Common English Prepositions List: Examples, Usage + PDF
Understanding prepositions is crucial for mastering English, as they are fundamental in expressing relationships between people, places, and things. This comprehensive guide will help you improve your English with a detailed list of common prepositions, their usage, and examples. Plus, download our free PDF files to improve your knowledge!
What is a Preposition?
Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They indicate relationships involving direction, location, time, and spatial relationships. Each preposition connects to an object, which is typically a noun or pronoun.
Examples of Prepositions in Sentences:
- Direction: “I sent a package to you.”
- Location: “He’s at the theater.”
- Time: “It should be done by suppertime.”
- Spatial Relationship: “The ball was placed before the hole.”
- Introducing an Object: “We heard the howling of wolves.”
Simple vs. Complex Prepositions
Simple Prepositions
These are single words that serve as prepositions. Examples include: at, on, in, by, for, with, under, over, and between.
Complex Prepositions
These are phrases consisting of multiple words that function as prepositions. Examples include: in front of, next to, due to, in spite of, and on account of.
Common Prepositions
Single-Word Prepositions
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| about | She read about the festival. |
| above | The painting is above the sofa. |
| across | We walked across the street. |
| after | We went home after dinner. |
| against | The chair is against the wall. |
| along | We strolled along the beach. |
| among | She was sitting among her friends. |
| at | I am at the office. |
| before | He left before the meeting. |
| behind | The cat is behind the couch. |
| below | The temperature is below freezing. |
| beside | She sat beside him during the show. |
| between | The park is between the two buildings. |
| beyond | The house is beyond the river. |
| by | The book was written by the author. |
| for | This gift is for you. |
| from | She is from Canada. |
| in | They live in a big city. |
| on | The book is on the table. |
| over | The plane flew over the city. |
| through | We walked through the park. |
| to | She went to the store. |
| under | The cat is under the table. |
| with | He came with his friend. |
Complex Prepositions
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| ahead of | We parked ahead of the building. |
| in addition to | In addition to studying, he works part-time. |
| on account of | The flight was delayed on account of the weather. |
| due to | The cancellation was due to unforeseen circumstances. |
| in front of | The car is parked in front of the house. |
| in spite of | He succeeded in spite of the difficulties. |
| thanks to | Thanks to her help, we finished early. |
| on top of | The cat is on top of the roof. |
| out of | They moved out of the city. |
| in place of | I’ll have tea in place of coffee. |
Check also:
Complete List of English Prepositions A-Z (Free PDF📘)
Prepositions Tests for English Learners (PDF)
Prepositions of Location At, In, On (PDF)
Types of Prepositions
Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| after | You can leave after the meeting. |
| at | The event starts at 6 PM. |
| before | Finish your homework before dinner. |
| during | She sleeps during the day. |
| for | They stayed for a week. |
| in | He was born in May. |
| on | We will meet on Monday. |
| since | I have been here since noon. |
| until | She stayed until late. |
Prepositions of Place
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| above | The lamp hangs above the table. |
| behind | The garden is behind the house. |
| beside | The restaurant is beside the bookstore. |
| between | The park is between the two streets. |
| in | The dog is in the yard. |
| next to | The car is parked next to the house. |
| on | The keys are on the counter. |
| over | The bridge goes over the river. |
| under | The cat is hiding under the bed. |
Prepositions of Movement
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| across | She ran across the field. |
| along | We walked along the path. |
| into | He walked into the room. |
| onto | The cat jumped onto the chair. |
| through | The train goes through the tunnel. |
| to | They moved to a new city. |
| toward | She is walking toward the park. |
Prepositions with Verbs
Prepositions with Verbs
| Preposition | Verb(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| about | complain, read | She complained about the noise. /He read about the event. |
| at | arrive, look | They arrived at the airport. / He looked at the painting. |
| from | differ, suffer | Her opinions differ from his. / He suffers from allergies. |
| for | account, search | They account for the errors. / I am searching for my keys. |
| in | result, succeed | Her efforts resulted in success. / She succeeded in her exam. |
| of | approve, smell | He approved of the plan. / The air smells of flowers. |
| on | concentrate, depend | She concentrated on her work. / I depend on her help. |
| to | contribute, lead | He contributed to the project. / She led the team to victory. |
| with | disagree, argue | I disagree with your opinion. / They argue with each other often. |
Common Mistakes with Prepositions
- At vs. On vs. In:
- Correct: “The event starts at 9 PM.”
- Correct: “The event is on Tuesday.”
- Correct: “The event is in May.”
- In vs. Into:
- Correct: “She went for a walk in the park.”
- Incorrect: “She walked into the park.”
- For vs. Since:
- Correct: “She’s been waiting for six hours.”
- Incorrect: “She’s been waiting since six hours.”
Prepositions List PDF
Prepositions List PDF – download ⇓
Preposition in English PDF – download ⇓
