Everything you need to use prepositions correctly: the formula, when to use it, signal words, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Prepositions show relationships of time, place, direction and means between words in a sentence. Prepositions of time: at (clock times) / on (days and dates) / in (months, years, seasons); Prepositions of place: at (a point) / in (inside) / on (a surface); Prepositions of movement and transport: to (towards) / from (out of) / by (means of transport) / with (accompanied by). Signal words: at (a point in time, a small place), in (inside; months, years, seasons), on (surfaces; days and dates), to (towards), from (starting point), by (means of transport; by someone).
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Prepositions of time | at (clock times) / on (days and dates) / in (months, years, seasons) at 7 o'clock, at night, at noon | on Monday, on May 5th | in June, in 2024, in the morning | I wake up at 6 o'clock in the morning. Exceptions: at night (not 'in night'), in the morning/afternoon/evening (not 'at') |
| Prepositions of place | at (a point) / in (inside) / on (a surface) at the bus stop, at school | in the room, in Vietnam | on the table, on the wall | The book is on the table in my room. at = a small or exact point, in = inside or a large area, on = on a surface |
| Prepositions of movement and transport | to (towards) / from (out of) / by (means of transport) / with (accompanied by) go to school | come from Vietnam | by bus/car/plane | with a knife | I go to school by bus. by + transport, with no 'the': by bus (✓), by the bus (✗). And on foot for walking |
at = clock times, in = months, years and parts of the day, on = days and dates
at = a specific point, in = inside, on = on a surface
for + a length of time, since + a starting point
Many fixed pairings: interested in, good at, worried about, listen to
| Word | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| at | I'll meet you at the station at 5 PM. | Exact times and small places |
| in | She lives in Hanoi. I was born in 1990. | Enclosed or large spaces, and months, years and seasons |
| on | The meeting is on Monday. | Surfaces, and specific days and dates |
| for | I've lived here for 5 years. | for + a length of time (5 years, 2 hours) |
| since | I've known her since 2010. | since + a starting point (2010, Monday, last week) |
Fill in the blank, then open the answer to check it.
Options: at · by · in · on
in. Years take 'in': in 1990.
Options: at · by · in · on
on. Days and dates take 'on': on Monday.
Options: at · by · in · on
at. Clock times take 'at': at 3 o'clock.
Options: at · by · in · on
on. On a surface takes 'on': on the table.
Options: at ... in · in ... in · in ... on · on ... at
in ... in. Inside a flat takes 'in', and so does a large city.
Options: by · in · on · with
by. Means of transport take 'by': by bus, with no 'the'.
Options: at · for · in · since
for. '10 years' is a length of time, so 'for'.
Options: for · from · in · since
since. '2015' is a starting point, so 'since'.
Options: at · in · on · to
in. A fixed pairing: interested in.
Options: at · for · on · to
for. A fixed pairing: wait for.
Options: at · by · in · on
on. A wall is a surface, so 'on': on the wall.
Options: at · for · in · on
at. A fixed pairing: good at + -ing.
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