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) |
· to / till / until | § marking the beginning and end of a period of time | § from Monday to/till Friday |
· till / until | § in the sense of how long something is going to last | § He is on holiday until Friday. |
· by | § in the sense of at the latest § up to a certain time | § I will be back by 6 o’clock. § By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages. |
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 |