The Kinds of Preposition

Prepositions of time

Preposition of time	Explanations	Example
on	days weekend (American English)	Many shops don't open on Sundays. What did you do on the weekend?
in	months / seasons / year morning / evening / afternoon period of time	I visited Italy in July, in spring, in 1994 In the evenings, I like to relax. This is the first cigarette I've had in three years.
at	night weekend (British English) used to show an exact or a particular time:	It gets cold at night. What did you do at the weekend? There's a meeting at 2.30 this afternoon / at lunch time.
since	from a particular time in the past until a later time, or until now	England have not won the World Cup in football since 1966
for	used to show an amount of time.	I'm just going to bed for an hour or so

 Prepositions of place

Preposition of place	Explanation	Example
in	inside	I watch TV in the living-room I live in New York Look at the picture in the book She looks at herself in the mirror. She is in the car. Look at the girl in the picture This is the best team in the world
at	used to show an exact position or particular place table events place where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, work)	I met her at the entrance, at the bus stop She sat at the table at a concert, at the party at the movies, at university, at work
on	attached next to or along the side of (river) used to show that something is in a position above something else and touching it. left, right a floor in a house used for showing some methods of traveling television, radio	Look at the picture on the wall Cambridge is on the River Cam. The book is on the desk A smile on his face The shop is on the left My apartment is on the first floor I love traveling on trains /on the bus / on a plane My favorite program on TV, on the radio
by, next to, beside, near	not far away in distance	The girl who is by / next to / beside the house.
between	in or into the space which separates two places, people or objects	The town lies halfway between Rome and Florence.
behind	at the back (of)	I hung my coat behind the door.
in front of	further forward than someone or something else	She started talking to the man in front of her
under	lower than (or covered by) something else	the cat is under the chair.
below	lower than something else.	the plane is just below the the cloud
over	above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other. more than. across from one side to the other. overcoming an obstacle	She held the umbrella over both of us. Most of the carpets are over $100. I walked over the bridge She jumped over the gate
above	higher than something else, but not directly over it	a path above the lake
across	from one side to the other of something with clear limits / getting to the other side	She walked across the field/road. He sailed across the Atlantic
through	from one end or side of something to the other	They walked slowly through the woods.
to	in the direction of bed	We went to Prague last year. I go to bed at ten.
into	towards the inside or middle of something and about to be contained, surrounded or enclosed by it	Shall we go into the garden?
towards	in the direction of, or closer to someone or something	She stood up and walked towards him.
onto	used to show movement into or on a particular place	I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
from	used to show the place where someone or something starts:	What time does the flight from Amsterdam arrive?

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions of place.
1. Can you see a woman ……………… the picture? (in / on / at)
2. London is ………………… the river Thames. (on / at / in)
3. The man is sitting ……………. a table. (in front of / in / to)
4. The mother sat ………………. her children. (beside / besides / across)
5. There are a laptop and a few books …………………. the table. (on / at / with)
6. He put the money ……………….. the box. (in / on / under)
7. The cat was hiding ………………… the door. (behind / on / under)
8. Why do you wear that ring ……………… your first finger? (in / on / at)
9. Can you see the helicopter ………………. the palace? (above / under / on)
10. The plane was flying ……………… Scotland. (along / across / above)