There are a lot of prepositions in English. They play an outstanding role : they connect words in a sentence. We use individual prepositions more frequently than other individual words. In fact, the prepositions of, to, on and in are among the ten most frequent words in English. Students, who learn English as a second language, have difficulty in using prepositions. For example, we say, that we are at the hospital to visit a friend who is in hospital. We lie in bed, but on the couch. We watch a film at the theater but on television. For native speakers, these little words present little difficulty, but try to learn another language, any other language, and you will quickly discover that prepositions are troublesome wherever you live and learn.

We use the preposition We use the preposition onon to show that to show that something is on the surfacesomething is on the surface..

We use We use onon to designate days and dates. to designate days and dates. My brother is coming on Monday. My brother is coming on Monday. We're having a party on the Fourth of July. We're having a party on the Fourth of July.

We use We use inin for nonspecific times during a for nonspecific times during a day, a month, a season, or a year.day, a month, a season, or a year. She likes to jog in the morning. She likes to jog in the morning. It's too cold in winter to run outside. It's too cold in winter to run outside. He started the job in 1971. He started the job in 1971. He's going to quit in August. He's going to quit in August.

I will wait ______ 6:30, but then I'm going home. I will wait ______ 6:30, but then I'm going home. a.a. from from b.b. b. at b. at c.c. c. until c. until 2. I'll be ready to leave ____ about twenty minutes. 2. I'll be ready to leave ____ about twenty minutes. a. in a. in b. Onb. On c. atc. at

Grandpa stayed up ______ two in the morning.Grandpa stayed up ______ two in the morning. a. since a. since b. for b. for c. until c. until I told Mom we'd be home ______ an hour or so. I told Mom we'd be home ______ an hour or so. a.a. to to b.b. b. in b. in c.c. c. at c. at

We use We use atat for specific addresses. for specific addresses. Grammar English lives at 55 Boretz Grammar English lives at 55 Boretz Road in Durham.Road in Durham.

We use We use onon to designate names of to designate names of streets, avenues, etc.streets, avenues, etc. Her house is on Boretz Road. Her house is on Boretz Road.

And we use And we use inin for the names of land- for the names of land-areas (towns, counties, states, areas (towns, counties, states, countries, and continents).countries, and continents). She lives in Durham. She lives in Durham. Durham is in Windham County. Durham is in Windham County. Windham County is in Connecticut. Windham County is in Connecticut.

I was visiting my best friend _____ the hospital. I was visiting my best friend _____ the hospital. a.a. of of b.b. at at c.c. inin The professor _______ South Africa amazed the American The professor _______ South Africa amazed the American

students with her stories. students with her stories. a.a. from from b.b. of of c.c. in in My best friend lives ______ Boretz Road.My best friend lives ______ Boretz Road. a.a. In In b.b. On On c.c. at at

ININ(the) (the) bed*bed*the the bedroombedroomthe carthe car(the) (the) class*class*the the library*library*school school

ATclass*homethe library*the officeschool*work

ONthe bed*the ceilingthe floorthe horsethe planethe train

NO PREPOSITIONdownstairsdowntowninsideoutsideupstairsuptown

* You may sometimes use different prepositions for these locations.

Since he met his new girlfriend, Juan never seems Since he met his new girlfriend, Juan never seems to be ______ home.to be ______ home.

a. Ona. On b. Inb. In c. atc. at The police caught the thief _____ the corner of Cascade The police caught the thief _____ the corner of Cascade

and Plum Streets.and Plum Streets. a.a. In In b.b. At At c.c. from from I was visiting my best friend _____ the hospital.I was visiting my best friend _____ the hospital. a.a. of of b.b. At At c.c. in in

We use We use toto in order to express movement toward a in order to express movement toward a place.place. They were driving to work together. They were driving to work together. She's going to the dentist's office this morning. She's going to the dentist's office this morning.

TowardToward and and towardstowards are also helpful prepositions to are also helpful prepositions to express movement. These are simply variant express movement. These are simply variant spellings of the same word; use whichever sounds spellings of the same word; use whichever sounds better to you.better to you. We're moving toward the light. We're moving toward the light. This is a big step towards the project's completion. This is a big step towards the project's completion.

With the words With the words home, downtown, uptown, inside, home, downtown, uptown, inside, outside, downstairs, upstairsoutside, downstairs, upstairs, we use no preposition., we use no preposition. Grandma went upstairs Grandma went upstairs Grandpa went home. Grandpa went home. They both went outside. They both went outside.

She ran ______ the corridor and ______ the stairs She ran ______ the corridor and ______ the stairs to the second floor.to the second floor.

from / intofrom / intotowards / overtowards / overalong / upalong / upby / onby / onin / next toin / next to I went ______ him and asked him the best way to get I went ______ him and asked him the best way to get

______ town.______ town.from / intofrom / intotowards / overtowards / overalong / upby / onalong / upby / onup to / out ofup to / out of

We use We use forfor when we measure time when we measure time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years).years). He held his breath for seven minutes. He held his breath for seven minutes. She's lived there for seven years. She's lived there for seven years. The British and Irish have been quarreling The British and Irish have been quarreling for seven centuries.for seven centuries.

We use We use sincesince with a specific date or time. with a specific date or time. He's worked here since 1970. He's worked here since 1970. She's been sitting in the waiting room since She's been sitting in the waiting room since two-thirty. two-thirty.

It's been snowing ________ Christmas It's been snowing ________ Christmas morning.morning.

a.a. Since Since

b.b. For For

c.c. until until

My parents have been married ______ forty-nine My parents have been married ______ forty-nine years.years.

a.a. Since Since

b.b. For For

c.c. until until

Prepositions are sometimes so Prepositions are sometimes so firmly wedded to other words firmly wedded to other words that they have practically that they have practically become one word. (In fact, in become one word. (In fact, in other languages, such as other languages, such as German, they would have German, they would have become one word.) This occurs in become one word.) This occurs in three categories: nouns, three categories: nouns, adjectives, and verbsadjectives, and verbs

approval approval ofofawareness awareness ofofbelief inbelief inconcernconcern forforconfusion confusion aboutaboutdesire fordesire for

fondness forgrasp ofhatred ofhope forinterest inlove of

need forparticipation inreason forrespect forsuccess inunderstanding of

afraid ofafraid ofangry atangry ataware ofaware ofcapable capable ofofcareless careless aboutaboutfamiliar familiar withwith

fond ofhappy aboutinterested injealous ofmade ofmarried to

proud ofsimilar tosorry forsure oftired ofworried about

apologize apologize forforask aboutask aboutask forask forbelong tobelong tobring upbring upcare forcare forfind outfind out

give upgrow uplook forlook forward tolook upmake uppay for

prepare forstudy fortalk aboutthink abouttrust inwork forworry about

A combination of verb and preposition is called a phrasal verb. The word that is joined to the verb is then called a particle. Please refer to the brief section we have prepared on phrasal verbs for an explanation.

agree agree toto a proposal, a proposal, withwith a person, a person, onon a a price, price, inin principle principle

argue argue aboutabout a matter, a matter, withwith a person, a person, forfor or or againstagainst a proposition a proposition

compare compare toto to show likenesses, to show likenesses, withwith to to show differences (sometimes similarities) show differences (sometimes similarities)

correspond correspond toto a thing, a thing, withwith a person a person differ differ fromfrom an unlike thing, an unlike thing, withwith a person a person live live atat an address, an address, inin a house or city, a house or city, onon a a

street, street, withwith other people other people

In everyday speech, we fall into some bad habits, using In everyday speech, we fall into some bad habits, using prepositions where they are not necessary. It would be prepositions where they are not necessary. It would be a good idea to eliminate these words altogether, but we a good idea to eliminate these words altogether, but we must be especially careful not to use them in formal, must be especially careful not to use them in formal, academic prose.academic prose.

She met up with the new coach in the hallway. She met up with the new coach in the hallway. The book fell off of the desk. The book fell off of the desk. He threw the book out of the window. He threw the book out of the window. She wouldn't let the cat inside of the house. [or use She wouldn't let the cat inside of the house. [or use

"in"] "in"] Where did they go to? Where did they go to? Put the lamp in back of the couch. [use "behind" Put the lamp in back of the couch. [use "behind"

instead] instead] Where is your college at? Where is your college at?

When two words or phrases are used in parallel and When two words or phrases are used in parallel and require the same preposition to be idiomatically correct, require the same preposition to be idiomatically correct, the preposition does not have to be used twice.the preposition does not have to be used twice. You can wear that outfit You can wear that outfit inin summer and in winter. summer and in winter. The female was both attracted by and distracted by the The female was both attracted by and distracted by the male's dance.male's dance.

However, when the idiomatic use of phrases calls for However, when the idiomatic use of phrases calls for different prepositions, we must be careful not to omit different prepositions, we must be careful not to omit one of them.one of them. The children were The children were interested interested inin and and disgusted disgusted byby the the movie.movie. It was clear that this player could both It was clear that this player could both contribute contribute toto and and learn learn fromfrom every game he played. every game he played. He was He was fascinated fascinated byby and and enamored enamored ofof this beguiling this beguiling woman.woman.