Definition: Prepositions are a class of words that indicate

relationships between nouns, pronouns and other words in a

sentence. Most often they come before a noun. They never change
their form, regardless of the case, gender etc. of the word they are
referring to.
Prepositions show relationships between things. For example: "The
lamp is on the table" contains the preposition "on". This word shows
the spatial relationship between the lamp, and the table.
The most common prepositions of place are: in, on, under, next to, in
front of, behind, at.
on sobre
in dentro de
above
over
encima de
under debajo de
in front of delante de
behind detrs de
beside
near
next to
al lado de
cerca de
junto a
between entre
among entre
In, on, under, in front of, and behind are clear from the pictures
above. xample sentences are:
! The dog is in the box.
! The cat is under the table
! The man is next to the building.
At however is a more abstract concept ! it is used to refer to a point
in space, usually a point on a line. "ee below for more explanation.
Prepositions typically come before a noun:
For example:
after class
at home
before Tuesday
in #ondon
on fire
with pleasure
$ preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical
relationship of its ob%ect to the rest of the sentence.
For example:
The boo& is on the table.
The boo& is beside the table.
"he read the boo& during class.
'n each of the preceding sentences, a preposition locates the noun
"boo&" in space or in time.
Prepositions are classified as simple or compound.
Simple prepositions
"imple prepositions are single word prepositions. These are all
showed above.
For example:
The boo& is on the table.
Compound prepositions
(ompound prepositions are more than one word. in between and
because of are prepositions made up of two words ! in front of, on
behalf of are prepositions made up of three words.
For example:
The boo& is in between )ar and Peace and The #ord of the
*ings.
The boo& is in front of the cloc&.
Examples:
The children climbed the mountain without fear.
There was re%oicing throughout the land when the government
was defeated.
The spider crawled slowly along the banister.
English Usage Example
English Usage Example
at
meaning next to,
by an object
for table
for events
place where you
are to do
something typical
+watch a film,
study, wor&,
at the door, at the
station
at the table
at a concert, at
the party
at the cinema, at
school, at wor&
on
attached
for a place with a
river
being on a surface
for a certain side
+left, right,
for a floor in a
house
for public
transport
for television,
radio
the picture on the
wall
#ondon lies on the
Thames.
on the table
on the left
on the first floor
on the bus, on a
plane
on T-, on the
radio
by, next
to, beside
left or right of
somebody or
something
.ane is standing
by / next to /
beside the car.
under
on the ground,
lower than +or
covered by,
something else
the bag is under
the table
below
lower than
something else
but above ground
the fish are below
the surface
over
covered by
something else
meaning more
than
getting to the
other side +also
across,
overcoming an
obstacle
put a %ac&et over
your shirt
over 01 years of
age
wal& over the
bridge
climb over the wall
English Usage Example
above
higher than
something else,
but not directly
over it
a path above the
la&e
across
getting to the
other side +also
over,
getting to the
other side
wal& across the
bridge
swim across the
la&e
through
something with
limits on top,
bottom and the
sides
drive through the
tunnel
to
movement to
person or building
movement to a
place or country
for bed
go to the cinema
go to #ondon /
'reland
go to bed
into
enter a room / a
building
go into the
&itchen / the
house
towards
movement in the
direction of
something +but
not directly to it,
go 2 steps towards
the house
onto
movement to the
top of something
%ump onto the
table
from
in the sense of
where from
a flower from the
garden
IN ON AT
CITY in San
Francisco
STREET on Powell
Street
BUILDINGS at home, at
the library
DISTRICT in
Chinatown
AREA on the
Peninsula
ADDRESS at 1220
Haight
Street
STATE in
California
ISLAND on
Alcatraz

REGION in North
America
WATER on the
bay, on
a!e
"ahoe

ATMOSPHERE in s#ace,
in the
$ni%erse
WORLD on earth
TRANSPORTATION in the car TRANSPORTATION on boar&
(ship, bus,
train,
airplane)
on a bi!e
on a horse

ROADWAYS in the
street
note
in the
crosswal!
ROADWAYS on the
si&ewal!
on the
roa&
on
Highway
101
on 'oute
((
on the
freeway
ROADWAYS at the curb
at the
corner
at the en&
of the street
at the
intersection
OTHER in the
#ar!ing lot
in the
#ar!
(inexact
location)
in my
office
OTHER on cam#us OTHER at wor!
at the #ar!
(exact
location)
)hen we refer to Place prepositions we usually refer to "in", "at"
and "on".
'n ! 's usually used to state that someone or something is in a
+the boundaries can be physical or virtual place.
3n ! 's usually used to state someone or something is on top of a
surface.
$t ! 's usually used to state something or someone is at a specific
place.
$ list of most P*P3"'T'34" 3F P#$(:
$t 3n 'n
a
specific
place
a place that is
physically on top
of a place
a place that is
enclosed or within
boundaries
at the
mall
on the table in the city
at the
table
on the floor in the box
at wor& on the wall in the par&
Where is it?
"he ball is in the bo) "he ball is on the bo)* "he ball is under the bo)*
+ohn,s house
+ane,s house
-ill,s house
+ohn,s house is net to +ane,s
house*
+ane,s house is !et"een -ill,s
an& +ohn,s houses*
-ill,s house is net to +ane,s
house*
"he climbers
stoo& on to# o$
the mountain*
"he man stoo&
!et"een the two
enemies*
"he enemies
stoo& o##osite
each other*
"he gar&ners
stoo& !ehind the
#um#!ins*
"he man stoo&
net to the
go#her an& hel&
the umbrella o%er
it*
"he man loo!e&
throu&h the
telesco#e in his
han&s*
"he man wrote
the a&&ress on
the #ac!age*
"he man loo!e&
't the mail in the
#ost bo)*
"he man loo!e&
't the cloc! on
the wall*
"he manager sat
't his &es! on his
chair*