elevator) on a bicycle, on a motorbike

at the top in the newspaper on a horse, on an elephant

at the bottom in the sky on the radio, on television

at the side in a row on the left, on the right

at reception in Oxford Street on the way

FILL IN THE BLANK WITH THE CORRECT PREPOSITION AT, IN, ON

1. I am ____ work.

2. We are sitting _____the park. It is a nice day.

3. My car is parked ____ the parking lot.

4. Our house is ____ the end of the street.

5. My sister lives _____ the 6th floor.

6. The books are _____ the bag.

7. The books are _____ the table.

8. There are a lot of books ______ the library.

9. I called their house, but nobody is ______ home.

10. There is a beautiful picture _____ the wall.

11. The clock fell ______ floor. I have to pick it up.

12. Come sit ______ the table. It is time to eat.

13. There is a lot of food ______ the refrigerator

14. The cookies are _______ the top shelf.

15. The computer is _______ the table.

16. The horse is _____ the stables.

17. Is your name _______ the mailbox?

18. Are your children _______ the 2nd grade?

19. Are your children ______ their grandmother's house.

20. Is someone going to wait for me _____ the door?