Blog about English
Frequent learner mistakes involving English prepositions.
Choose a preposition according to the relationship being expressed rather than translating the equivalent expression directly from another language.
For example, at 7 o’clock, on Monday, in July, to London, and from London express different types of time, destination, and starting-point relationships.
Use at for exact times, on for days and dates, and in for months, years, seasons, and longer periods.
For example, at 8:00, on Friday, and in August.
Use at for a point or specific location, in for an area or enclosed space, and on for a surface or line.
For example, at the station, in the room, and on the table.
Use for with a period of duration and since with the starting point of a continuing period.
For example, for three years and since 2023.
Use by for a deadline and until for the endpoint of a continuing state or action.
For example, Finish the report by Friday and Stay here until Friday.
Use in for location and into for movement from outside to inside.
For example, She is in the room, but She walked into the room.
Use on for location on a surface and onto for movement to a surface when that distinction is relevant.
For example, The book is on the desk and She put the book onto the desk.
Use to when presenting a destination and towards when emphasizing direction without necessarily implying arrival.
For example, She went to the station and She walked towards the station.
Use through for movement within or through a space and across for movement from one side of a surface or area to another.
For example, through the tunnel and across the road.
Use by to identify an agent, means, or deadline and with to identify an instrument, accompaniment, or material.
For example, written by Jane, travel by train, finish by Friday, and cut with a knife.
Some verbs require particular prepositions and these combinations should be learned as lexical patterns.
Common examples include listen to, wait for, depend on, belong to, refer to, and rely on.
Many adjectives select particular prepositions that cannot be freely replaced.
For example, interested in, good at, afraid of, responsible for, and similar to.
Many nouns form fixed combinations with particular prepositions.
For example, solution to, reason for, interest in, effect on, and access to.
Some verbs take direct objects and therefore do not require a preposition before the object.
Common examples include discuss the problem, mention the issue, reach the station, enter the building, and approach the house.
Discuss normally takes its topic as a direct object and does not normally require about.
For example, We discussed the problem, not We discussed about the problem.
Reach normally takes the destination as a direct object and does not require to.
For example, We reached the station at six, not We reached to the station.
Enter normally takes the place entered as a direct object in the ordinary physical-entry construction.
For example, She entered the building, not She entered to the building.
Mention normally takes the topic as a direct object and does not require about.
For example, He mentioned the problem during the meeting.
Home commonly occurs without to after verbs of movement when it functions as an adverb.
For example, We went home and She walked home.
Certain time expressions normally occur without a preposition.
For example, yesterday, tomorrow, last week, next month, this year, and every Monday.
During is followed by a noun phrase, while while is followed by a finite clause.
For example, during the meeting versus while we were meeting.
Because introduces a finite clause, while because of introduces a noun phrase or equivalent non-finite expression.
For example, because it was raining versus because of the rain.
Despite is followed by a noun phrase, pronoun, or gerund, while although introduces a finite clause.
For example, Despite the rain, we went out and Although it was raining, we went out.
In case introduces a precaution taken in anticipation of a possible event, while if introduces a condition affecting the result.
For example, Take an umbrella in case it rains differs from If it rains, we will stay home.
Between commonly identifies relationships involving separate reference points, while among places something within a group or surrounding set.
For example, between the two buildings and among the trees.
Beside means next to, while besides means in addition to or apart from.
For example, She sat beside me, while Besides John, Mary also attended.
In time means early enough for a required event or purpose, while on time means at the expected or scheduled time.
For example, We arrived in time for dinner and The train arrived on time.
At the end identifies a location or endpoint, while in the end means eventually or after considering the situation as a whole.
For example, at the end of the road and In the end, we decided to stay.
By accident means unintentionally, while on purpose means intentionally.
For example, I deleted the file by accident and She did it on purpose.
On the train identifies physical presence on the train, while by train identifies the means of transportation.
For example, I met her on the train, but We travelled by train.
At school commonly refers to being at school as an institution or activity, while in the school emphasizes physical presence inside the building.
For example, The children are at school and I saw the teacher in the school.
When a verb follows a preposition, it normally appears as a gerund rather than a to-infinitive.
For example, interested in learning, responsible for managing, and without saying anything.
Prepositions normally require object pronouns rather than subject pronouns.
For example, between you and me, with him, and for them.
A preposition can remain at the end of a clause in ordinary English or occur before its complement in formal constructions.
For example, Who are you talking to? versus To whom are you speaking?
Accurate preposition use requires control of meaning, fixed collocations, complement types, movement and location, time relationships, omission, register, and regional variation.
Before choosing a preposition, identify the grammatical pattern and the exact relationship being expressed rather than translating the phrase literally.