Prepositions

Prepositions of Time (elementary)

Time Prepositions: at, on and in

We use at, on and in to say when something happens. The choice depends on the range of the time expression:

at → a specific point in time
on → a day or date
in → a longer period of time

At = a point in time

Use at for exact times and short, specific moments.

The bus leaves at 10 o'clock.
Come at 5:30.
She isn't here at the moment.
Owls hunt at night.
Common expressions: at noon, at midnight, at sunrise, at bedtime, at Christmas

On = a day or date

Use on with days, dates and special named days.

We play football on Saturdays.
I was born on 4 March.
We meet on New Year's Day.
I got a present on my birthday.
Day + part of the day:
See you on Friday night.
The train arrives on Monday morning.

In = a longer period

Use in with periods that are longer than a day.

Parts of the day:
in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening
Months, seasons and years:
in July, in winter, in 2025
Longer periods:
in the past, in the future, in the 1990s

Important exceptions

We do not use a preposition before: this, last, next and every.

I saw him last week. (not ~~in last week~~)
Are you working this evening?
We meet every Monday.
See you next year.

Other useful differences

In + period of time = after that time from now:
The train leaves in ten minutes.
At night = night in general:
I don't like driving at night.
In the night = during one particular night:
A noise woke me up in the night.
At the beginning/end of = a position in an event:
There is a test at the beginning of the lesson.
In the beginning = at first
In the end = finally
It was difficult in the beginning.
In the end, we chose Spain.
On the weekend = American English
At the weekend = British English

Quick reference

at → exact time / point
at 7 o'clock, at midnight
on → day / date
on Monday, on 5 June
in → longer period
in July, in 2025, in winter

Prepositions of Place – At, On, In

We use at, on and in to say where something or somebody is. Compare them in these examples:

The children are in the classroom.
There is a picture on the wall.
I'll meet you at the bus stop.

A simple rule is:

in → inside a space or a larger area
on → touching a surface
at → a point or a specific place

In = inside

We use in when something is inside a space, an area or a larger place such as a town or a country.

rooms and buildings: in the kitchen, in the bookshop
towns, countries and regions: in the town, in Italy, in the south of England
larger natural areas: swimming in the sea, in the river, dark clouds in the sky
containers: in the bag, the eggs in the fridge

On = touching a surface

We use on when something touches or lies along a surface.

surfaces: a spider on the wall, on the ceiling, on the floor, sitting on the grass, a book on the table
levels and platforms: on the balcony, on the third floor, on the roof
transport: on the bus, on the train, on a bike, on a plane

! but with small, private vehicles, we use in:

in a car, in a taxi

At = a point or specific place

We use at for an exact point or a place where we do a particular activity.

points and meeting places: at the bus stop, at the traffic lights, at the station, at the end of the road
events and activities: at the party, to meet friends at the concert, at the tennis match
somebody's home or a workplace: at Mike's, at the doctor's
fixed places without the: at home, at work, at university

Fixed expressions

Some common phrases do not follow the general rules and are best learned by heart.

in bed, in hospital (British English), in prison
in the picture / in the photograph, in the newspaper
in the world, the best player in the world
on the way home, at the top / at the bottom of the page

Quick reference

in → inside or in an area
in a room, in Spain
on → on a surface
on the table, on the wall
at → a point or specific place
at the station, at home

Common Prepositions – By, With, Behind...

Common Prepositions

English uses many prepositions besides at, on and in. They help us describe place, movement, direction and other relationships such as who we are with, where something comes from, or what something is about.

Prepositions of position

These describe where something is in relation to something else.

between = in the space separating two people or things:
Jack is standing between Carol and Lucy.
among = surrounded by a group or many things:
They disappeared among the crowd.
next to / beside = directly at the side of something or someone:
The bank is next to the supermarket.
Come and sit beside me.
near / close to = not far from something:
My house is near the station.
opposite = facing or directly across from something:
The school is opposite the library.
in front of / behind = before or at the back of something:
The teacher is standing in front of the class.
The car is parked behind the house.
above / below = higher or lower than something:
The jar is on the shelf above the sink.
The temperature fell below zero.
under = below or covered by something:
Are you wearing a sweater under your coat?
inside / outside = within or beyond a space:
Are the cups inside the box?
Leave the bags outside the door.

Prepositions of movement and direction

These describe the path or direction of movement.

through = from one side of something to the other, inside a space:
You must go through the forest to get to the village.
across = from one side to the other over a surface or area:
She walked across the field.
along = following the side or length of something:
We went for a walk along the river.
over = above something or across the top of something:
The plane flew over the Alps.
up / down = towards a higher or lower position:
The monkey climbed up the tree.
Kim fell down the stairs.
around / round = in a circle or surrounding something:
We walked around the lake.
The Earth goes round the Sun.
towards = in the direction of someone or something:
I saw two men coming towards me.
past = moving beside and beyond something:
He walked past me without saying hello.
out of = from inside something to the outside:
Jenna took the key out of her bag.

Other useful prepositions

These show relationships that are not mainly about place.

by = method or transport:
How often do you go by bus?
with / without = together with someone or not having something:
I went there with Ann.
I went out without my husband.
for = the person who receives something or the purpose:
This present is for you.
from = origin or starting point:
She comes from Texas.
about = topic or subject:
Ted doesn't know anything about computers.
of = belonging or connection:
What is the name of the book?
than = comparison:
He's taller than me.
except = excluding something:
The shop is open every day except Sundays.
instead of = replacing something:
You should do your homework instead of watching TV.

Prepositions with events and time

Some prepositions show the relationship between an action and an event.

during = throughout a period of time:
We didn't eat during the film.
before / after = earlier or later than something:
I'm always nervous before exams.
Sam was tired after the football match.
behind = later than planned when talking about schedules:
The bus is ten minutes behind schedule.

Quick reference

Position:
next to, near, between, opposite, above, under, inside
Movement:
through, across, along, towards, past, out of
Relations:
with, without, for, from, about, of
Time/events:
before, after, during, behind schedule

Verb + Preposition (elementary)

Verb + preposition

Many English verbs are followed by a fixed preposition. The preposition is part of the verb's meaning, so learn the whole phrase together.

The preposition in English often does not match the one used in your own language, so avoid translating word for word.

I listen to music.
(not listen music)
I'm waiting for the bus.
(not waiting the bus)
We are talking about the problem.

Common examples

→ Verb + preposition + object.

look at = direct your eyes towards something
Look at me.
listen to = pay attention to sounds
Do you listen to the radio?
wait for = stay until somebody/something comes
Don't wait for us.
talk / speak to = communicate with somebody
Are you talking to me?
I need to speak to the manager.
talk / speak / write about = give information about a topic
They are talking about their school.
She wrote about her life.
laugh at = make fun of somebody
Why are you laughing at her?
believe in = think something exists or is true
Do you believe in ghosts?
depend on = be affected by something
It depends on many things.
agree with = have the same opinion as somebody
She doesn't agree with us.
worry about = feel nervous about something
Don't worry about it.
pay for = give money for something
She paid for the dress.
belong to = be owned by somebody
This car belongs to my son.

Watch out for think, it can be used with different prepositions and have different meaning:

think about = consider something
I'm thinking about buying a new bike.
think of = have an opinion about something
What do you think of our teacher?

Be careful: some common verbs don't use prepositions and go directly before a person or thing.

I phoned him.
Call me later.
Thank you for helping me.
Tell me about it.
Ask her.

Other patterns

→ Verb + something/somebody + preposition + something/somebody:

explain something to somebody
Could you explain it to us?
introduce somebody to somebody
Can I introduce you to my wife?
ask somebody about something
He asked me about my studies.
ask somebody for something (= request something)
I'll ask you for help.

Quick reference

Learn the whole phrase:
listen to, wait for, talk about
Do not translate directly from your language.
Some verbs need no preposition:
call somebody, phone somebody, thank somebody

Adjective + Preposition (advanced)

Adjective + preposition

Many adjectives are normally followed by a particular preposition. As with verbs, there are no reliable rules, so it is best to learn the adjective and its preposition together.

Advanced examples

At higher levels, adjective + preposition combinations are common in formal, academic and professional English.

popular with = liked by a group of people
This music is popular with teenagers.
averse to = strongly against something
She is averse to taking unnecessary risks.
oblivious to = not aware of something
He was oblivious to the danger around him.
conducive to = helping something happen or develop
A quiet room is conducive to concentration.
tantamount to = to be almost the same as something (usually negative)
His silence was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
bereft of = completely without something important
The village was bereft of young people.
commensurate with = matching a level, amount or quality
The salary should be commensurate with your experience.
contingent on = depending on something happening first
The agreement is contingent on approval from the board.
replete with = full of something
The report is replete with useful examples.
impervious to = not affected by something
He seems impervious to criticism.
predicated on = based on something
The theory is predicated on one main assumption.
deficient in = lacking enough of something
The diet is deficient in vitamins.
compatible with = able to work together with something
This software is compatible with most devices.
incumbent upon somebody to do something = somebody's duty to do something
It is incumbent upon managers to act responsibly.
devoid of = completely without something
The speech was devoid of emotion.
synonymous with = being very alike something
The brand is synonymous with luxury.
susceptible to = easily affected or harmed by something
Young plants are susceptible to frost.
immune to = not affected by something
She seems immune to criticism.
prone to = likely to do something or act a certain way
He is prone to exaggeration.
notorious for = famous for something bad
The city is notorious for traffic problems.
adept at = very skilled at something
She is adept at solving problems quickly.
intent on = determined to do something
He seems intent on changing the system.
wary of = careful because something may be dangerous
Investors are wary of unrealistic promises.
fraught with = full of problems or difficulties
The negotiations were fraught with problems.
exempt from = officially not required to do something
Some organisations are exempt from this tax.
reminiscent of = reminding you of something
The song is reminiscent of old folk music.
resistant to = not affected or damaged by something
Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.
receptive to = willing to accept or consider something
The manager was receptive to new ideas.
steeped in = full of a tradition, history or atmosphere
The town is steeped in history.
engrossed in = giving all your attention to something
She was engrossed in her book.

Other useful advanced expressions

responsible for = having control or duty for something
The manager is responsible for the final decision.
capable of = having the ability to do something
She is capable of handling difficult situations.
aware of = knowing about something
Everyone should be aware of the risks.
subject to = affected by a rule, condition or change
The prices are subject to change.
equivalent to = equal or similar in value or meaning
This certificate is equivalent to a qualification.
essential to = extremely important for something
Sleep is essential to good health.
relevant to = connected with a topic or situation
Please include information relevant to the case.
beneficial to = having a positive effect on something
Exercise is beneficial to mental health.
vulnerable to = easily harmed or influenced
Children are vulnerable to online dangers.
dependent on = needing something for support
The result is dependent on several factors.

Noun + Preposition (advanced)

Noun + preposition

Many nouns are normally followed by a particular preposition. There are no reliable rules for choosing the preposition, so it is best to learn the noun + preposition combination together.

Advanced examples

At higher levels, many noun + preposition combinations are used in formal, academic and professional English.

aptitude for = a natural ability or talent for something
She has a natural aptitude for languages.
allusion to = an indirect reference to something
The poem contains an allusion to a Greek myth.
prerequisite for = something needed before something else can happen
A university degree is a prerequisite for this job.
aversion to = a strong dislike of something
He has a strong aversion to conflict.
insight into = a deeper understanding of something
The documentary offers an insight into prison life.
disregard for = a lack of respect or attention for something
He showed complete disregard for the rules.
quest for = a search for something important
Science is driven by the quest for knowledge.
deterrent to = something that prevents or discourages an action
Longer sentences may act as a deterrent to crime.
penchant for = a strong liking or tendency towards something
He has a penchant for expensive cars.
testament to = something that shows or proves a quality or achievement
The cathedral is a testament to his genius.
antidote to = something that helps reduce or remove a negative effect
Laughter can be an antidote to stress.
constraints on = limits or restrictions on something
There are severe financial constraints on the project.
bearing on = relevance or connection to something
This evidence has no bearing on the case.
monopoly on = complete control over something
No one has a monopoly on the truth.
rapport with = a good relationship or understanding with someone
She has an excellent rapport with her students.
reliance on = dependence on something
We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
onus on = responsibility or duty placed on someone
The onus is on the employer to prove it.
premium on = great importance or value given to something
They place a high premium on honesty.
curb on = a limit or restriction on something
The new policy puts a curb on public spending.
affinity for = a natural liking or connection with something
She has always had an affinity for animals.
access to = the possibility or right to use something
Everyone should have access to education.
contribution to = something that helps achieve a result
His research made an important contribution to science.