The Ultimate Guide to English Prepositions

Prepositions are used everywhere in English. Unless it is a very short sentence, most
sentences have some kind of preposition in them. This is because prepositions are used
to add extra information to a sentence.

Many prepositions have more than one meaning and can be used in different
situations. Below are definitions and examples that are very common in English.
Knowing how to use them is essential for English learners.

35 Prepositions That Every English Learner Must Know How To Use

To

Meaning 1: Expressing motion in the direction of a particular location

Example 1: “We walked to the store together.”

Meaning 2: Used before verbs in certain grammar situations, such as present tense

Example 2: “She began to dance.”

At

Meaning 1: Expresses location

Example 1: “The wedding is being held at the banquet hall.”

Meaning 2: Expresses time

Example 2: “I have class at 8 AM tomorrow.”

From

Meaning: Used to specify a starting point

Example: “He walked home from school.”

With

Meaning 1: To be accompanied by

Example 1: “I went to the store with my dad.”

Meaning 2: To possess something as feature or accompaniment

Example 2: “I wore a scarf with my winter coat.”

Into

Meaning: To go inside of something

Example: “They stepped into the station.”

During

Meaning: Throughout the course or of a period of time

Example: “The dog misbehaved during the training class.”

Until

Meaning: up to a certain the point in time

Example: “I was a very shy person until I began high school.”

Of

Meaning: expressing the relationship between a part and a whole

Example: “A part of the chair was broken.”

In
Meaning 1: To be enclosed or surrounded by something else

Example 1: “The cat was sleeping in a cage.”

Meaning 2: Showing a period of time during which an event takes place

Example 2: “The accident happened in 1975.”

On

Meaning: Physically in contact with and supported by a surface

Example: “The glasses are on the shelf.”

By

Meaning I: Identifying the means of achieving something

Example I: “He won the game by hitting a homerun.”

Meaning 2: Identifying the agent performing an action

Example 2: “That play was written by William Shakespeare.”

About

Meaning: On the subject of

Example: “The movie was about pirates.”

Through

Meaning: Moving from one side to the other side of an opening

Example: “The woman walked through the grocery store aisle.”

Over

Meaning: To be above something; extending directly upward from

Example: “The horse jumped over the fence.”

Before

Meaning: Preceding a particular event, date, or time

Example: “I brushed my teeth before I ate breakfast.”

Between

Meaning: At, into, or across the space separating two objects

Example: “The bank is between the hospital and the corner store.”
After

Meaning: The period of time following an event

Example: “We ate dessert after finishing dinner.”

Without

Meaning: In the absence of

Example: “You cannot drive without a driver’s license.”

Under
Meaning: Directly below or at a lower level than

Example: “The child hid under the table.”

Since

Meaning: Period between the time mentioned and the time under consideration

Example: “She has been upset since she lost the game.”

Across

Meaning: From one side to the other of something, or showing the position of

Example: “They live across the street from me.”

Behind

Meaning: Following or further back than something or someone else

Example: “He stood behind me as we waited on line.”

But (Not to be confused with the conjunction)

Meaning: except, apart from, other than

Example: “Everyone but him was happy about the announcement.”

Up

Meaning: From a lower to a higher point on something

Example: “They climbed up the mountain side.”

Out

Meaning: Through to the outside

Example: “The cat ran out the door.”

Around

Meaning: On every side of, or in or to many places

Example: “We drove around the city.”

Down

Meaning: From a higher to a lower point of something

Example: “He fell down to the floor.”

Off

Meaning: Moving away and down from

Example: “It rolled off of the bed.”

Above

Meaning: In extended space over, or at a higher level or layer than

Example: “The balloon floated above my head.”