Time Prepositions

• at: Used for specific times and some expressions (e.g., at 5 o’clock, at night)
• on: Used for days and dates (e.g., on Monday, on July 4th)
• in: Used for longer periods such as months, years, centuries, or parts of the day (e.g., in June, in 2020, in the morning)
• since: Indicates when something started and continues (e.g., since 2015, since last week)
• for: Indicates duration (e.g., for two hours, for a week)

• The meeting is at 3 p.m.
• We have a holiday on Friday.
• She was born in April.
• I have lived here since 2010.
• They waited for an hour.

Place Prepositions

• at: Used for specific points or addresses (e.g., at the door, at 123 Main St.)
• on: Used for surfaces and streets (e.g., on the table, on Maple Street)
• in: Used for enclosed spaces or larger areas (e.g., in the room, in New York)
• under: Below something (e.g., under the bed)
• next to: Beside something (e.g., next to the bank)

• She is at the bus stop.
• The book is on the shelf.
• They live in a big house.
• The cat is hiding under the sofa.
• The bank is next to the post office.

Direction Prepositions

• to: Indicates movement toward a place (e.g., to the store)
• into: Movement from outside to inside (e.g., into the room)
• onto: Movement toward a surface (e.g., onto the roof)
• toward(s): In the direction of (e.g., toward the park)
• through: Moving within something that has openings (e.g., through the tunnel)

• He went to the office.
• She walked into the building.
• The dog jumped onto the couch.
• We headed toward the beach.
• They drove through the city.

Other Common Prepositions

• with: Indicates accompaniment or using something (e.g., with friends, with a pen)
• about: Concerning a subject (e.g., about the project)
• by: Means of doing something or proximity (e.g., by train, by the window)
• of: Shows possession or relation (e.g., the color of the car)
• for: Purpose or intended recipient (e.g., a gift for you)

• I’m going out with my sister.
• We talked about the movie.
• She traveled by plane.
• The pages of the book are torn.
• This present is for you.

Tips for Using Prepositions

• Prepositions are always followed by a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition).
• Prepositions show relationships of time, place, direction, cause, manner, and more.
• Some prepositions can be part of phrasal verbs (e.g., look after, give up).
• There’s no rule for “how to choose” a preposition; it’s best to learn common phrases and practice.