Prepositions of Direction
To refer to a direction, use the prepositions "to," "in," "into," "on," and "onto."
- She drove to the store.
- Don’t ring the doorbell. Come right in(to) the house.
- Drive on(to) the grass and park the car there.
Prepositions of Time
To refer to one point in time, use the prepositions "in," "at," and "on."
Use "in" with parts of the day (not specific times), months, years, and seasons.
- He reads in the evening.
- The weather is cold in December.
- She was born in 1996.
- We rake leaves in the fall.
Use "at" with the time of day. Also use "at" with noon, night, and midnight.
- I go to work at 8:00.
- He eats lunch at noon.
- She often goes for a walk at night.
- They go to bed at midnight.
Use "on" with days.
- I work on Saturdays.
- He does laundry on Wednesdays.
To refer to extended time, use the prepositions "since," "for," "by," "during," "from…to," "from…until," "with," and "within."
- I have lived in Minneapolis since 2005. (I moved there in 2005 and still live there.)
- He will be in Toronto for 3 weeks. (He will spend 3 weeks in Toronto.)
- She will finish her homework by 6:00. (She will finish her homework sometime between now and 6:00.)
- He works part time during the summer. (For the period of time throughout the summer.)
- I will collect data from January to June. (Starting in January and ending in June.)
- They are in school from August until May. (Starting in August and ending in May.)
- She will graduate within 2 years. (Not longer than 2 years.)
Prepositions of Place
To refer to a place, use the prepositions "in" (the point itself), "at" (the general vicinity), "on" (the surface), and "inside" (something contained).
- They will meet in the lunchroom.
- She was waiting at the corner.
- He left his phone on the bed.
- Place the pen inside the drawer.
To refer to an object higher than a point, use the prepositions "over" and "above." To refer to an object lower than a point, use the prepositions "below," "beneath," "under," and "underneath."
- The bird flew over the house.
- The plates were on the shelf above the cups.
- Basem*nts are dug below ground.
- There is hard wood beneath the carpet.
- The squirrel hid the nuts under a pile of leaves.
- The cat is hiding underneath the box.
To refer to an object close to a point, use the prepositions "by," "near," "next to," "between," "among," and "opposite."
- The gas station is by the grocery store.
- The park is near her house.
- Park your bike next to the garage.
- There is a deer between the two trees.
- There is a purple flower among the weeds.
- The garage is opposite the house.
Prepositions of Location
To refer to a location, use the prepositions "in" (an area or volume), "at" (a point), and "on" (a surface).
- They live in the country. (an area)
- She will find him at the library. (a point)
- There is a lot of dirt on the window. (a surface)
Prepositions of Spatial Relationships
To refer to a spatial relationship, use the prepositions "above," "across," "against," "ahead of," "along," "among," "around," "behind," "below,"
"beneath," "beside," "between," "from," "in front of," "inside," "near," "off," "out of," "through," "toward," "under," and "within."
- The post office is across the street from the grocery store.
- We will stop at many attractions along the way.
- The kids are hiding behind the tree.
- His shirt is off.
- Walk toward the garage and then turn left.
- Place a check mark within the box.
Prepositions serve as vital connectors in language, specifying relationships between various elements. They guide direction, time, place, and spatial relationships. As an enthusiast of language and a grammar aficionado, these prepositions are among my favorite linguistic tools. The nuances they offer in conveying precise meanings are fascinating.
Firstly, let's explore Prepositions of Direction. These prepositions, such as "to," "in," "into," "on," and "onto," are instrumental in guiding movement or direction. For instance, "to" denotes a destination ("She drove to the store"), "in" signifies movement inside a location ("Come right in[to] the house"), and "on" or "onto" highlights placement on a surface ("Drive on[to] the grass").
Then, there are Prepositions of Time, such as "in," "at," and "on," which convey temporal relationships. For instance, "in" is used for parts of the day, months, years, and seasons ("He reads in the evening," "The weather is cold in December"). "At" specifies a particular time of day or specific points in time ("I go to work at 8:00," "She often goes for a walk at night"), while "on" is employed with days ("I work on Saturdays").
Moving on, Prepositions for Extended Time include "since," "for," "by," "during," "from…to," "from…until," "with," and "within." They elucidate durations or time frames. For example, "since" indicates a starting point ("I have lived in Minneapolis since 2005"), "for" specifies a duration ("He will be in Toronto for 3 weeks"), and "by" implies a deadline ("She will finish her homework by 6:00").
Now, Prepositions of Place such as "in," "at," "on," and "inside" pinpoint locations or positions. "In" refers to being within a point itself ("They will meet in the lunchroom"), "at" signifies a general vicinity ("She was waiting at the corner"), and "on" relates to being on a surface ("He left his phone on the bed").
Spatial Relationship Prepositions like "above," "across," "against," "ahead of," and many others elucidate positions and connections between objects. For example, "across" denotes being on the opposite side ("The post office is across the street from the grocery store"), "behind" signifies being at the back or rear ("The kids are hiding behind the tree"), and "within" indicates being inside something ("Place a check mark within the box").
These prepositions, with their subtle distinctions, form the backbone of our language, allowing us to articulate precise details about direction, time, place, and spatial relationships. They offer a rich tapestry of expression within our linguistic framework.
