The English Corner at Richland College
Prepositions: Definitions and Conventions
A preposition is a connecting word that shows the relation of a noun or a noun substitute (a
pronoun) to another word in the sentence (the bird in the cage; the preposition in shows the
relationship between the bird and the cage). The following nine prepositions account for 90% of
the preposition usage in English:
with
to
from
at
in
of
by
for
on
Problems occur with prepositions that can be interchanged (She rode in the bus. She rode on the
bus). Since prepositions are often joined with verbs to create phrasal verbs (to look after the dog;
to look down on others), using the correct prepositions can be confusing. Additionally, a single
preposition can have many different definitions depending on the situation (I looked for my
friend. I ran for an hour).
The easiest way to learn the correct definitions and usages of prepositions and prepositional
phrases is simply through practice and memorization. Continual reading and writing will also
help to solidify the correct use of different prepositions.
Prepositions are used to express a number of relationships including time, location, manner,
means, quantity, purpose, and state or condition. The following are some common prepositions,
their definitions, and example sentences.
Time
About: about noon (approximately)
After: after the game; after lunch; after three
At: at five o'clock; at last (finally)
By: by midnight (no later than)
For: for an hour (duration)
From: from Monday to Friday
In: in the morning; in the fall; in April; in six months (at the end of); in 1987; (just) in time
(early enough)
Of: a quarter of three (15 minutes before)
On: on Tuesday (day of the week); on May 8 (date); on time (punctual)
Past: a quarter past three (15 minutes after)
To: a quarter to three (15 minutes before)
Place or Direction
Around: She walked around the art museum.
At: We were at the club.
Down: They lived down the street.
In: He lives in a mansion.
From: The fatal car accident is one mile from here.
Handout created by Jane Stidham
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Place or Direction (continued)
On: We rode on the elephant.
Inside: Put the golf clubs inside the house.
Of: We moved south of Montreal.
Through: They drove through the tunnel.
To: He went to London.
Up: He walked up the stairs.
With: He went with me.
Means or Agent
By: He was hit by a falling rock.
From: His success results from careful planning.
In: He takes pleasure in being lazy.
On: They lived on cold pizza and beer.
With: He chased a cockroach with a newspaper.
Manner
By: By doing it yourself, you become independent.
In: He left the store in confusion.
Like: He looked like a movie star.
On: On my honor, I swear I did not wreck the car.
With: He ate the cookie with a fork.
State or Condition
At: My friend has to stay at work.
By: The children are by themselves.
In: He is in a state (of confusion).
On: He is on guard duty.
For: I mistook you for someone else.
As: You can’t trust her as a person.
Quantity or Measure
For: We drove for twenty miles.
By: We bought the bananas by the pound.
For: We bought the painting for ten dollars.
Purpose
For: She went to the city for sightseeing and
shopping.
Handout created by Jane Stidham
www.richlandcollege.edu/englishcorner
Uses of Prepositions after Certain Verbs
account for
agree on (something)
agree with (someone)
apologize to
apply for
approve of
argue with (someone)
ask for
believe in
belong to
blame (someone) for (something)
blame (something) on (someone)
borrow from
call on (upon)
care for
compliment (someone) on
come from
consent to
consist of
convince (someone) of (something)
decide on (upon)
depend on (upon)
get rid of
hear about
hear from
hear of
insist on (upon)
invite (someone) to
laugh at
listen for
listen to
look at
look for
look forward to
object to
plan on
provide for
provide with
recover from
remind (someone) of
search for
see about
substitute for
talk about
talk of
telephone to
think about
think of
wait for
wait on (meaning serve)
Uses of Prepositions with Certain Adjectives and in Idiomatic Expressions
according to
accustomed to
angry about (something)
capable of
composed of
content with
dependent on (upon)
different from (than)
disappointed in
due to
followed by
fond of
have respect for
in accordance with
Handout created by Jane Stidham
angry at (someone)
angry with (someone)
based on
independent of
in regard to
interested in
limited to
married to
proud of
related to
resulting from
similar to
tired of
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