Preposition: Complete List And Examples To Use In Phrases

Learning the prepositions in English can be a little different because, although there are some rules to use them. The majority of preposition usage relies on fixed expressions. You might find it challenging, but GlobalExam can help facilitate it.

So, in this article you will learn:

• The meaning and types of prepositions;
• What are prepositions and how to use them?
• Nouns and prepositions;
• Verbs and prepositions;
• Adjectives and prepositions;
• Unnecessary prepositions in our daily life;
• Is it correct to end a sentence with a preposition?
• Learn mandatory english grammar rules with GlobalExam.

Read on and start learning English online!

Dedicated grammar sheets for revising every aspect of English grammar  specific to any English exams such as the IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL, CAE, FCE, BRIDGE, BULATS (Linguaskill) or even BRIGHT ENGLISH. Indeed, we have gathered a complete list of grammar worksheets on numerous topics:

• Comparatives & superlatives
• Conditionals
• Gerunds vs infinitives
• Linking words
• Modal verbs
• Nouns
• Passive vs active + causative verbs
• Phrasal verbs
• Present perfect
• Standard expressions & confusing words
• Present tenses
• Adverbs
• Conjunctions
• Perfect tenses
• Simple or progressive aspects

What Is The Meaning Of A Preposition And The Types?

The preposition is a word that connects a noun or pronoun to other words to express a specific relationship. They are necessary for almost every sentence in the English language, and there are many, including of, in, on, at, for, with, by, onto, about, etc.

There are six types of prepositions:

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of Direction

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of Instruments

Prepositions of Agents

Prepositional Phrases

In English, there are many nouns, verbs, and adjectives that are followed by one specific preposition. In the case of verbs + prepositions, this is different from phrasal verbs where a verb can be followed by a number of different complex prepositions or adverbs which may change the original meaning of the verb. Phrasal verbs are discussed on another grammar information page.

Prepositions Of Time: What Are They And How To Use Them?

The preposition of time allows you to express a specific time period like dates on the calendar, days, and the actual time. You can easily determine the propositions of time as they always discuss times, and never places.

However, there are a few words that express dates but should NEVER have a preposition of time, and they are called No Preposition.

The Preposition	When To Use	Examples
In	To discuss seasons, months, years, centuries, and long periods of time.	In July, we will go camping. We got married in 2000. People were different in the stone age.
At	To discuss clock times, festivals, holidays, and other specific time frames.	I have school at 10 AM. I will see you at Christmas. I like to drink at sunset.
On	To discuss days or portions of days of the week, special days (like New Year's Day), and specific dates.	I will be free on Sunday. I have a meeting on January 6. I can’t wait to meet everyone on my birthday.
For	To discuss a period of time.	I have been working for 10 hours. I need to travel for 2 weeks.
Since	to refer to a specific point in time.	I haven’t eaten since this morning. I have lived here since 1996.
No preposition	Some words that express time don’t need any preposition, like Yesterday, Tonight, Tomorrow, This week, Last night, Last week, Every day, Every night, Next year, etc.	I went to the movies Last Night. I will meet you Tomorrow. I will travel This Week. I will get married Next Year.

Prepositions Of Place: at, on, and in

The prepositions of place allow you to express WHERE things are.

The Preposition	When To Use	Examples
In	To discuss inside.	I watch TV in the living room. Your brother is in the car. The best school in the country. I live in Paris.
At	To discuss a specific point or where you do something exactly.	I am waiting at the bus stop. He is sitting at the table. I meet them at the movies.
On	To discuss the surface of someplace.	The bug is standing on the wall. Your phone is on the table. Read what’s on the menu.

Preposition Of Movement: How To Use Them?

The prepositions of movement allow you to show movement or direction from one place to another. They are often used after verbs of motion in sentences.

However, there are some words that you should never use prepositions with when describing movement, like upstairs, outside, inside, etc. An example of list of prepositions:

• ‘I am going to upstairs’ is not correct.
• ‘I am going upstairs’ is correct.

And

• ‘The race starts from downtown’ is not correct.
• ‘The race starts downtown’ is correct.

The Preposition	When To Use	Examples
To	To indicate a direction or destination.	I am going to my room. You can’t drive to the beach today. She is heading to the restaurant.
From	To discuss when something starts.	The flight is coming from China. I ran from work to here. He is from Italy.
Through	To discuss a movement from one side to another.	She is walking through the crowds. The river flows through Boston. Bugs can go through walls.
Into	To discuss a movement that enters a space.	Look straight into my eyes. The car crashed into a wall. Don’t pour water into this bottle.
Over	To discuss a movement that goes higher than something else.	I jumped over the wall. The ball went over the fence. Put the wire over the office.
Up	To discuss a movement to a higher position.	The house is up the hill. I climbed up on the mountain.
Down	To discuss a movement to a lower position.	You should go down the hill. Let’s put these items down the stairs.

NOUNS And PREPOSITIONS: How Does It Work?

There are many nouns in the English language that need to be followed by prepositions in order to give a precise meaning. Reading English books/novels will help save the majority of them automatically in your mind, which will allow you to spot those prepositions easily with time and even use them. Here are a few examples:

• I have the solution to your problem.
• You should have some respect for the elders.
• The employees have the responsibility for the office’s hygiene.

This following table includes the most common nouns and their prepositions:

TO	FOR	WITH	ON, IN/OF
an alternative to	a demand for	a contrast with	an agreement on
an introduction to	a substitute for	some dealings with	a ban on
a solution to	some responsibility for	a relationship with	a tax on
some damage to	a need for	some involvement with	a constraint
some resistance to	a bid for	some sympathy with	a curb on
a threat to	some respect for
a reference to	an exception for		an increase in,off
			a fall in, of

Of course, there are more that exist, but if you learn these, that’s a very good beginning! Words which refer to increases and decreases can be followed by ‘in’ or ‘of’. ‘In’ refers to something that has gone up or down; ‘of’ refers to a quantity or amount.

• There has been a large increase in unemployment since the beginning of the crisis.
• There has been an increase of about 40%.

VERBS And PREPOSITIONS: What To Do?

In the English language, there are many prepositions that follow verbs, and the meaning of these two classes of words together is often very similar to the meaning of the verb alone. However, it makes the meaning more precise and specific. For example:

• You are allowed to worry = this phrase gives a general meaning.
• You are allowed to worry about your kids = this phrase is more specific.

You will find a list to the most common prepositional verbs in the following list:

TO	FOR	WITH	OF
to amount to	to apologize for	to sympathize with	to consist of
to refer to	to opt for	to comply with
to object to	to account for	to associate with
to lead to	to pay for	to supply with
to relate to	to aim for, at	to agree with,on

FROM	IN	ON	ABOUT
to stem from	to result in	to rely on	to complain about
to profit from	to succeed in	to bet on
to benefit from	to invest in	to concentrate on
		to depend on

Here are some example sentences:

• The new product fully complies with European safety standards.
• We do not rely on rail transport, so our delivery will not be affected by the strike.
• The goods must be paid for no later than 60 days after receipt.
• She succeeded in passing her TOEIC with flying colors!

Other rules to remember when using a verb and a preposition

Some verbs can be followed by an object and a preposition:

FROM	FOR	WITH
to borrow something from	to ask someone for	to provide someone with
to protect someone from	to thank someone for	to supply someone with

ON	INTO	AGAINST
to congratulate someone on	to divide something into	to insure something against
to spend something on

Example sentences:

• The couple borrowed money from the bank to buy their new house.
• Don’t forget to thank him for offering to drive you to the airport.
• She asked him for a raise.

There are also verbs that don’t take prepositions (whereas in French, they do!):

to phone someone	to discuss something
to enter	to ask someone something
to answer	to tell someone something

Example sentences:

• I’ll phone the company tomorrow morning.
• They met to discuss the new smoking ban.
• She entered the room very quietly.
• He always asks his boss a lot of questions.
• His boss always patiently answers him.
• They told the unions that they wouldn’t sign the agreement.

ADJECTIVES + PREPOSITIONS: What Is The Form?

You can find some adjectives followed by prepositions sometimes, and so you know, there are no grammatical rules when it comes to which adjective goes with which preposition. Therefore, it’s best to learn them together by strengthening your vocabulary. Here are a few examples:

• She is still afraid of the dark.
• I am terrible at organizing my time.
• My wife is allergic to nuts.
• You should be excited about your new job.

You will find a list of the most common adjectives + preposition in the following table:

WITH	TO	OF & FOR	ON & IN
satisfied with	acceptable to	representative of	intent on
familiar with	accustomed to	guilty of	reliant on
compatible with	alternative to	capable of	focused on
pleased with	vulnerable to	aware of	dependent on
filled with	essential to
	contingent to	to ask someone for	interested in
	opposed to	to thank someone for	lacking in
	parallel to		involved in

Example sentences:

• Let me know if you would be interested in meeting with me. (The preposition ‘in’ is followed by a gerund).
• He is intent on finding the best deal even if he has to shop around.
• I’m not aware of anyone who knows how to cook as well as I do.

To remember all these different prepositions you need to memorize and read as much as possible in English. When you notice a verb/noun/adjective + preposition combination, take note of it and add it to your own personal lists.

Examples Of Unnecessary Prepositions In Daily Speeches

Unnecessary prepositions often appear in everyday speech or by advanced English learners. They follow some active verbs, nouns, or pronouns. It is not a problem for these prepositions to be used, but it is best to eliminate them completely when writing/speaking in formal, academic prose. Here are a few examples of unnecessary prepositions:

• Where did the kids go to?
• The phone fell off of the table.
• Where is your house at?
• Don’t let the cat inside of the house.

Is It Correct To End A Sentence With A Preposition?

You can end your sentences with a preposition. In fact, there are many cases when a sentence will not make sense without a preposition. To make it easier for you, we will give you a little guide to help you distinguish when to do it and when to never do it.

Don’t end a sentence with a preposition

In formal writing: Grammatically speaking, it is not an error to end a sentence with a preposition, but it will make your sentence less formal.

• Which website was your work published in? Casual.
• On which website was your work published? Formal.

End a sentence with a preposition

Informal writing/conversation: You can use the preposition at the end of your sentence, which will help it flow more smoothly. Unless you want to impress your friends with your flawless, precise sentence construction, it’s best to stick to the prepositions.

• What are you waiting for?
• This is what I was telling you about.
• That outfit is just to die for.
• This is the person I was talking to.

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