English Prepositions List

3 min read 01-12-2024

Prepositions—those small but mighty words—are the unsung heroes of English grammar. They're essential for showing the relationship between different parts of a sentence, indicating location, time, direction, and more. While seemingly simple, mastering prepositions can significantly elevate your writing and speaking skills. This guide provides a comprehensive list, categorized for easier understanding, along with examples to illustrate their usage.

Understanding Prepositions

Before diving into the list, it's crucial to grasp the fundamental role prepositions play. They always precede a noun or pronoun (often called the "object" of the preposition), forming a prepositional phrase. This phrase then modifies another part of the sentence, adding crucial context.

Categories of Prepositions

For clarity, we've organized the list into common categories:

1. Prepositions of Time

These prepositions indicate when something happens:

at: Used for specific times (at 3 pm, at noon) or points in time (at the beginning, at the end).
on: Used for days and dates (on Monday, on January 1st).
in: Used for longer periods (in the morning, in 2024, in summer).
during: Indicates something happening within a specific period (during the meeting, during the summer).
since: Indicates a point in time from which something has continued (since Monday, since 2010).
for: Indicates a duration of time (for two hours, for several years).
until/till: Indicates a point in time up to which something continues (until Friday, till noon).
by: Indicates a deadline or latest point (by tomorrow, by the end of the week).
before: Indicates something happening earlier (before the meeting, before noon).
after: Indicates something happening later (after the meeting, after lunch).

2. Prepositions of Place

These prepositions show where something is located:

in: Used for enclosed spaces (in the house, in the car).
on: Used for surfaces (on the table, on the wall).
at: Used for specific locations (at the corner, at the station).
above: Indicates something is higher than something else (above the clouds).
below: Indicates something is lower than something else (below the surface).
over: Indicates something is directly above something else (over the bridge).
under: Indicates something is directly below something else (under the table).
between: Indicates something is in the middle of two things (between the trees).
among: Indicates something is surrounded by others (among the flowers).
near: Indicates something is close to something else (near the school).
beside: Indicates something is next to something else (beside the river).
opposite: Indicates something is across from something else (opposite the building).
around: Indicates something is surrounding something else (around the lake).
through: Indicates movement from one side to another (through the tunnel).

3. Prepositions of Movement

These prepositions show the direction of movement:

to: Indicates direction or destination (to the store, to London).
towards: Indicates movement in a general direction (towards the sun).
into: Indicates movement inside (into the room).
onto: Indicates movement onto a surface (onto the stage).
from: Indicates the starting point (from the office, from home).
off: Indicates movement away from a surface (off the table).
out of: Indicates movement out of an enclosed space (out of the car).
across: Indicates movement from one side to another (across the street).

4. Prepositions of Manner

These prepositions describe how something is done:

by: Indicates the means or method (by car, by phone).
with: Indicates using something as a tool or accompaniment (with a knife, with friends).
without: Indicates absence of something (without permission, without delay).

5. Other Prepositions

Several prepositions don't neatly fit into the above categories:

about: Indicates a topic or subject (about the meeting, about politics).
against: Indicates opposition or contact (against the wall, against the rules).
during: Indicates time (during the summer, during the game).
except: Indicates exclusion (except for John, except on Sundays).
for: Indicates purpose or benefit (a gift for you, a book for students).
like: Indicates similarity (like a rock star).
of: Indicates possession or relationship (the roof of the house, the book of poems).
than: Used in comparisons (taller than me, better than expected).

This list is not exhaustive, but it covers the most frequently used prepositions in English. Regular practice and careful observation of how prepositions are used in different contexts are key to mastering them.