The Ultimate Guide to English Prepositions
Prepositions are used everywhere in English. Unless it is a very short sentence, most sentences have some kind of preposition in them. This is because prepositions are used to add extra information to a sentence.
Many prepositions have more than one meaning and can be used in different situations. Below are definitions and examples that are very common in English. Knowing how to use them is essential for English learners.
35 Prepositions That Every English Learner Must Know How To Use
To
Meaning 1: Expressing motion in the direction of a particular location
Example 1: “We walked to the store together.”
Meaning 2: Used before verbs in certain grammar situations, such as present tense
Example 2: “She began to dance.”
At
Meaning 1: Expresses location
Example 1: “The wedding is being held at the banquet hall.”
Meaning 2: Expresses time
Example 2: “I have class at 8 AM tomorrow.”
From
Meaning: Used to specify a starting point
Example: “He walked home from school.”
With
Meaning 1: To be accompanied by
Example 1: “I went to the store with my dad.”
Meaning 2: To possess something as feature or accompaniment
Example 2: “I wore a scarf with my winter coat.”
Into
Meaning: To go inside of something
Example: “They stepped into the station.”
During
Meaning: Throughout the course or of a period of time
Example: “The dog misbehaved during the training class.”
Until
Meaning: up to a certain the point in time
Example: “I was a very shy person until I began high school.”
Of
Meaning: expressing the relationship between a part and a whole
Example: “A part of the chair was broken.”
In
Meaning 1: To be enclosed or surrounded by something else
Example 1: “The cat was sleeping in a cage.”
Meaning 2: Showing a period of time during which an event takes place
Example 2: “The accident happened in 1975.”
On
Meaning: Physically in contact with and supported by a surface
Example: “The glasses are on the shelf.”
By
Meaning I: Identifying the means of achieving something
Example I: “He won the game by hitting a homerun.”
Meaning 2: Identifying the agent performing an action
Example 2: “That play was written by William Shakespeare.”
About
Meaning: On the subject of
Example: “The movie was about pirates.”
Through
Meaning: Moving from one side to the other side of an opening
Example: “The woman walked through the grocery store aisle.”
Over
Meaning: To be above something; extending directly upward from
Example: “The horse jumped over the fence.”
Before
Meaning: Preceding a particular event, date, or time
Example: “I brushed my teeth before I ate breakfast.”
Between
Meaning: At, into, or across the space separating two objects
Example: “The bank is between the hospital and the corner store.”
After
Meaning: The period of time following an event
Example: “We ate dessert after finishing dinner.”
Without
Meaning: In the absence of
Example: “You cannot drive without a driver’s license.”
Under
Meaning: Directly below or at a lower level than
Example: “The child hid under the table.”
Since
Meaning: Period between the time mentioned and the time under consideration
Example: “She has been upset since she lost the game.”
Across
Meaning: From one side to the other of something, or showing the position of
Example: “They live across the street from me.”
Behind
Meaning: Following or further back than something or someone else
Example: “He stood behind me as we waited on line.”
But (Not to be confused with the conjunction)
Meaning: except, apart from, other than
Example: “Everyone but him was happy about the announcement.”
Up
Meaning: From a lower to a higher point on something
Example: “They climbed up the mountain side.”
Out
Meaning: Through to the outside
Example: “The cat ran out the door.”
Around
Meaning: On every side of, or in or to many places
Example: “We drove around the city.”
Down
Meaning: From a higher to a lower point of something
Example: “He fell down to the floor.”
Off
Meaning: Moving away and down from
Example: “It rolled off of the bed.”
Above
Meaning: In extended space over, or at a higher level or layer than
Example: “The balloon floated above my head.”
For
Meaning: With the object or purpose of
Example: “I bought a scissor for cutting hair.”
Like (Not to be confused with the verb)
Meaning: Having the same characteristics or qualities as; similar to
Example: “The woman looked like a grandmother.”
Among
Meaning: Surrounded by or in the company of something or someone.
Example: “There was one healthy person among the sick patients.”
Toward/s
Meaning: In the direction of someone or something
Example: “He walked toward the entrance of the building.
Within
Meaning: Inside something
Example: “There are many books within the library.”
Along
Meaning: Moving in a constant direction of or extending in a horizontal line
Example: “The car drove along the long road.”
*Some of these definitions were taken from the online Merriam Webster Dictionary.
