Prepositions in English Grammar: All Rules, Types & easy Examples

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to indicate its relation to another word in the sentence. Learning about Prepositions in English Grammar is vital because they clarify relationships in sentences, improve communication, and strengthen grammar skills. Prepositions link nouns to other words, showing place, time, direction, and relationships.

Examples:

• The book is on the table.
• She lives in Mumbai.
• The cat jumped upon the chair.

Prepositions + Noun Phrase = Prepositional Phrase Example: in the classroom, on the playground, at the door.

List of Common Prepositions

Here are some frequently used prepositions:

• Place/Direction: at, in, on, into, upon, beside, near, between, among, across, along, under, over, behind, through
• Time: at, in, on, during, till, until, before, after
• Cause/Relation: by, with, about, for, of, from, without

Usage of Prepositions with Examples

1. At

• Used with small towns/villages.
• Used for points of time.

Examples:

• We live at Krishnapur.
• There is somebody at the door.

2. In

• Used with big cities, states, countries.
• Used with months and years.

Examples:

• My friend was born in Srinagar.
• It starts raining in July.

3. On

• Used with days and dates.
• Used for surfaces.

Examples:

• The exam is on 24th March.
• My friends are sitting on the grass.

4. In vs Into

• In = rest inside something.
• Into = motion towards the inside.

Examples:

• Students are sitting in the classroom.
• The ball fell into the well.

5. On vs Upon

• On = position on a surface.
• Upon = motion towards a surface.

Examples:

• The notebook is on the table.
• The cat jumped upon the table.

6. Between vs Among

• Between = two persons/things.
• Among = more than two persons/things.

Examples:

• The ball went between the player’s legs.
• Distribute the chocolates among the children.

Exercises on Prepositions

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

1. My mother is ______ the village.
2. Look at the children swimming ______ the sea.
3. There is a label ______ the packet.
4. It is dangerous for children to play ______ the street.
5. Distribute the sweets ______ Ravi and Mina.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct preposition

1. He was born (in/on/at) 1995.
2. The cat jumped (on/upon) the chair.
3. She lives (in/at) Delhi.
4. The ball fell (in/into) the pond.
5. The meeting is (on/in) Monday.

Exercise 3: Identify the prepositional phrase

1. The boy is sitting on the bench.
2. She walked through the forest.
3. The book is on the shelf.
4. He is waiting at the station.
5. The dog ran into the house.

Exercise 4: Correct the sentence

1. He was born at Mumbai.
2. The ball went among the two players.
3. The exam is in 24th March.
4. She jumped on the table suddenly.
5. We live in Krishnapur village.

Exercise 5: Match the prepositions

Match the prepositions with their correct usage:

• At → Small towns, points of time
• In → Big cities, months, years
• On → Days, dates, surfaces
• Between → Two persons/things
• Among → More than two persons/things

Answer Sheet

Exercise 1

1. in
2. in
3. on
4. on
5. between

Exercise 2

1. in
2. upon
3. in
4. into
5. on

Exercise 3

1. on the bench
2. through the forest
3. on the shelf
4. at the station
5. into the house

Exercise 4

1. He was born in Mumbai.
2. The ball went between the two players.
3. The exam is on 24th March.
4. She jumped upon the table suddenly.
5. We live at Krishnapur village.

Exercise 5

• At → Small towns, points of time
• In → Big cities, months, years
• On → Days, dates, surfaces
• Between → Two persons/things
• Among → More than two persons/things

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”

-by Willie Nelson