Prepositions are small words, but they carry great importance in English grammar. They connect nouns and pronouns to other parts of a sentence and show relationships of time, place, movement, cause, manner, and purpose. Without prepositions, sentences would sound incomplete or confusing.
Even advanced learners sometimes struggle with choosing the correct preposition because usage often depends on patterns rather than simple logic. Many verbs, adjectives, and nouns require specific prepositions, and these combinations must be learned carefully.
Mastering appropriate prepositions from A to Z helps learners speak and write more accurately.
This guide provides a clear explanation of definitions, structure, categories, usage rules, common mistakes, exercises, and advanced points.
With systematic practice and clear examples, you can gain confidence and improve fluency step by step.
2. Definition and Function of Prepositions
A preposition is a word placed before a noun, pronoun, or gerund to show its relationship to another word in a sentence. It usually answers questions such as where, when, how, why, or in what way. Prepositions form prepositional phrases, which include the preposition and its object.
Structure:
Preposition + Object
Examples:
in the room
after lunch
by studying
The object of a preposition can be:
- A noun: under the table
- A pronoun: with her
- A gerund: before leaving
Prepositions function as connectors. They help describe location, direction, time, cause, and possession. Without them, meaning becomes unclear.
3. Structure of Prepositional Phrases
3.1 Basic Structure
The most common pattern is simple and predictable: a preposition followed by a noun phrase.
Examples: in the house, at school, under the bridge.
The object cannot usually be removed because it completes the meaning.
3.2 Prepositional Phrases as Adjectives
When a prepositional phrase describes a noun, it functions as an adjective.
Example:
The book on the shelf is new.
Here, “on the shelf” describes the noun “book.”
3.3 Prepositional Phrases as Adverbs
When the phrase describes a verb, adjective, or adverb, it functions as an adverb.
Examples:
She arrived at noon.
He spoke with confidence.
3.4 Position in Sentences
Prepositional phrases may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
At night, the streets are quiet.
The keys are on the desk.
She walked through the park.
In informal English, prepositions may appear at the end of questions:
Who are you talking to?
4. Types and Categories of Prepositions
4.1 Prepositions of Time
These show when something happens.
Examples:
at 6 p.m.
on Tuesday
in July
during the meeting
since 2020
for two hours
4.2 Prepositions of Place
These describe location.
Examples:
above the door
below the surface
between two houses
among friends
behind the car
near the station
4.3 Prepositions of Movement
These show direction or motion.
Examples:
to the office
into the room
onto the stage
through the tunnel
across the road
past the building
4.4 Prepositions of Cause and Purpose
These explain reason or intention.
Examples:
for you
because of rain
due to traffic
with care
from fear
4.5 Compound Prepositions
These are multi-word expressions.
Examples:
in front of
because of
instead of
according to
in spite of
5. Appropriate Prepositions from A to Z
About—We talked about the lesson.
Above—The fan is above the bed.
Across—She ran across the field.
After—They met after class.
Against—The chair is against the wall.
Along—He walked along the river.
Among—She was happy among friends.
Around—We sat around the table.
At—The train arrives at noon.
Before—Finish before Friday.
Behind—The dog hid behind the tree.
Below – Temperatures fell below zero.
Beneath—The keys were beneath the sofa.
Beside—She stood beside her brother.
Between—The school is between two shops.
Beyond—The forest lies beyond the hills.
By—The book was written by her.
Concerning—We spoke concerning your plan.
Despite the noise, he slept.
Down—He ran down the stairs.
During—she read during the break.
Except—everyone came except Anna.
For—This letter is for you.
From—She is from Canada.
In—The phone is in my bag.
Inside—Stay inside the house.
Into—He jumped into the pool.
Like—she dances like a professional.
Near—The hotel is near the beach.
Of—The roof of the house is red.
Off—The cat fell off the table.
On—The book is on the desk.
Onto—She climbed onto the roof.
Opposite—The bank is opposite the school.
Out—He walked out the door.
Outside—They waited outside the office.
Over—The plane flew over the city.
Past—She walked past the park.
Through—We drove through the tunnel.
Under—The shoes are under the bed.
Until—wait until tomorrow.
With—She spoke with confidence.
Within—Finish within an hour.
Without—He left without saying goodbye.
Appropriate Prepositions from A to Z
6. Prepositional Collocations
6.1 Verb + Preposition
depend on
belong to
listen to
apply for
apologize for
suffer from
focus on
agree with
care about
believe in
Examples:
She depends on her parents.
He apologized for the delay.
They agree with the decision.
6.2 Adjective + Preposition
afraid of
interested in
good at
proud of
responsible for
different from
Examples:
She is interested in music.
He is good at mathematics.
7. Usage Rules and Nuances
7.1 At, On, In for Time
Use at for exact times:
at 5 o’clock
at midnight
Use on for days and dates:
on Monday
on 12 May
Use it for months, years, or centuries:
in June
in 2022
in the 19th century
7.2 At, On, In for Place
“At” refers to a specific point:
at the bus stop
“On” refers to a surface:
on the wall
“In” refers to an enclosed space:
in the room
7.3 Between vs Among
“Between” is usually for two items:
between the two houses
Among is used for more than two:
among students
“Between” can also describe multiple separate relationships:
talks between five countries
7.4 In vs Into
In shows position:
She is in the car.
Into shows movement:
She got into the car.
8. Common Mistakes
Incorrect: Married with her
Correct: Married to her
Incorrect: Discuss about the problem
Correct: Discuss the problem
Incorrect: Arrived to school
Correct: Arrived at school
Incorrect: Good in English
Correct: Good at English
Incorrect: Explain me
Correct: Explain to me
Incorrect: Emphasize on
Correct: Emphasize
Incorrect: Different than
Correct: Different from
Incorrect: Enter into the room
Correct: Enter the room
9. Practice Exercises
9.1 Exercise 1: Fill in the Correct Preposition
- She is afraid of spiders.
- He jumped ___ the water.
- We arrived ___ the station early.
- She insisted ___ paying.
- The keys are ___ the drawer.
- He apologized ___ the mistake.
- The cat ran ___ the road.
- The meeting is ___ Monday.
- She suffered from a cold.
- They walked ___ the bridge.
9.2 Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Option
- She divided the cake between the two children.
- He depends on his brother.
- The bird flew over the house.
- She has lived here since 2018.
- They walked into the room.
- She is interested in science.
- The train arrived at noon.
- He is married to her.
- The store is open on Sundays.
- We talked about the project.
9.3 Answer
Exercise 1: of, into, at, on, in, for, across, on, from, across.
Exercise 2: between, on, over, since, into, in, at, to, on, about.
10. More Important Topics
10.1 Preposition Stranding
In everyday English, prepositions often appear at the end of questions or relative clauses.
Who are you waiting for?
That is the person I was talking about.
In formal writing, the preposition may come before the relative pronoun.
To whom were you speaking?
The colleague about whom I wrote responded quickly.
10.2 Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs combine verbs with prepositions or particles, and the meaning often changes.
look after—take care of
give up—stop trying
run into—meet unexpectedly
put off – postpone
These expressions must be memorized because their meanings are not always literal.
10.3 Prepositions in Passive Constructions
Prepositions remain in passive voice when required.
The bed was slept in.
The issue was dealt with carefully.
11. FAQs about Appropriate Prepositions from A to Z
11.1 Why are prepositions difficult?
They are often idiomatic and differ from patterns in other languages.
11.2 Can one verb take different prepositions?
Yes. “Look at,” “look for,” and “look after” all have different meanings.
11.3 Is it wrong to end a sentence with a preposition?
No. It is acceptable in modern English, especially in speech.
11.4 Are prepositions always followed by nouns?
Usually yes, but they can also be followed by gerunds.
11.5 What are compound prepositions?
They are multi-word forms such as “because of” and “in front of.”
11.6 How can I improve my preposition use?
Read widely, practice collocations, and review common errors.
11.7 Why does discuss not take a preposition?
Because it is a transitive verb and directly takes an object.
11.8 What is a prepositional phrase?
It is a group of words containing a preposition and its object.
12. Conclusion
Appropriate prepositions from A to Z play a central role in clear and accurate English communication. Although they are short words, their usage requires careful attention to structure, collocation, and context.
By learning categories, studying examples, practicing exercises, and understanding common mistakes, learners can greatly improve their grammatical precision. Progress may be gradual, but consistent practice leads to natural and confident usage.
With time and exposure, selecting the correct preposition becomes intuitive, allowing you to express ideas clearly in both spoken and written English.