Preposition Rules and Usage with Examples

The common run of prepositions usually establishes a space or time relationship between ideas within a phrase, clause, or sentence, and they can be divided into five groups.

The prepositions of place and location: “in”, “at”, and “on”.
The prepositions of motion: “to”, “toward”, “in”, and “into”.
The prepositions of movement and direction: “to”, “onto”, and “into”.
The prepositions for specific points of time: “on”, “at”, “in”, and “after”.
The prepositions for periods or extended time” “since”, “for”, “by”, “from…to”, “from…until”, “before”, “during”, “within”, “between” and “beyond”.

Rules for usage

Prepositions that establish relationships in space.

The prepositions “in”, “at”, and “on” for indicating place and location. The general rule is to use “in” for an enclosed space, “at” for a point, and “on” for a surface.

Here are some specific guidelines for their use in English.

Use “in” for spaces

For example,

They always meet in a secret room (in a suburban hotel, in a parking lot, in a farm, in a rice field).

Use “in” for names of specific land areas.

For example,

She lives in Prague (in Rome in Southern Area, in Northern Area, in the Phillippines, in Southeast Asia).

Use “in” for bodies of water.

That kind of fish thrives in freshwater (in the river, in the lake, in streams, in the sea).

Use “in” for lines

For example,

The registrants are in a row (in a line, in a queue).

Use “at” to indicate points.

For example,

You will find us at the entrance (at the taxi stand, at the supermarket, at the intersection).

Use “at” for specific addresses.

For example,

She live at Frydek-Mistek.

Use “on” for names of streets, roads, avenues, and boulevards.

For example,

His apartment is on 6-Avenue Street (on Ortigas Avenue, on Santolan Road, on Roxas Boulevard).

Use “on” for surfaces.

For example,

There is a large stain on the floor (on the wall, on the ceiling, on the roof).

Usage and examples of prepositions “in”, “at”, and “on” for indicating the location.

Use “in” in these cases.

For example,

The children are in the kitchen (in the garden, in the car, in the library, in the class, in school).

Use “at” in for small places.

For example,

She was at home (at the library, at the office, at school, at work), when we arrived.

Use “on” in these particular cases.

For example,

They are on the place (on the train, on the boat).

Some locations, though, don’t need a preposition between them and the verb. For example, They sleep downstairs. (inside, outside, downtown, upstairs, uptown).

Some common prepositional usage

A preposition may be defined as connecting word showing the relation of a noun or a noun substitute to some other word in the sentence (the squirrel in the tree, the preposition in shows the relationship between the squirrel and the tree.)

Over ninety percent of preposition usage involves these nine prepositions

With
At
By
To
In
For
From
Of
On

Prepositions cause problems because sometimes they can be used interchangeably.

For example, He sat on the chair (He sat in the chair).

Because prepositions are often combined with verbs to create phrasal verbs (to look after someone, to look down on someone), and because a single preposition can be used to express several different ideas.

Examples

He is tall for his age.
I swam for an hour.

Uses of Common Prepositions

Prepositions are used to express a number of relationships, including time, location, manner, means, quantity, purpose, and state or condition. The following outline demonstrates the uses of common prepositions.

Preposition of Time Sentences

About	I reached there at about noon.
After	Teams shall take lunch after the game. He will start his work after lunch. He stops working after three o’clock.
At	He shall return at five o’clock He met me at last.
By	He shall go to home by midnight.
For	He sat there for an hour.
From	We work from Monday to Friday.
In	She rises early in the morning. Admission starts in the fall every year. He visited Prague in 2011.
Of	It is now a quarter of three.
On	I shall come on time.
Past	It is a quarter past nine. (15 minutes after)
To	It is quarter to five. (15 minutes before)

Preposition of Place and Direction Sentences

Around	She walked around the car.
At	They are at home. He smiled at her. We were at the restaurant.
Down	They lived down the hall.
From	We immigrated from Peru in 1996. The restaurant is one mile from here.
In	He lives in the trailer. We waited in the bus.
Inside	Put it inside the house.
Of	We moved south of our home.
On	We sat on the ocean pier. She left on the train.
Through	They drove through the tunnel.
To	We went to Uraguay. Give it to me.
Up	He walked up the stairs.
With	He went with me.

Preposition of Means or Agent Examples

By	He was hit by a ball. She came by train. The gift came by special delivery. He did it by hard work. He got there by swimming.
From	Hi success results from careful planning.
In	He takes pleasure in it.
On	They live on bread and water.
With	He chased the mongoose with a stick.

Preposition of Manner Examples

By	By doing it yourself, you save time.
In	He left in confusion. The room was in a turmoil. You can do it in a day.
Like	He look like a hero.
On	I swear it on my word of honor.
With	He ate it with a fork.

Preposition of State or Condition Examples

At	My friend is at work.
By	They are by themselves (alone).
In	He is in a state of confusion.
On	He is on duty.
For	I mistook you for someone else.
As	I see her as a good person.

Preposition of Quantity or Measure Examples

For	We drove for twenty miles. We bought it for ten cents.
By	We bought them by the kilo.

Preposition of Purpose Example

For	He bought it for an emergency. She went to the city for sightseeing. He loved her for her thoughtfulness.

Use of Prepositions after Certain Verbs

Account for
Agree on (something)
Agree with (someone)
Apologize to
Apply for
Approve of
Argue with (someone)
Ask for
Believe in
Belong to
Blame (someone) for (something)
Blame (something) on (someone)
Borrow from
Call on (upon)
Care for
Compliment on
Come from
Consent to
Consist of
Convince (someone) of (something)
Decide on (upon)
Depend on (upon)
Get rid of
Hear about
Hear from
Hear of
Insist on (upon)
Invite (someone) to
Laugh at
Listen for
Listen to
Look at
Look for
Look forward to
Object to
Plan on
Provide for
Provide with
Recover from
Remind (someone) of
Search for
See about
Substitute for
Talk about
Talk of
Think of
Wait for
Wait on (meaning serve)

Use of Prepositions with Certain Adjectives and in Idiomatic Expressions

According to
Accustomed to
Angry of
Content with
Dependent on (upon)
Different from (than)
Disappointed in
Due to
Followed by
Fond of
Have respect for
In accordance with
Angry at (someone)
Angry with (someone)
Based on
Independent of
In regard to
Interested in
Limited to
Married to
Proud of
Related to
Resulting from
Similar to tired of