PREPOSITIONS

A/ Definition: Prepositions are shorts words that usually stand infront of nouns (sometimes also infront of gerund verbs).
Prepositions – Time
English
Usage
Example
on
days of the week
• on Monday
in
months / seasons
time of day
year
after a certain period of time (when?)
• in August / in winter
• in the morning
• in 2006
• in an hour
at
for night
for weekend
a certain point of time (when?)
• at night
• at the weekend
• at half past nine
since
from a certain point of time (past till now)
• since 1980
for
over a certain period of time (past till now)
• for 2 years
ago
a certain time in the past
• 2 years ago
before
earlier than a certain point of time
• before 2004
to
telling the time
• ten to six (5:50)
past
telling the time
• ten past six (6:10)
Prepositions – Place (Position and Direction)
English
Usage
Example
in
room, building, street, town, country
book, paper etc.
car, taxi
picture, world
• in the kitchen, in London
• in the book
• in the car, in a taxi
• in the picture, in the world
at
meaning next to, by an object
for table
for events
place where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, work)
• at the door, at the station
• at the table
• at a concert, at the party
• at the cinema, at school, at 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
• 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
by, next to, beside
left or right of somebody or something
• Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car.
under
on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else
• the bag is under the table
below
lower than something else but above ground
• the fish are below the surface
over
covered by something else
meaning more than
getting to the other side (also across)
overcoming an obstacle
• put a jacket over your shirt
• over 16 years of age
• walk over the bridge
• climb over the wall
above
higher than something else, but not directly over it
• a path above the lake
across
getting to the other side (also over)
getting to the other side
• walk across the bridge
• swim across the lake
through
something with limits on top, bottom and the sides
• drive through the tunnel
to
movement to person or building
movement to a place or country
for bed
• go to the cinema
• go to London / Ireland
• go to bed
into
enter a room / a building
• go into the kitchen / the house
towards
movement in the direction of something (but not directly to it)
• go 5 steps towards the house
onto
movement to the top of something
• jump onto the table
from
in the sense of where from
• a flower from the garden
Other important Prepositions
English
Usage
Example
from
who gave it
• a present from Jane
of
who/what does it belong to
what does it show
• a page of the book
• the picture of a palace
by
who made it
• a book by Mark Twain
on
walking or riding on horseback
entering a public transport vehicle
• on foot, on horseback
• get on the bus
in
entering a car  / Taxi
• get in the car
off
leaving a public transport vehicle
• get off the train
out of
leaving a car  / Taxi
• get out of the taxi
by
rise or fall of something
travelling (other than walking or horseriding)
• prices have risen by 10 percent
• by car, by bus
at
for age
• she learned Russian at 45
about
for topics, meaning what about
• we were talking about you


B/ EXERCISES
1/ Complete these sentences with at, on or in.
a. Do you live …in… Manchester?
b. He was …at… the bus stop for half an our.
c. Are the plates …… the cupboard?
d. Look at the example …………… the board.
e. I met my girlfriend …………… a party.
f. Kathy's not here – she's ………. Work at the moment.
g. Are my books ………………….that shelf?
h. My toothbrush isn't ………………the bathroom. Where is it?
i. She usually sits …………… the floor.
j. Is your daughter happy ……………. At school?
k. We had breakfast …………….the garden.
l. There are too many cars ………….the road.
2/ Complete the sentences with at, on or in.
a. College starts …at… 9 o'clock in the morning.
b. I usually go swimming …on… Tuesdays.
c. I got up ……… 7 o'clock this morning.
d. Jim came around ………… Saturday afternoon.
e. The children get too many presents ……….. Chrismas.
f. We usually take our holiday ………… September.
g. They don't go out very often………….the evenings.
h. She was born in Australia ………..1952.
i. I always go and see her ………….her birthday.
j. She phoned up ……..the beginning of the match on TV.
k. They usually come and stay with us ………. The summer holidays.
l. We moved here …………..20th October.
3/ Complete the sentences using to, at or from.
a. Linda works …at.. the post office.
b. Can you come ………….. our party?
c. We arrived ……………… the station half an hour late.
d. I often return ……………… my old hometown.
e. They were tired when they arrived so they caught a taxi ……….the air port……………the hotel.
f. Kathy brought her daughter ………… work with her yesterday.
g. We landed ……………. Athens airport at 5 o'clock in the morning.
h. “How did you get here?” “I caught the train and walked ………….the station”.
i. I landed ……………….. Istanbul airport and caught the train ……………. Istanbul ………….. Ankara.
j. He travelled all night …………Paris and arrived …………….the office here in London at 6:30 in the morning.
4/ Complete the sentences using onto, on or off.
a. Can I sit …on… this chair?
b. I'm going to take the washing ….off…. the line.
c. Be careful. You're going to fall …….. that seat.
d. She dressed and walked out …….. the balcony.
e. We spent the day …….. the beach.
f. The prisoners climbed …….. the roof.
g. Why haven't you got any pictures ………. The wall?
h. He lost control of the car and it went ……. The road.
i. Don't park ……….. the grass.
j. He was very angry and he pushed me ………. my chair.
5/ Complete the sentences with into, in or out of.
a. She's living ….in…. a flat on her own now.
b. Anne suddenly came …into… the room with a letter in her hand.
c. We usually meet ……..our old flat because of the neighbors.
d. The plane took off and flew up ……. the clouds.
e. All my clothes fell …………… my suitcase when I picked it up.
f. They carried the new sofa ……………..the flat.
g. At the end of the working day they all hurry ……….the office.
h. Can you leave your coasts …………. the bedroom?
i. We can't park ………..the hotel car park.
6/ Complete the sentences using to, at, from, onto, on, off, into, in or out off.
a. I got …out of… the bath when the phone rang.
b. I forgot to send a birthday card ……….. Helen yesterday.
c. He was very tired when he got back ………… Australia.
d. We're going to stay …….. a holiday apartment in Spain.
e. We stopped ………….. the traffic lights and the car broke down.
f. He took all the toys ……………the box and left them …………….. the floor.
g. Our friends met us …………..the airport when we arrived ………….Berlin.
h. He felt very hot and so he jumped ……………….the beautiful, clear water.
i. We took our lunch …………..the garden and ate it……………the grass.
j. When I arrived, I carried my heavy bag all the way …………the station …………..the hotel.
k. I arrived ……………..work late this morning.
l. Why did you throw that ball ……….the roof?
m. All the books suddenly fell ……..the shelf.
n. It was a lovely morning so I walked ………..work.