Prepositions

Prepositions Prepositions are very difficult for second-language learners. The best way to learn to use them is to listen to native speakers use them and to read a lot of fiction. Still it often takes many years to perfect. The most difficult prepositions, in my experience, are in, on, at, and to.

Prepositions of place or space:

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in

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at|_______ _| to-->|_______ |

In expresses confinement. That's why it's part of the words INSIDE and WITHIN. I'll ride in your car. My brother's in jail I've got $12 in my pocket. Tiblisi is in Georgia. On means attached to or adjacent to something. Dinner's on the table. My car is parked on Ventura Boulevard. She had a strange smile on her face. There was a picture of Ghandi on the wall. At refers to a specific point in space. There's a guest at the door. Would you let him in? The plane was at the end of the runway. Change trains at Waterloo Station. I'll be at the office all morning. At also indicates "in the direction". He pointed at the machine and asked, "What's that?" I looked at Paul as he entered the room.

The drowning man grabbed at the rope, but he could not hold it. I could only guess at the meaning of the new words. To indicates "in a direction" or towards. Aura goes to the office early on Tuesdays. Drive to the end of the road and turn to the right. The young mother sings to her baby every night. Philadelphia is to the south and west of New York. We give our magazines to a hospital when we have finished with them.

To indicates the end of a range with from. It takes four days to drive from Los Angeles to Florida. It's three miles from my sister's house to mine. Count (from one) to ten before say anything you'll regret. I love all food, from hot dogs to fine cuisine.

Prepositions of time: In is used for confinement in a time period. My birthday is in September. Sandra was born in 1977. I go to class in the afternoon. I watch television in the evening.

On is used for a specific day. I go the gym on Mondays and Wednesdays. We started the class on June 10th. I'm going to fly to Italy on the day after tomorrow. Let's go out to lunch on a day when you're not too busy.

At refers to a specific time. I have an appointment with Dr. Fermi at 3 p.m. The game starts at 7:30 in Paris. That's at 2:30 in New York I like to stay home at night. I left home at 18. (I was 18 years old.) To means "until". The concert began at quarter to eight. (7:45) How long is it to dinner? It's six days to my birthday.

Preposition Practice Fill in the blanks with on, in, at, or to. Halloween is celebrated ______ the United States _______ October 31st. It is not an official holiday, so everyone has to go ______ school or work. But the fun begins ________ night. Actually, the celebration begins ______ the afternoon from 4 p.m. _____ about 6 p.m. for younger children; but older kids go out ______ night when it's scary! What do they do? Well, children, and lots of adults, dress up _____ costumes and go ______ their neighbors houses. When the neighbor comes ______ the door, the children _____ the door cry "Trick or Treat!" They try to frighten their neighbor and expect him or her to put candy or fruit _____ the bags that they are carrying. Halloween is really very old. The name comes from All Hallows' Eve-a "hallow" is the word that people ______ 19th Century England gave _____ the spirits of dead people. November 1st is All Saints Day ______ the Christian calendar, but people who love to be scared celebrate _____ the night before. Trick-or-treaters dress up ______ costumes as ghosts, goblins, ghouls, skeletons, and vampires. What are these creatures? Look up the words _______ a good dictionary. In addition ______ going _____ doors for frights and candy, people go ______ parties ______ Halloween. The best feature _______ these parties is usually a costume contest. The people who go _______ these parties also carve pumpkins to make jack o' lanterns--people cut eyes, a nose and a mouth _____ these orange fruits. Then they put a candle _____ the pumpkin to make a lantern. The history of Halloween is not always happy. _______ some large cities, there are fires ______ Halloween. People seem to get carried away with wanting to scare others. Other bad things that happen ______ Halloween are that some bad people put needles and other things ______ the candy they give ______ children to hurt them. Halloween can be fun, but it can be dangerous. My favorite place to be ______ midnight ______ Halloween is _____ home _____ bed with a scary movie ______ TV! Be careful! Back to the Lesson

Preposition Practice Fill in the blanks with on, in, at, or to. Halloween is celebrated _in_____ the United States __on_____ October 31st. It is not an official holiday, so everyone has to go ______ school or work. But the fun begins __at______ night. Actually, the celebration begins __in____ the afternoon from 4 p.m. __to___ about 6 p.m. for younger children; but older kids go out __at__ night when it's scary! What do they do? Well, children, and lots of adults, dress up _in____ costumes and go _to_____ their neighbors houses. When the neighbor comes __to____ the door, the children _at____ the door cry "Trick or Treat!" They try to frighten their neighbor and expect him or her to put candy or fruit _in____ the bags that they are carrying. Halloween is really very old. The name comes from All Hallows' Eve-a "hallow" is the word that people __in__ 19th Century England gave __to___ the spirits of dead people. November 1st is All Saints Day __on__ the Christian calendar, but people who love to be scared celebrate __on__ the night before. Trick-or-treaters dress up _in___ costumes as ghosts, goblins, ghouls, skeletons, and vampires. What are these creatures? Look up the words __in___ a good dictionary. In addition __to__ going __to___ doors for frights and candy, people go __to__ parties _on___ Halloween. The best feature ___at___ these parties is usually a costume contest. The people who go __to___ these parties also carve pumpkins to make jack o' lanterns--people cut eyes, a nose and a mouth __on___ these orange fruits. Then they put a candle _in____ the pumpkin to make a lantern. The history of Halloween is not always happy. __In_____ some large cities, there are fires _on___ Halloween. People seem to get carried away with wanting to scare others. Other bad things that happen __on____ Halloween are that some bad people put needles and other things __in____ the candy they give __to____ children to hurt them. Halloween can be fun, but it can be dangerous. My favorite place to be __at___ midnight __on____ Halloween is __at___ home _in__ bed with a scary movie __on____ TV! Be careful! Back to the Lesson

(c) David Tillyer 1998