Prepositions in English are service part speech. They reflect temporal, spatial, causal or other types of relationships between two meaningful words. In Russian, cases are used for these purposes, while in English, word order and prepositions are used to construct constructions. You should study the rules for using prepositions in English in order to correctly compose sentences.
All English prepositions can be divided into:
- Simple or simple;
- Compound or complex;
- Derived or production;
- Composite or composite.
The vast majority of prepositions have the Simple form. These include, for example, against (against, with, on, to, under), the preposition in (in, for, by, on, with), about (about, about, on, about, about).
Compound includes several components. These include whereupon (after which, as a result of which), within (in, inside).
Derived come from words of other parts of speech. These include, for example, concerning (about, on).
Composite uses when forming phrases. They consist of a word from another part of speech and one or two prepositions. These include, for example, because of (due to), with regard to (in relation). Any element of a compound preposition cannot be shortened or expanded - it is a single whole unit. The meaning of Composite is directly dependent on the significant word included in its composition.
Adverbs and prepositions in English
Some English prepositions have the same spelling as adverbs. They can be distinguished from each other only by the role they play in the design. Adverbs carry their own meaning and in some cases define the verb. In addition, adverbs, as a rule, receive logical stress. Prepositions only reflect the relationships between significant parts of speech.
To better understand the difference, consider an example:
The guests were led above. - The guests were taken upstairs. IN in this case above is an adverb because it has its own meaning and answers the question “where?”
There is only clear sky above me. “Above me there is only clear sky.” In this case, we will use above as a preposition, since it expresses the spatial relationship between 2 words.
Grammatical meaning
As mentioned above, English uses prepositions instead of cases. In this case, they are not translated, and the noun to which the preposition refers is placed in the required case.
Preposition of– corresponds to the genitive case (“whom? what?”). For example, This is the hat of Mr. Brown. - This is Mr. Brown's hat.
Preposition to– corresponds dative case(“to whom? to what?”). For example, You should give such a difficult task to a more experienced specialist. – You should give such a complex task to a more experienced specialist.
Preposition by answers the questions “by whom? how?". This is the active instrumental case. Nouns that are used together with this preposition are used to describe actor or force that performs actions. For example, This book is written by a famous journalist. — This book was written by a famous journalist.
Preposition with answers the question “with what?”. This is the instrumental instrumental case. The noun with which this preposition is used characterizes the instrument of action. For example, Such toys are cut with a knife. – Such toys are cut out with a knife.
Preposition about– corresponds to the prepositional case (“about whom? about what?”). For example, Anna likes stories about spies. – Anna likes stories about spies.
The semantic meaning of prepositions
Some prepositions of the English language have several meanings, these include the prepositions in, to, at. And others, on the contrary, have only one, for example, till, among.
However, the same verbs in combination with different prepositions also have different meanings. For example, let's take the preposition to before verbs in English: to look for – “to search” and to look after – “to look after”.
Prepositions can have the following meanings, presented in the table below:
| Used values | Design in English | Translation |
| Attitude of isolation | to tell something from something | distinguish something from something |
| The meaning of the course of action | in a positive way | Optimistic |
| Similarity relation | You are like me. | You look like me. |
| Goals | I did it just for entertainment. | I did this just for fun. |
| The meaning of relativity | He is very smart for a kid. | He is very smart for a child. |
| Temporary relationship | after sunrise | after dawn |
| Relationship relationship | to take part in the contest | take part in the competition |
| Causal relationships | dislike someone for being a coward | not loving someone because of their cowardice |
| Attitude to the field of activity | But I sing terrible!! | But I sing terribly! |
| Spatial relationships, including the meaning of movement | up the stream | upstream |
| Object relation (what the action is directed towards) | shout at somebody | shout at someone |
| Meaning of Concession | in spite of bad weather | despite the bad weather |
| Origin, material | A table made of glass. | Glass table. |
| Relations corresponding to the instrumental case in Russian. A noun with the preposition by is used to describe an actor or force, with preposition with– instrument of action | Such kind of painting must be executed with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers. |
This type of painting is done with a thin brush. This project was developed by one of our managers. |
| The meaning of belonging or being part of something | a decline in sales | decline in sales |
| Definition value | people under threat | people are under threat |
Where should the preposition appear in the sentence?
Typically, a preposition that expresses the relationship between 2 words comes between them.
For example: He plans to return in October. – He plans to return in October.
If there are one or more adjectives, a preposition is placed before them. This is the basic rule for how adjectives and prepositions are used:
For example: She is sitting under a big old apple tree. “She’s sitting under a big old apple tree.”
However, there are exceptions to this rule:
- Special questions when the preposition is at the end of the sentence. For example, Who am I supposed to send it to? - Who should I send this to? But some people want to put a preposition before a question word. This is necessary to give the design a more official sound. For example, To whom am I supposed to send it? – Who should I send this to? Both options are composed correctly.
- In subordinate clauses with prepositions and in sentences that begin with relative and conjunctive pronouns. For example, What I’m really surprised about is this nasty weather. – What I'm really surprised about is this terrible weather.
- In passive designs. For example, This problem must be taken care of. – This problem needs to be solved.
- In exclamatory sentences. For example, What a terrible thing to brag about! -What a terrible thing to show off!
- In some constructions with a gerudium or an infinitive. For example, He is impossible to work with. “It’s impossible to work with him.” It's a too noisy place to live in. “This is too noisy a place to live.”
Prepositions in English are quite easy to remember, and the rules of use are clear to everyone.
Common prepositions and how they are used
Below we will look at the most common prepositions and in what meaning they should be used.
The first meaning of the preposition is place. For example, Jack is at school now. Jack is at school now.
The preposition at, used in English, can have the meaning of time. For example, We will be back at 5 p.m. – We will be back at 5 pm.
The preposition on can be used to indicate place. For example, I love fresh snow on the ground. – I love fresh snow on the ground.
Used to indicate time. For example, They forecast sunny weather on Tuesday. – Sunny weather is predicted for Tuesday.
And also for on in English they are used to indicate the field of activity. For example, After a short speech on modern ecology problems Mr. Litz answered several questions. – After a short speech on the topic of modern environmental problems, Mr. Litz answered several questions.
Belongs to the group “prepositions of place”. For example, I saw the remote in my room. – I saw the TV remote control in my room.
The preposition can also mean geographical location, but unlike at, which refers to a point on a map, in in English is used to talk about a large area with houses and streets.
For comparison:
We had a change of plane at Budapest on our way to Roma. – On the way to Rome we had a transfer in Budapest.
Pete lives in New York. – Pete lives in New York.
It is advisable to use these prepositions in English to indicate time. It is worth noting that in means a somewhat extended time period. For example, Gorky park is so beautiful in October. – Gorky Park is so beautiful in October. Here it is worth drawing a parallel with at, denoting a specific point in time. For example, We leave at 6 o’clock. – We leave at 6 o’clock.
The use of this preposition is advisable when it is necessary to indicate the topic of conversation. For example, I would like to tell you about the harm of smoking. – I would like to tell you about the dangers of smoking.
And also to indicate the direction or place where you should move. For example: Walk about the square and meet me in 10 minutes. – Walk around the square and meet me in 10 minutes.
If a rough estimate is given, this preposition is also used. For example, It must be about 2 o’clock. It should be about 2 o'clock now.
This preposition conveys the meaning “above or above.” For example, Our neighbor above is so loud. “Our upstairs neighbor is so loud.”
Its second meaning is “more than and above.” For example, Above 2000 visitors took part in the expo. – More than 2,000 visitors took part in the exhibition.
This preposition is the opposite of Above and means “below, under.” For example, I love flying on airplanes and seeing only clouds below me. – I love flying on airplanes and seeing only clouds below me.
The preposition is used when talking about time in the sense of “after.” For example, After we finish packing the furniture it must be loaded on the truck. “After we finish packing the furniture, it will need to be loaded onto the truck.
It also belongs to the group of “prepositions of place” and is used in the meaning “behind something or someone.” For example, Don’t run, the dogs will run after us. “Don’t run, otherwise the dogs will run after us.”
The preposition is the antonym of After and serves to indicate time in English in the sense of “before, before”, for example, You must tell me a tale before I go to sleep. - Before I go to bed, you must tell me a story. And also to indicate a place in the meaning of “before”, for example, You keep stopping before each shop window. – You always stop in front of every shop window.
A preposition that corresponds to an agent or person. In other words, he plays the role of an agent instrumental case in Russian. For example, This violin was made by a famous master. – This violin was made by a famous master.
It can mean a period after which some action must be performed. For example, The plane will land by midnight. — The plane will land before midnight.
The preposition is also used when talking about a way or means of doing some work. For example, I’ve started my business by selling oranges. – I started my business selling oranges.
In addition, the preposition can mean place in the sense of “near, at, near.” For example, I know a lovely place by the lake nearby. I know a wonderful place near a lake nearby.
The preposition for is used to mean “for” when talking about any goal. For example, We’ve decorated the room for your return! – We decorated the room for your return!
Used when talking about compensation or price. For example, You did not even thank us for all our help. – You didn’t even thank us for all our help. You must pay for the dinner in Euros. – You must pay for lunch in euros.
A preposition is used when talking about a reason. For example, You were fired for always coming late. – You were fired for constantly being late.
When they talk about time in the sense of “during.” For example, I was on vacation for the last 2 weeks. - I spent the last 2 weeks on vacation.
A preposition is used when talking about an object in whose favor a certain action was performed. For example, I voted for another candidate. – I voted for another candidate.
This preposition belongs to a group called “prepositions of movement in English”. It is used when talking about the direction of action in the sense of “from whom or from where.” For example, I did not hear from him for 8 years. – I haven’t heard anything about him for the last 8 years.
It is also possible to use this preposition when we are talking about the starting moment of performing an action. For example, This bank is working from 10 to 16. – This bank is open from 10 to 16 hours.
This preposition acts as genitive case, answers the questions “who? what?" and is not translated into Russian. For example, This is the dictionary of our teacher. – This is our teacher’s dictionary.
In addition, a preposition can highlight one object from a group. For example, One of your children has broken my window. - One of your children broke my window.
It is also suitable for use when talking about materials. For example, Such huts are made of clay. “Such huts are built from clay.
This preposition corresponds to the dative case in Russian and can mean direction. For example, Throw the ball to me! - Throw me the ball!
We have looked at the rules and use of basic English prepositions. To consolidate the material, you should independently compose several sentences with each preposition. In this way, you can learn to accurately use and place prepositions.
Today is just a world cheat sheet, friends. Another great find from DuoLingo.com. Thanks to the author for this valuable work.
Due to the fact that many prepositions in English are used differently than in Russian. The topic of prepositions is a sore spot for almost all students.
This collection covers almost all the rules for using concrete examples. The table is designed in such a way that you can make up your own sentences using it, using it as a guide. Brilliant! Personally, I will return to this table more than once, because... I'm not sure that even native speakers know all the rules outlined in it.
It is with great pleasure that I share this wealth with you, friends.
Practical part:
Prepositions, like phrasal verbs and idioms, you need to remember not separately, but in conjunction with a specific verb. So act like I already did. Compose 5-10 sentences with several different prepositions and work with them (with one group of prepositions) for a week. Speak each of the sentences in the past, present and future tense, form a question and a negative. Why this is so - you will kill two birds with one stone, improve prepositions and train yourself to correctly use tenses in speech, build questions and denials on the fly.
Complete table of English prepositions with examples
That's all for me, friends.
Save this guide to your wall and share with friends. If you liked the episode, I will be glad to see your likes and reposts.
See you soon,
Alex Ch.
Almost everyone who begins to learn a language encounters difficulties using English prepositions.
The fact is that when using English prepositions, very often we adhere to “Russian logic” and translate them literally. Because of this, we make a lot of mistakes.
In this article I will talk about 4 groups of English prepositions:
- prepositions of place,
- prepositions of direction,
- prepositions of time,
- prepositions of reason.
I will also give general tables of their use.
4 groups of prepositions in English
A preposition is a part of speech that serves to connect words in a sentence and phrase.
In English there are 4 large groups prepositions:
1. Prepositions of place.
2. Prepositions of direction.
3. Prepositions of time.
4. Prepositions of reason.
Let's look at the use of the main prepositions of each of these groups.
Prepositions of place in English
Prepositions of place in English indicate the position and location of an object/person in space. Usually such prepositions answer the question “where?”
For example: “The vase is (where?) on the table.”
Let's look at the main prepositions of this group.
| Pretext | Translation | Usage | Example | |
| Above | above, above |
We say that something/someone is in a higher position or place than something/someone else. |
He lives above me. |
|
| Below | under, below | We say that something/someone is in a lower place or position, or on a lower level. | There is a house below the bridge. There is a house under the bridge. |
|
| Before | before, at | Something/someone is in front of someone/something. | He walked before me. He walked in front of me. |
|
| In front of | in front, opposite | Something/someone is in front of someone/something, or facing someone. | He parked in front of the building. He parked in front of the building. |
|
| Behind | behind, behind | Something/someone is behind someone/something. | She stood behind me. She stood behind me. |
|
| Under | under | Someone/something is on a lower level or covered by something. | He hide under the table. He hid under the table. |
|
| Over | over | Someone/something is above and not touching the other object. | A lamp hung over the table. The lamp hangs over the table. |
|
| Between | between | Some object or person separates other objects, that is, it is located between them. |
There is a bicycle between the two cars. |
|
| Among | among | We say that someone/something is surrounded by something. | There were two foreign women among the guests. There were two foreign women among the guests. | |
| By | at, next to, about, near | Very close to something. Most often used when we say that we are in close proximity to a window, door, or the edge of something. | I saw him standing by the window. I saw him standing by the window. |
|
| Beside | near | Something/someone is nearby, to the side of someone/something. | The girl sat beside me. The girl sat down next to me. |
|
| Next to | near, near, near | Very close to someone/something, when there are no other people or things between you. | They stood next to their car. They were standing next to the car. |
|
| Outside | outside | Something/someone is not inside the building, but close to it. |
We waited outside. |
|
| At | V | Someone is inside something for a specific purpose. | They are at the hospital. They are in the hospital. | |
| In | V | Someone/something is inside something. | We put the books in a box. We put the books in a box. | |
| On | on | Someone/something is on the surface of something. | There is a book on the windowsill. There is a book on the windowsill. |
|
Prepositions of direction in English
Prepositions of direction are used to show the direction of movement of a person or object.
For example: “She left the house.”
| Pretext | Translation | Usage | Example | |
| Across | through |
Someone is moving from one side of something to the other. |
He was swimming across the river. |
|
| Along | along, along | To go forward in the direction of the length of something. | Go straight along this street. Walk straight along this street. |
|
| Down | down | Move from a high position to a lower one. | We skied down the slope. We skied down the slope. |
|
| Up | up | Move from a low position to a higher one. | We are walking up stairs We go up the stairs. |
|
| Round/around | around | Move in a circle, surround something. | They danced around a fir-tree. They danced around the Christmas tree. |
|
| Into | V | To get inside something, to go somewhere. | She came into the building. She entered the building. |
|
| Out (of) | from | To come out from somewhere, to move from the inside out. |
He went out of a restaurant. He left the restaurant. |
|
| Through | through, through | From one side (entrance) move to the other side (exit). |
We will walk through the forest. |
|
| To | To | Used to say where someone is going, towards what they are moving towards. | They are going to the cinema. They are going to the cinema. |
|
Prepositions of time in English
Prepositions of time we need to indicate the time when something happened/is happening/will happen.
For example: “She will finish work before 5 pm.”
Let's look at the table of usage of these prepositions.
| Pretext | Translation | Usage | Example | |
| For | for |
Used to say how long an action or situation lasts. |
She was baking the cake for an hour. |
|
| During | during, throughout | Indicates that an action or situation continued from the beginning to the end of a period of time. | They were studying during the night. They studied all night. |
|
| Since | since then | We use it when we say that something is happening or has happened since a certain period of time in the past. | He has known her since childhood. He has known her since childhood. |
|
| By | To | Indicates that an action will occur before or not later than a certain time or moment. | You have to send me the documents by the Friday. You need to send me the documents by Friday. |
|
| Until/till | to | We use this word when something happens for a certain time and then stops. | Let's wait until Monday. Let's wait until Sunday. |
|
| From…to | from...to... | We use it when we say that something happened from one period of time to another. | We work from nine to five. We work from nine to five. |
|
| Before | to | We use it when we say that something happened before certain action or events. |
Read instructions before use. |
|
| After | after | We use it when we say that something happened after some event or after someone did something. |
You should rest after the exercise. |
|
| Over | for, during | Used when you have been doing something (intermittently) for a period of time. | I am going to study English over my holidays. I'm going to study English during my holidays. |
|
| Ago | back | Used to show how long ago something happened in the past. | They got married 5 years ago. They got married 5 years ago. |
|
| Within | no later than; for |
Used when we say that an action must take place before a certain period of time occurs. We emphasize the limited period. | I will answer within three days. I will respond within three days. |
|
| Up to | to | We say that something happened/is happening before a certain period. | He has kept the secret up to now. He kept this secret until this time. |
|
| In | V | Used with months, with time of day, with years, with seasons, with for long periods time. | We met in 2001. We met in 2001. |
|
| At | V | Used with clocks, with certain moments of the day, with weekends and holidays. | She will come at 6 o'clock. She will arrive at 6 o'clock. |
|
| On | V | Used with dates, days of weeks, and special dates. | He was born on October 9. He was born on October 9th. |
|
Prepositions of reason and purpose
Prepositions of reason and purpose we need to say why or why an action occurred.
For example: “She didn’t come because she was sick.”
Here are the main prepositions of this group.
| Pretext | Translation | Usage | Example | |
| Because of | Because, because of |
Used to say who or what causes something to happen or is the cause of something. Most often used in colloquial speech. |
He was absent because of illness. He left because of you. |
|
| In accordance with | In accordance with, according to | Used when something happens according to a rule or law. |
We have finished the work in accordance with her instructions. In accordance with the law I have prepared a contract. In accordance with the law, I prepared a contract. |
|
| On account of | As a result, due to | We use it when we say that something happened because of something. Especially due to some problems or difficulties. |
We couldn't sleep on account of the noise. The bus was delayed on account of a snowfall. |
|
| Thanks to | Thanks, because | We use it when something happened because of someone or something. Most often it's something good. |
We have tickets to the game thanksto you. I found this apartment thanks to my friend. I found this apartment thanks to my friend. |
|
| Due to | Because of, thanks | We use it when something happened because of something ( often with a negative connotation). Mostly used in formal, official occasions. | The plane was delayed due to a technical problem. Due to a technical problem, the flight was delayed. The game was postponed due to rain. |
|
| Through | Thanks, because | Used when something happens because of something. | I lost the picnic through
sickness. I missed the picnic due to illness. He failed his exams through not studying enough. |
|
| From | By, from |
Used to say why you think or believe something. Also used to say what causes something. |
I guessed from her accent that she is French. From what I"ve heard, the new exam will be more difficult. |
|
| Of | From, because of, by | Shows the reason why something (usually bad) happened. |
The economy is the cause of the crisis. He died of a heart attack. |
|
| For | For, for, because of |
We use it when we say that we do/use something for a specific purpose. Also when something happens because of or as a result of something. |
I have bought him a cake for his birthday. I bought him a cake for his party. We could hardly see for the mist. |
|
So now you're familiar with English prepositions. Let's consolidate their use in practice.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments.
1. Cat in a box.
2. They walked along the street.
3. She was late because of the traffic jam.
4. The meeting will begin at 7 o'clock.
5. The ball is under the sofa.
Today is just a world cheat sheet, friends. Another great find from DuoLingo.com. Thanks to the author for this valuable work.
Due to the fact that many prepositions in English are used differently than in Russian. The topic of prepositions is a sore spot for almost all students.
This collection covers almost all the rules of use with specific examples. The table is designed in such a way that you can make up your own sentences using it, using it as a guide. Brilliant! Personally, I will return to this table more than once, because... I'm not sure that even native speakers know all the rules outlined in it.
It is with great pleasure that I share this wealth with you, friends.
Practical part:
Prepositions, like phrasal verbs and idioms, need to be memorized not individually, but in conjunction with a specific verb. So act like I already did. Compose 5-10 sentences with several different prepositions and work with them (with one group of prepositions) for a week. Speak each of the sentences in the past, present and future tense, form a question and a negative. Why this is so - you will kill two birds with one stone, improve prepositions and train yourself to correctly use tenses in speech, build questions and denials on the fly.
Complete table of English prepositions with examples
That's all for me, friends.
Save this guide to your wall and share with friends. If you liked the episode, I will be glad to see your likes and reposts.
See you soon,
Alex Ch.
