Common English Prepositions and Their Usage: Tips for Daily Communication


Introduction 📚

Prepositions are small but mighty words that show relationships between different parts of a sentence. Let’s explore how to use them correctly in everyday English!

Basic Prepositions 🔤

Location Prepositions

  • in (inside something)
  • on (on top of something)
  • at (specific point)
  • under (below something)
  • over (above something)
  • between (in the middle of two things)
  • among (in a group of things)

Time Prepositions

  • at (specific time)
  • in (months, years, seasons)
  • on (days, dates)
  • during (throughout an event)
  • before (earlier than)
  • after (later than)
  • since (from a point in time)

Common Expressions 🗣️

Location Examples

“The book is on the table.”

“She’s waiting at the bus stop.”

“The cat is under the chair.”

Time Examples

“Let’s meet at 3 o’clock.”

“I’ll see you in December.”

“The party is on Friday.”

Conversation Examples 💭

At a Restaurant

A: “Where would you like to sit?”

B: “By the window, please.”

A: “The menu is on the table.”

Making Plans

A: “When should we meet?”

B: “At noon would be perfect.”

A: “I’ll wait for you in front of the station.”

Grammar Points ✏️

Prepositions with Places

  1. at + specific point Example: “at home,” “at school,” “at work”

  2. in + enclosed space Example: “in the room,” “in the car,” “in bed”

  3. on + surface Example: “on the floor,” “on the wall,” “on the ceiling”

Common Mistakes ❌

Incorrect: “I will arrive to the party at 7.” Correct: “I will arrive at the party at 7.”

Incorrect: “She is married with John.” Correct: “She is married to John.”

Movement Prepositions 🚶

Basic Movement

  • to (toward something)
  • from (away from something)
  • through (passing inside something)
  • across (from one side to another)
  • along (following a line)

Example Sentences

“She walked to the store.”

“The train travels through the tunnel.”

“We drove across the bridge.”

Preposition Combinations 🎯

Common Verb + Preposition

  • look at
  • wait for
  • listen to
  • think about
  • worry about
  • care for

Common Adjective + Preposition

  • afraid of
  • interested in
  • excited about
  • good at
  • different from
  • similar to

Time Expressions ⏰

Specific Times

  • at night
  • in the morning
  • in the evening
  • at dawn
  • at dusk
  • at midnight

Longer Periods

  • in summer
  • in 2024
  • in the past
  • during the meeting
  • throughout the day

Practice Dialogs 🎭

At the Office

A: “Where’s the meeting?”

B: “In the conference room.”

A: “When does it start?”

B: “At 2 PM.”

Giving Directions

A: “How do I get to the library?”

B: “Walk along this street.”

A: “Is it far?”

B: “It’s across from the park.”

Summary 📝

Key Points to Remember

  1. Choose the right preposition for location
  2. Use correct time prepositions
  3. Learn common combinations
  4. Practice with everyday situations

Remember that prepositions can be tricky, but with practice, you’ll get better at using them naturally in conversation!

Important Rules

  1. Some verbs always need specific prepositions
  2. Time and place have different preposition rules
  3. Movement uses its own set of prepositions

Keep practicing these prepositions in your daily conversations, and soon they’ll become natural!




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