Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence. They tell us about time, place, direction, and other relationships.
✅ Prepositions of Time → when something happens
✅ Prepositions of Place → where something is
✅ Prepositions of Movement → where something is going
• I wake up at 7 AM. (time)
• The book is on the table. (place)
• She walked to school. (movement)
• We will meet in July. (time)
• He lives in London. (place)
📝 2. Prepositions of Time: In, On, At
📌 IN - for longer periods
• in the morning / afternoon / evening
• in January / February (months)
• in 2020, in 1999 (years)
• in summer / winter (seasons)
• in the 21st century
• in two weeks (future time)
📌 ON - for specific days and dates
• on Monday, on Tuesday (days)
• on July 4th, on March 15th (dates)
• on my birthday
• on Christmas Day
• on the weekend (US English)
• on Friday morning
📌 AT - for specific times
• at 5 PM, at 8:30 (clock times)
• at noon, at midnight
• at lunchtime, at breakfast
• at the moment, at present
• at night
• at the weekend (UK English)
💡 Memory Trick:
• IN = longer periods (months, years, seasons)
• ON = specific days and dates
• AT = specific clock times
📝 3. Prepositions of Place: In, On, At
📌 IN - inside something (enclosed)
• in the room, in the house, in the building
• in a car, in a taxi, in a helicopter
• in a box, in a bag, in a pocket
• in a city, in a country, in the world
• in the water, in the sky
• in a line, in a row
📌 ON - on a surface
• on the table, on the floor, on the wall
• on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ship
• on a bike, on a horse
• on the left, on the right
• on the first floor
• on the menu, on the list
📌 AT - at a specific point/location
• at the door, at the window
• at the bus stop, at the train station
• at the airport, at the entrance
• at home, at work, at school
• at the doctor's, at the supermarket
• at the top, at the bottom, at the end
💡 Memory Trick:
• IN = inside (3D space)
• ON = on top of (2D surface)
• AT = a specific point (1D point)
📝 4. Prepositions of Movement
📌 Common Movement Prepositions
• to (direction/towards): I go to school.
• into (enter inside): She walked into the room.
• out of (exit from): He came out of the building.
• through (from one side to the other inside): We drove through the tunnel.
• across (from one side to the other on a surface): She swam across the river.
• over (above and to the other side): The cat jumped over the fence.
• under (below and to the other side): The ball rolled under the car.
• up (to a higher position): He went up the stairs.
• down (to a lower position): She walked down the hill.
• around (in a circle): They walked around the park.
• past (beyond): We drove past the museum.
• toward(s) (in the direction of): He ran toward the finish line.
📝 5. Other Common Prepositions
📌 Prepositions of Manner, Accompaniment, etc.
• with (accompaniment): I went with my friend.
• without (lack of): He left without saying goodbye.
• by (means/method): She travels by train.
• for (purpose/duration): This gift is for you. I waited for an hour.
• about (topic): We talked about the movie.
• like (similarity): She looks like her mother.
• of (possession/relation): The color of the sky is blue.
• from (origin): I am from France.
• between (in the middle of two): The park is between the bank and the library.
• among (in the middle of many): She is among friends.
• during (within a period): I fell asleep during the movie.
• except (excluding): Everyone came except John.
💬 6. Examples by Category (100+ Examples)
📌 Prepositions of Time (25 examples)
1. I wake up at 7 AM. 2. We will meet in the morning. 3. She was born in 1995. 4. I have a meeting on Monday. 5. My birthday is in May. 6. He arrived at noon. 7. We go on vacation in summer. 8. I will see you on Friday evening. 9. She studies at night. 10. They got married in 2010. 11. We'll finish in two hours. 12. I go to bed at 10 PM. 13. She works on weekends. 14. He was born on July 4th. 15. We eat breakfast at 8 o'clock. 16. It snows in winter. 17. I have a doctor's appointment at 3 PM. 18. She will arrive on Saturday. 19. We met in September. 20. He left at midnight. 21. She goes to the gym in the evening. 22. We have class on Tuesdays. 23. I will call you at lunchtime. 24. She went to university in 2018. 25. He will return in a moment.
📌 Prepositions of Place (25 examples)
26. The book is on the table. 27. She lives in Paris. 28. I am at home. 29. He is in his room. 30. The picture is on the wall. 31. We met at the station. 32. She sat on the floor. 33. I left my keys in the car. 34. He works at a hospital. 35. The cat is on the roof. 36. She is in the kitchen. 37. I will meet you at the entrance. 38. The restaurant is on Main Street. 39. He lives in a small apartment. 40. She is at school. 41. The pen is on the desk. 42. I put the money in my pocket. 43. We stayed at a nice hotel. 44. The clock is on the wall. 45. She is in the garden. 46. He is at the doctor's office. 47. The coffee cup is on the counter. 48. I live in a big city. 49. She works at a bank. 50. The child is in the bath.
📌 Prepositions of Movement (25 examples)
51. I go to work every day. 52. She walked into the room. 53. He came out of the building. 54. We drove through the tunnel. 55. She swam across the river. 56. The cat jumped over the fence. 57. The ball rolled under the car. 58. He went up the stairs. 59. She walked down the hill. 60. They walked around the park. 61. We drove past the museum. 62. He ran toward the finish line. 63. She fell off the bike. 64. The bird flew over the house. 65. He climbed onto the roof. 66. She stepped off the bus. 67. We moved into a new house. 68. He ran out of the store. 69. The hikers went through the forest. 70. She walked along the beach. 71. He drove across the bridge. 72. The children ran around the playground. 73. She walked past the library. 74. He went into the kitchen. 75. The plane flew above the clouds.
📌 Other Common Prepositions (25 examples)
76. I went with my friend. 77. He left without saying goodbye. 78. She travels by train. 79. This gift is for you. 80. We talked about the movie. 81. She looks like her mother. 82. The color of the sky is blue. 83. I am from France. 84. The park is between the bank and the library. 85. She is among friends. 86. I fell asleep during the movie. 87. Everyone came except John. 88. She waited for an hour. 89. He works for a big company. 90. I agree with you. 91. She is afraid of spiders. 92. He is interested in art. 93. We are proud of you. 94. She is good at math. 95. I am tired of waiting. 96. He is responsible for this. 97. She is married to John. 98. I am sorry about the mistake. 99. He is different from his brother. 100. She is happy with the result.
❌ 7. Common Mistakes
Mistake
Correction
❌ I will meet you in Monday.
✅ I will meet you on Monday.
❌ She is on home.
✅ She is at home.
❌ I live in 123 Main Street.
✅ I live on 123 Main Street. / I live at 123 Main Street.
❌ He arrived in 5 PM.
✅ He arrived at 5 PM.
❌ She walked to the room.
✅ She walked into the room.
⚠️ Important Rules to Remember:
1. Use "at" for specific times, "on" for days/dates, "in" for months/years/seasons.
2. Use "at" for specific points (at the door), "in" for enclosed spaces (in the room), "on" for surfaces (on the table).
3. "Into" indicates movement inside, "to" indicates direction.
4. Many prepositions are fixed with certain verbs and adjectives (memorize common collocations).
✍️ 8. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the correct preposition of time (in, on, at)
1. I wake up ______ 7 AM.
2. We will meet ______ Monday.
3. She was born ______ 1995.
4. He arrived ______ noon.
5. I have a meeting ______ Friday morning.
Exercise 2: Fill in the correct preposition of place (in, on, at)
1. The book is ______ the table.
2. She lives ______ Paris.
3. I am ______ home.
4. He is ______ his room.
5. We met ______ the station.
Exercise 3: Fill in the correct preposition of movement
1. I go ______ work every day.
2. She walked ______ the room.
3. He came ______ the building.
4. We drove ______ the tunnel.
5. She swam ______ the river.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.What is the difference between 'in', 'on', and 'at' for time?▼
Use 'in' for longer periods (months, years, seasons). Use 'on' for specific days and dates. Use 'at' for specific times. Example: in July, on Monday, at 5 PM.
Q2.What is the difference between 'in', 'on', and 'at' for place?▼
Use 'in' for enclosed spaces (in a room, in a car). Use 'on' for surfaces (on the table, on the wall). Use 'at' for specific points (at the bus stop, at the door).
Q3.What is the difference between 'to' and 'into'?▼
'To' indicates direction or destination (I go to school). 'Into' indicates movement inside something (I walked into the room).