English Prepositions - Explanation and Exercises
Prepositions of time and place, prepositions after adjectives, and phrasal-verb prepositions, explained and practiced: free interactive exercises with instant answer checking, from beginner (A1/A2) to advanced (C1).
Quick Grammar Review: Prepositions in English
What is a preposition?
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another element in the sentence, typically expressing time, place, direction, cause, or manner. Common prepositions include in, on, at, by, for, with, from, to, about, between, during, and through.
At, on, and in: time and place
The three most common prepositions (at, on, and in) are used for both time and place, but follow different rules depending on context.
| Preposition | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| at | Specific times: at 6pm, at midnight, at noon, at the weekend | Specific points/locations: at the bus stop, at the door, at school |
| on | Days and dates: on Monday, on July 4th, on my birthday | Surfaces: on the table, on the wall, on the floor |
| in | Months, years, seasons, periods: in March, in 2005, in the morning | Enclosed spaces / areas: in the room, in the city, in France |
Prepositions of time: for vs. since
- For is used with a duration of time: I have lived here for five years.
- Since is used with a specific point in time: I have lived here since 2019.
Common prepositions after adjectives
Many adjectives in English are followed by a fixed preposition. These must be learned as set phrases. Some common examples:
| Adjective + preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| afraid of | She is afraid of spiders. |
| good at | He's very good at maths. |
| interested in | Are you interested in art? |
| responsible for | Who is responsible for this? |
| different from | This is different from what I expected. |
| satisfied with | She was satisfied with the results. |
| worried about | I'm worried about the exam. |
| similar to | This is similar to the last one. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- At/on/in confusion with time: ✗ I'll see you in Monday. → ✓ I'll see you on Monday.
- For vs. since: ✗ I've been here since three hours. → ✓ I've been here for three hours.
- Wrong preposition after adjective: ✗ She's good in English. → ✓ She's good at English.
- Adding a preposition where none is needed: ✗ We discussed about the problem. → ✓ We discussed the problem.
All Preposition Exercises
(B) = Beginner (A1/A2) | (I) = Intermediate (B1/B2) | (A) = Advanced (C1/C2)
Prepositions of Time
Prepositions of Place: At, On, In
Prepositions after Adjectives
Many English adjectives require a specific fixed preposition. These exercises help you learn and practice the most common adjective + preposition combinations.
Prepositions in Idioms
Many everyday idioms are built around a fixed preposition combination that can't be predicted from rules alone.
Prepositions: Opposites
Prepositions with Phrasal Verbs
Preposition or No Preposition?
Mixed Prepositions
These exercises cover a wide variety of preposition types in one place, great for general review and exam preparation.
