Most Important Prepositions and Examples

This post contains a list of most important and most frequently prepositions;

aboard; • We went aboard the boat. • Is there a doctor aboard the plane?

about; • What do you think about Mary? • Let’s talk about something different. • I’ve just read a book about President Kennedy. • The lion was pacing about its cage.

above; • We are flying above the clouds. • We live in the hills, 1,000 metres above sea-level. • It’s only two degrees above freezing point. [+2ºC] • Who came above you in the test results?

across; • We drove across the desert. • The dog ran across the road. • There is a bridge across the river.

after (also conj.); • We had lunch [1pm] after the meeting [11am]. • Let’s meet the day after tomorrow.

against; • Did you vote for or against the suggestion? • He put his bicycle against the wall.

along; • We walked along the beach for two miles. • There are trees along the road. • The toilet is along the corridor.

alongside; • Their boat came alongside our boat. • Team A worked alongside Team B during construction.

amid – amidst (poetic); • I couldn’t hear her amid the noise. • We were lost amidst the trees.

among – amongst (UK); • Is there a doctor among us? • There were secret police among the crowd. • I was amongst strangers. I didn’t know anyone.

around; • We walked around the town for an hour. • They all sat around the camp fire. • There is a big fence around the house. • He was born around 1570. • Let’s meet around 7pm.

as (also conj.); • He is working as a waiter. • The risk is as nothing compared to the profit. • Ram is as tall as Anthony.

at • He is at school. • We first met at a party. • Let’s start the meeting at 9 o’clock. • He started work at 17 (years of age). • We are aiming at sales of $1,000,000.

before (also conj.) • We had lunch [1pm] before the meeting [3pm]. • We met the day before yesterday. • She was before me in the queue. • I would rather die before doing that.

behind • There is a police car behind us. It’s following us. • We have a garden behind our house. • The child was hiding behind the tree. • I am behind your project. I will support it. • Vonica finished behind Shirley in the race. • She is behind the other children in her class.

below • Much of Holland is below sea-level. • There is a family in the flat below us. • The temperature is 5 degrees below freezing point. [-5ºC] • I came below Vonica in the test. • You can buy it if it’s below $50.

beneath • Our garage is beneath our house. • The tunnel runs beneath the sea. • Laurence is beneath the General Manager. • It was beneath his dignity to do that.

beside • The river runs beside our house. • James was sitting beside Miriam.

besides • What shall we have besides coffee?

between • Tara was sitting between Ram and Ati. • Between you and me, I think she’s crazy. • I can meet you between 1pm and 2pm.

beyond; • Can you see someone in the distance, beyond that house? • This is too difficult. It’s beyond me. • The meeting continued beyond midnight.

by; • We came by car. • Fireworks were invented by the Chinese. • He was shot by a professional killer. • It happened by accident. • He lost the race by five seconds. • The room is 10 metres by 6 metres. • We must finish by Tuesday. • We were sitting by the window. • By my calculation he must be 73.

down • They ran down the hill. • The post office is down the road. • They have had many wars down the years.

during • He fell asleep during the meeting. • I want to go swimming during the weekend. • I was bored during the whole film.

following • We had coffee following lunch. • He couldn’t work following his illness.

for (also conj.) • This is for you. • Do you want to go for a walk? • You use a corkscrew for opening bottles. • Cigarettes are bad for you. • I’m saving for a new car. • Is this the road for Rome? • They passed me over for John. • Is this the train for Cambridge? • I bought it for $10. • We worked for three hours. • Keep walking for two kilometres.

from • Where do you come from? • This letter is from my wife. • I bought this car from Henry. • They prevented me from entering. • My car is different from yours. • We worked from Monday to Wednesday. • Paper is made from wood. • It can cost anything from $5 to $15. • The police took my driving licence from me. • He died from overwork.

in • Monkeys live in the jungle. • John is the man with his hand in his pocket. • I live in an apartment. • She lives in Bangkok. • Tara was born in 1977. • Trains were invented in the nineteenth century. • I’ll come back in two weeks. • Let’s meet in the morning. • There are 60 seconds in a minute.

inside • It was dark inside the tunnel. • My modem is inside my computer. It’s an internal modem.

into • John went into that shop. • If you heat ice it turns into water. • We cut the cake into ten pieces. • Five into ten makes two.

like • She is like her sister. • She sings like a bird. • It’s not like John to complain. • Do it like this. • I feel like swimming. • It looks like rain. • I want something cold, like iced-coffee.

near • The school is near the post office. • It’s 20 December. We are very near Christmas Day.

of • I live in the house at the end of the road. • Where is the key of the car? • Do you like the work of Shakespeare? • What was the cost of this book? • He lives in the City of Westminster. • It was kind of you to help me. • This is the cause of the problem. • He died of cancer. • Most tables are made of wood. • Can I have a cup of coffee? • I know some of these people. • I don’t know any of these people. • He lives south of London. • He lives in the south of London.

off • Please take your shoes off the table. • Keep off the grass. • It fell off the table and broke. • They live in a street off Fifth Avenue.

on • Please don’t put your shoes on the table. • The picture is on page 7. • We live on a busy road. It’s very noisy. • She is sunbathing on the beach. • Is there water on the Moon? • I need a book on bio-chemistry. • My birthday is on Monday. • I start work on 7 May. • Let’s meet on the weekend. (US) • I’ll see you on Christmas Day. • You must be on time. • He broke his leg on getting out of the car.

outside • I don’t live in London. I live outside London. • It was very cold outside the car. • This is outside my scope.

over • We are flying over the mountains. • Put the blanket over the bed. • The cat jumped over the wall. • Let’s discuss it over dinner. • The king ruled over the country for many years. • The town is just over the border. • It cost over $50. It was $53.25. • There is rain over the whole country. • It took over an hour to do my homework. • The population has increased over the past twenty years. • Can you stay with us over Christmas?

throughout • It is raining throughout the whole country. • He worked throughout the day, and most of the night.

to • Could you give this to Kob? • My car does 10 miles to the litre. • To his surprise, the door was open. • The museum is open from Monday to Friday. • The time is ten to five. [4.50]

toward (US) towards (UK) • He drove off toward(s) the mountain. • I’d better go. It’s getting toward(s) midnight. • He contributed $100,000 toward(s) the new building. • It’s the first step toward(s) peace. • He has a positive attitude toward(s) his work.

under • The mouse ran under the chair. • The bucket is under the sink. • Submarines can travel under water. • We drove under a bridge. • I have a T-shirt under my pullover. • Who do you work under? Who is your boss? • I am under orders from the President. • What is the subject under discussion? • Under the company rules, we can’t do that. • Please buy it if it’s under $50.

underneath • The nurse put a pillow underneath his head. • There is a big cellar underneath our house.

up • Jack and Jill ran up the hill. • There is a post office up the street.

upon (formal) • Please don’t put your shoes upon the table. • There are now no dinosaurs upon Earth. • I need a book upon bio-chemistry. • We met upon a Monday. • He broke his leg upon getting out of the car.

versus • He was the judge in the case of Gore versus Bush. • We should choose peace versus war.

via • We flew from Paris to Bangkok via Dubai.

with • Do you live with your parents? • He’s been with EnglishClub.com for two years. • I discussed it with her. • With your permission, I’d like to go. • If you mix red with yellow you get orange. • Muriel is the girl with black hair. • Do you want to come with us? • I made this chair with my own hands. • You’ll forget her with time.

within • There is a modem within the computer. • I will finish within 30 minutes. • He lives within 10 miles of his work. • It’s not within my power to help you.

without • I want trousers without buttons. • I came without my wife because she is working. • He watched without speaking.

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