English | Grammar | prepositions

A preposition describes a relationship or association - it’s a link from a noun or pronoun (person or object) with another group of words

Types of preposition

Prepositions can describe:

• time (in, on, at,...)
• movement (across, along, through, out of, ...)
• direction (in, into, onto, towards, through, off, ...)
• place (above, on top of, on, under, below, underneath, beneath, behind, in front of, between, beside, next to, near, close to, close by, in, inside, within, into, out, outside, out of, ...)
• agent [verb preposition noun](with, by, ...)
• Instrument (with, by, with the help of ...)
...

context examples

at | place / time
at the tree, working at the hospital, sitting at the table
at five o’clock
dog is barking at a postman
knocking at my door
at the bus stop (location)

before | time
best before
sometimes you should think before you talk

after | time
after midnight, the day starts again
most shops are closed after 8 p.m.
day after day

in | place / movement / time
 just in time (time)
 Come in! (place)
 Do you believe in love? (phrasal verbs)
 say it in English (modal preposition)
 there are further lessons in the afternoon (time)
 there are just a few lessons in February (month)
 the solar eclipse was in 2015 (year)
 in the 2010s (decade)
 in the 21th century (century)
 I live in Vancouver (city, state, country)

inside | place
 they are inside the house

outside | place
 it’s raining heavily outside

in front of | place
 she is speaking in front of the building

on | describe a position or target
 the cards are on the table
 they are counting on you
 We will see each other on Tuesday (day)/November 23th(date).

behind | place
 the secret door is located behind the shelf

under | place / time
 there is some space reserved for bicycles under the roof
 they could make in under 5 minutes

into | place
 the train is pulling into the station

onto | movement towards a position on a surface
 the cookies were moved onto the plate

toward^AE, towards^BE | place
 we are heading toward the city

for
 toast for
 aim for
 look for

to
 reply to

above | place, level
 above their expectations
 above zero

below | place, level
 below the mark

with | additional person, things of every kind
 with great emotions
 with you

Collection of some further prepositions

about, up, down, as, like, from, between, since, during, by, besides, beside, through, amid, around, among, across, despite, round, opposite, except, astride, than, till, via, beneath, over, past, in to, on to,...