A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another element in the sentence. Prepositions express time, place, direction, manner, agent, and other semantic roles.
What Is a Preposition?
Prepositions are short but powerful words that locate things in time and space, show connections between ideas, and link nouns to the rest of a sentence. In "The book on the table by the window was written in 1920," three prepositions establish the relationship between the book, the table, the window, and the date.
English has around 150 prepositions, ranging from simple one-word forms (in, on, at, to, for, by, with, from, of) to complex multi-word forms (in front of, because of, next to, in spite of). Despite their small size, prepositions are among the most frequently used words in the language and among the most difficult to master, because their meanings are often unpredictable and differ from equivalent words in other languages.
A preposition always has an object — the noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that follows it. The preposition + object combination is called a prepositional phrase. These phrases can modify verbs (acting like adverbs) or nouns (acting like adjectives), giving them great flexibility in sentence construction.
Types of Prepositions
| Type | Key Prepositions | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Place | in, on, at, under, over, behind, between, near | The cat is under the table. |
| Time | in, on, at, before, after, during, since, for, by | We met at noon on Monday. |
| Movement | to, into, out of, through, across, along, towards | She walked into the room. |
| Manner | by, with, without, like | He arrived by train. |
| Agent | by | The letter was written by Anna. |
| Compound | in front of, because of, next to, in spite of | In front of the school. |
In, On, At — Time and Place Summary
| IN | ON | AT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place | enclosed spaces, countries, cities: in the box, in London | surfaces, streets: on the table, on Oxford Street | points, addresses: at the door, at 5 Main St |
| Time | months, years, seasons: in March, in 2020 | days, dates: on Monday, on 5th June | exact times: at 3 pm, at midnight |
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
I was born in 15 March.
I was born on 15 March. (specific dates take 'on')
She is interested about history.
She is interested in history. ('interested' takes the preposition 'in')
He arrived to the airport at 6 am.
He arrived at the airport at 6 am. ('arrive' at a specific point uses 'at', not 'to')
We depend from good weather.
We depend on good weather. ('depend on', not 'depend from')
Related Grammar Terms
Practise Prepositions
Related Grammar Terms
Learn more: Prepositions Grammar Guide