Types of Prepositions
Prepositions come in various forms, each serving a specific purpose in a sentence. The main types include simple prepositions, compound prepositions, phrasal prepositions, and prepositions of time, place, and direction.
Below, you’ll find different types of prepositions with examples to help you understand their usage better.
Types of Prepositions
Simple Prepositions
Simple prepositions are basic words that establish a straightforward relationship between elements in a sentence. They are often short and commonly used.
Examples:
In: The book is in the bag.
On: The cat is on the roof.
At: Meet me at the park.
By: The lamp is by the bed.
To: She went to the market.
From: He is from Japan.
Common Mistakes:
Using "in" instead of "at": Incorrect: Meet me in the park. Correct: Meet me at the park.
Confusing "on" and "in": Incorrect: The cat is in the roof. Correct: The cat is on the roof.
Practice Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions: in, on, at, by, to, from.
She is sitting ___ the chair.
He moved ___ New York last year.
The concert starts ___ 8 PM.
The keys are ___ the table.
She received a gift ___ her friend.
Compound Prepositions
Compound prepositions consist of two or more words combined to form a single prepositional phrase. These prepositions often indicate more specific relationships.
Examples:
According to: According to the news, it will rain tomorrow.
Because of: We canceled the picnic because of the weather.
Instead of: Use honey instead of sugar.
Common Mistakes:
Using "because of" incorrectly: Incorrect: Because the rain, we canceled the picnic. Correct: Because of the rain, we canceled the picnic.
Practice Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct compound prepositions: according to, because of, instead of.
___ the teacher, the homework is due tomorrow.
She chose tea ___ coffee.
The event was delayed ___ technical issues.
Phrasal Prepositions
Phrasal prepositions are phrases that function as a single preposition. They usually consist of multiple words and often have a figurative meaning.
Examples:
In front of: The car is parked in front of the house.
On behalf of: She spoke on behalf of the committee.
In spite of: He finished the race in spite of the injury.
Common Mistakes:
Mixing up "in front of" with "before": Incorrect: The car is parked before the house. Correct: The car is parked in front of the house.
Practice Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal prepositions: in front of, on behalf of, in spite of.
She accepted the award ___ her team.
The kids are playing ___ the house.
He succeeded ___ many obstacles.
Prepositions of Time, Place, and Direction
Prepositions can be categorized based on their function—time, place, and direction.
Prepositions of Time:
At: The meeting starts at 3 PM.
On: We have a holiday on Monday.
In: They will visit us in December.
Examples:
At: The train leaves at noon.
On: His birthday is on Friday.
In: We will travel in summer.
Prepositions of Place:
Under: The dog is sleeping under the table.
Over: The plane flew over the city.
Between: The secret is between you and me.
Examples:
Under: The cat is hiding under the bed.
Over: The bridge stretches over the river.
Between: She sat between her friends.
Prepositions of Direction:
To: She is going to the library.
Towards: Walk towards the north gate.
Through: He walked through the park.
Examples:
To: He sent a letter to his mother.
Towards: The dog ran towards the gate.
Through: The tunnel goes through the mountain.
Common Mistakes:
Using "in" instead of "on" for days: Incorrect: We have a meeting in Monday. Correct: We have a meeting on Monday.
Confusing "to" and "towards": Incorrect: She moved towards the city. Correct: She moved to the city.
Practice Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions of time, place, and direction: at, on, in, under, over, between, to, towards, through.
They arrived ___ the station ___ noon.
The bridge extends ___ the river.
She will visit us ___ July.
The cat is hiding ___ the sofa.
Walk ___ the park and then ___ the museum.
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition followed by its object and any associated modifiers. They provide additional details and clarify the meaning of sentences.
Examples:
At the park: We will meet at the park.
For the meeting: She prepared for the meeting.
Under the table: The gift is hidden under the table.
Common Mistakes:
Misplacing prepositional phrases: Incorrect: The book was given to her by her teacher in the library. Correct: In the library, the book was given to her by her teacher.
Practice Exercise: Identify the prepositional phrases in the following sentences:
The cat slept under the bed.
We had a picnic at the beach.
She wrote a note for her friend.