Tricky Prepositions

Some prepositions appear again and again in everyday English: in, on, at, to, for, with, about, of, and from each have typical uses that set the pattern for related expressions.

Use in for enclosed spaces, periods of time, and fields of activity. Many nouns are followed by in when they refer to a place, time, or area.

Use on for surfaces, specific dates, and days. On also appears in expressions relating to devices or media, and in figurative uses like on time and on purpose.

Use at for precise locations, specific times, and events. At is common with points in space or time and with activities that occur at a place.

Use to to indicate direction, recipient, or target. To follows verbs of giving, sending, and sometimes speaking, and appears in set phrases that show movement or transfer.

Use for to show purpose, benefit, duration, and reason. For often follows nouns that express help, use, or value, and signals who something is intended for.

Use with to show accompaniment, means, possession, or cause. With links nouns to people, things, tools, or characteristics that are joined or associated.

Use about for topics, approximate amounts, and concern. About follows nouns that relate to discussion, thought, or information, and signals what something deals with.

Use of to show belonging, origin, content, and type. Of links nouns to their parts, sources, or categories, and appears in many traditional phrases.

Use from to indicate origin, separation, source, or starting point. From appears with nouns that show where something comes from or what it is taken away from.

Prepositions are small but important: learn common collocations and pay attention to whether an expression takes in, on, at, to, for, with, about, of, or from. Practice with real examples to make the patterns feel natural.