What is Preposition? Examples, Types, Uses, & Worksheet

What is a Preposition?

A preposition is a part of speech in English grammar. They are essential function words that establish relationships between other words in a sentence, typically showing relationships related to time, place, direction, cause, manner, and possession. It is a short word that connects a noun, pronouns, or phrase, with other parts of a sentence. According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, prepositions are a group of words such as in, from, on behalf of, or to, that are placed in a sentence before a noun, or pronoun.

For Example:

• The book is on the table.
• She arrived after the meeting.
• We walked through the park.

In each of these examples, the preposition is used to show the relationship between the noun and other elements in the sentence.

Uses of Prepositions

Prepositions are mostly used to explain some key characteristics of some vital functions when used in sentences. In short, these words indicate the relationship between other words in lines. The following details will help you understand the use of prepositions with examples so move ahead and read.

• To express the time, these words can be used to indicate something happened for example, before and after.
• They are used to indicate where something is. For example, at, in, or on.
• To indicate directions or movements these words can be used. For instance, toward and into.
• They are used to indicate the reason or objective behind the action. For example, versus, apart from, instead of, and since.

Examples of Prepositions

Examples of prepositions can be found in the last part of the sentence but before a noun or a pronoun. Let's take a look below for the sentences along with suitable examples.

• I will be going to the park in the morning.
• She placed the spoons on the dining table.
• Roni found the cat hiding under the bed.
• Will you be with Reena or Teena?
• I love sitting on the river at  night
• Suchi met Phoebe by the lake.
• Harry stood opposite Alisa.
• The grocery store is right in front of the station.
• My sister climbed onto the roof.
• It feels great to sit beneath the mango tree.

Hopefully, examples of prepositions helped you understand the concept via the sentences.

Types of Prepositions

Based on the different functions, preposition words are divided into four parts. You can understand the types of prepositions in English from the following information.

Prepositions of Time

The prepositions of time denote the time when something happens or a particular action takes place. Some common examples are at, on, in, before, and after. A close view you can get from the following information for the time prepositions.

• We will be meeting on Monday
• The theatre will be closed from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Can you come after a little break?
• She has been asked to work from home until the end of June.
• The whole town was asked to stay at home during the COVID pandemic to ensure safety and security from the virus.
• Family members often argue with each other at Christmas time.

The above examples are about the prepositions of time, hopefully, you have understood them all.

Prepositions of Place

The prepositions of place indicate the position or location to denote the time. From the following examples with sentences, you can understand them better.

• I have kept the notebook I borrowed from Tarun on the table.
• Henry hid behind the door.
• The dog jumped over the fence.
• Can you place the marigold flowers in between the white lilies?
• He was waiting in front of the EB office.

These were the sentences about the prepositions of place with suitable examples.

Prepositions of Direction

The prepositions of direction can be used to show the direction where something is happening or moving. Let's take an example via sentences to get a clear review.

• Nigel ran toward his mother the moment he saw her.
• Jerry jumped into the river to help his sister.
• Veena passed the book to Priya.
• When will Salvia be returning from London?
• Neena lives across the street.

The above sentences were about the prepositions of direction. Hopefully, you have understood them with suitable examples.

Prepositions of Location

To denote the location and pin a particular object, the prepositions of location can be used. Take a quick look at the below examples for a better understanding.

• Tim would be staying at his cousin’s place for the weekend.
• Make sure you keep the toy car back in its place after you play.
• I lay on the floor for a long time.
• She placed the plates on the dining table.
• I love sitting on the beach at night.

Now, that you know the prepositions of location with suitable examples and understand how to use them in sentences.

Also read: Adjectives

List of Most Popular Prepositions for Everyday Communication

There are over 100 different types of prepositions, some are more commonly used than others. The following table covers sentences with prepositions which are most common in daily use communication. Take a look below for the extensive list of preposition words that you can also make use of regularly.

These were the list of prepositions that are common and popular for daily communication life.

Commonly Confused Prepositions

Till now, you have understood what is a preposition and read its types with examples. However, many confusing prepositions in the English language make you confused when you use them in communication. For instance, in, on, at, to, and form. Similar to this, many preposition words can be used at various places in different sentences. Some examples are given in sentences with prepositions which are most confusing.

Both the tables denote prepositions for time with different examples.

Multi Words Prepositions

Multi-word prepositions are combinations of different words which is also known as complex, two-word, or three-word prepositions. It consists of two or more words that work together to show relationships between different parts of a sentence, just like a single word, for example- in, on, at. Some common examples of it is according to, in front of, and on the behalf of.

Here are some sentences that indicate a relationship with complex prepositions.

• According to the investigation officer, the murderer shot him thrice.
• My father had to retire because of his cancer disease.
• I could not perform well in my exam due to my leg injury.
• I ordered a cold drink instead of ice cream.
• The girl on the train was sitting next to me.
• Aside from some small mistakes, your score was fine.
• In addition to financial expenses, you have to focus on other issues.
• The driver stopped the bus in front of the school gate.
• He could not attend the birthday party on account of his age.
• There is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi on top of the building.

The above list shows examples of multi-word prepositions with sentences.

Also read: Idioms in English

Preposition Quiz / Worksheet

From the following exercises, you can get a greater understanding of the prepositions. Also, this will be helpful to know how exactly these words work. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions and enter the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The ball was _______ the boy.

a) About

b) For

c) After

d) Considering

Answer: The ball was for the boy.

2. We are going on a trip _______ May.

a) On

b) At

c) In

d) Since

Answer: We are going on a trip in May.

3. Please put the pen ________ the desk.

a) In

b) On

c) For

d) Over

Answer: Please put the pen on the desk.

4. I received a surprise gift ________ Lily.

a) From

b) Of

c) By

d) About

Answer: I received a surprise gift from Lily.

5. School prayer begins ________ the morning.

a) In

b) On

c) From

d) Since

Answer: School prayer begins in the morning.

6. My brother lives in the apartment _____.

a) Around

b) Upstairs

c) Over

d) Above

Answer: My brother lives in the apartment above.

7. There is no difference ______  the sea and the ocean.

a) To

b) Between

c) Among

d) With

Answer: There is no difference between the sea and the ocean.

8. She went _____ the market for fresh vegetables last morning.

a) To

b) In

c) For

d) Over

Answer: She went to the market for fresh vegetables last morning.

9. The quarrel happened ______ two boys.

a) Between

b) Among

c) For

d) In

Answer: The quarrel happened between two boys.

10. Samuel found a frog _____ the garden.

a) Inside

b) In

c) On

d) Above

Answer: Samuel found a frog inside the garden.

Also Read: 

• What is Past Tense?
• What is Future Tense

Conclusion

To conclude, we discussed prepositions, their definitions, examples, types, and examples. Besides, now you are completely aware of the multi-words, and popular prepositions. Hopefully, the above information was beneficial for you and gave you a clear view of the use of prepositions. In the last, there is an exercise for learners to solve and provide suitable answers. In English grammar, this topic is important so to gain more knowledge read the blog on verbs, tenses, proverbs, and degrees of comparison, for better understanding.

FAQs

What Are 8 Different Types of Prepositions?

The 8 types of prepositions are: prepositions of measure, time, place, movement, manner, source, instrument, and possession.

What Are the 20 Most Common Prepositions?

The following are the most common prepositions in English: In, On, At, By, Under, Over, Across, Through, Above, Below, Between, Among, Behind, In front of, Beside, Inside, Outside, Near, Far, Against.

What Are 10 Examples of Prepositions in Sentences?

Here are the 10 examples of prepositions in sentences

1. The book is on the table.
2. I am from India.
3. He arrived after the movie started.
4. She drove over the bridge.
5. We walked around the river.
6. He is looking for his keys.
7. She is beneath the tree.
8. The dog jumped onto the chair.
9. The cat ran between the trees.
10. The helicopter flew above the clouds.

What Is a Preposition and Five Examples?

A preposition is a group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or phrase to indicate direction, time, place, movement, location, and special relationship between the sentences. Some common examples of prepositions are in, at, on, of, and to.

Where Do Prepositions Come in a Sentence?

A prepositions come before a noun and a pronoun in a sentence. For example, They played cricket for two hours.