Prepositions of place and direction

Preposition above across after against along among around behind below beside between by close to down from in front of inside into near next to off onto opposite out of outside over past round through to Use higher than sth. from one side to the other side one follows the other directed towards sth. in a line; from one point to another in a group in a circular way at the back of lower than sth. next to sth./sb. is on each side near near from high to low the place where it starts the part that is in the direction it faces opposite of outside entering sth. close to beside away from sth. moving to a place on the other side leaving sth. opposite of inside above sth./sb. going near sth./sb. in a circle going from one point to the other point towards sth./sb. Examples The picture hangs above my bed. You mustn't go across this road here. There isn't a bridge across the river. The cat ran after the dog. After you. The bird flew against the window. They're walking along the beach. I like being among people. We're sitting around the campfire. Our house is behind the supermarket. Death Valley is 86 metres below sea level. Our house is beside the supermarket. Our house is between the supermarket and the school. He lives in the house by the river. Our house is close to the supermarket. He came down the hill. Do you come from Tokyo? Our house is in front of the supermarket. You shouldn't stay inside the castle. You shouldn't go into the castle. Our house is near the supermarket. Our house is next to the supermarket. The cat jumped off the roof. The cat jumped onto the roof. Our house is opposite the supermarket. The cat jumped out of the window. Can you wait outside? The cat jumped over the wall. Go past the post office. We're sitting round the campfire. You shouldn't walk through the forest. I like going to Australia.

towards under up

in the direction of sth. below sth. from low to high

Can you come to me? I've never been to Africa. We ran towards the castle. The cat is under the table. He went up the hill.

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Prepositions
Exercises on Prepositions Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund verbs). Even advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult, as a 1:1 translation is usually not possible. One preposition in your native language might have several translations depending on the situation. There are hardly any rules as to when to use which preposition. The only way to learn prepositions is looking them up in a dictionary, reading a lot in English (literature) and learning useful phrases off by heart (study tips). The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

Prepositions Time
English

Usage

Example

on

days of the week months / seasons time of day year after a certain period of time (when?) for night for weekend

on Monday in August / in winter in the morning in 2006 in an hour at night at the weekend

in

at

English

Usage a certain point of time (when?) from a certain point of time (past till now) over a certain period of time (past till now) a certain time in the past earlier than a certain point of time telling the time

Example at half past nine since 1980

since

for ago before to

for 2 years 2 years ago before 2004 ten to six (5:50)

past to / till / until till / until

telling the time marking the beginning and end of a period of time in the sense of how long something is going to last

ten past six (6:10) from Monday to/till Friday He is on holiday until Friday. I will be back by 6 oclock. By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages.

by

in the sense of at the latest up to a certain time

Prepositions Place (Position and Direction)

English

Usage room, building, street, town, country book, paper etc. car, taxi picture, world meaning next to, by an object for table for events place where you are to do

Example in the kitchen, in London in the book in the car, in a taxi in the picture, in the world at the door, at the station at the table at a concert, at the party at the cinema, at school, at

in

at

English

Usage something typical (watch a film, study, work)

Example work

on

attached for a place with a river being on a surface for a certain side (left, right) for a floor in a house for public transport for television, radio left or right of somebody or something on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else lower than something else but above ground covered by something else meaning more than getting to the other side (also across) overcoming an obstacle higher than something else, but not directly over it getting to the other side (also over) getting to the other side something with limits on top, bottom and the sides movement to person or building movement to a place or country for bed enter a room / a building

the picture on the wall London lies on the Thames. on the table on the left on the first floor on the bus, on a plane on TV, on the radio Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car. the bag is under the table

by, next to, beside under

below

the fish are below the surface

over

put a jacket over your shirt over 16 years of age walk over the bridge climb over the wall

above

a path above the lake

across

walk across the bridge swim across the lake

through

drive through the tunnel

to

go to the cinema go to London / Ireland go to bed

into

go into the kitchen / the house

English

Usage movement in the direction of something (but not directly to it) movement to the top of something in the sense of where from

Example

towards

go 5 steps towards the house

onto from

jump onto the table a flower from the garden

Other important Prepositions

English

Usage

Example

from of by

who gave it who/what does it belong to what does it show who made it walking or riding on horseback entering a public transport vehicle entering a car / Taxi leaving a public transport vehicle leaving a car / Taxi rise or fall of something travelling (other than walking or horseriding) for age for topics, meaning what about

a present from Jane a page of the book the picture of a palace a book by Mark Twain on foot, on horseback get on the bus get in the car get off the train get out of the taxi prices have risen by 10 percent by car, by bus she learned Russian at 45 we were talking about you

on

in off out of

by

at about