Prepositions
Prepositions show relationships of place, time or direction.
About this topic
Prepositions show the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word, in terms of place (in, on, under, between), time (before, during, after), direction (to, through, towards) and other relations (with, by, of). A prepositional phrase includes the preposition, its object and any modifiers ("on the table").
Some prepositions are tied to particular words, called dependent prepositions: good at, afraid of, interested in, different from, depend on. Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle, which changes meaning (give up, look after, run into). Prepositional phrases work as adjectives (the book on the shelf) or adverbs (she waited after school).
Worked example: in "The cat hid under the bed during the storm", under the bed shows place and during the storm shows time. Test a preposition by checking whether it can be followed by a noun or pronoun object. Remember that on usually names a surface or day (on the desk, on Monday), in names an enclosed space or longer period (in the box, in June), and at names a specific point (at noon, at the door).
Learners often mix these up, and the old rule that you should never end a sentence with a preposition is a myth: "Who did you give it to?" is perfectly natural. Do be careful with after-words like between (two things) and among (three or more), and with different from rather than different than in formal British writing.
Key ideas
- In, on, at, under, between
- Prepositional phrases
- Don't end with a preposition? (a flexible rule)
Quick check
Use cases: where Prepositions helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Prepositions before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Prepositions without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Prepositions changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Prepositions in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Strong reading and writing are needed in every subject, job and exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is Prepositions?
Prepositions show relationships of place, time or direction.
What will I learn in Prepositions?
In, on, at, under, between. Prepositional phrases. Don't end with a preposition? (a flexible rule).
Is Prepositions part of English?
Yes. It is one of 60 English topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Prepositions lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Prepositions?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.