What is a preposition in English?

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Prepositions typically express time (at noon), place (in the room), direction (to the station), cause (because of the rain), or manner (by car). Common English prepositions include in, on, at, by, for, with, from, to, about, during, and through.

When do you use 'at,' 'on,' and 'in' for time?

Use 'at' for specific times of day: at 3pm, at midnight. Use 'on' for days and dates: on Monday, on the 5th of June. Use 'in' for longer periods — months, years, seasons, and parts of the day: in October, in 2020, in the morning. A useful memory trick: think of them as moving from the most specific (at) to the most general (in).

What is the difference between 'for' and 'since'?

'For' is used with a length or duration of time: I've been waiting for two hours. 'Since' is used with a specific starting point in time: I've been waiting since 9am. Both are commonly used with the present perfect tense. If you can replace the time expression with 'a period of time,' use 'for'; if it's a point in time, use 'since'.

Why are prepositions so difficult in English?

Prepositions are difficult because they often don't translate directly from other languages, and their meaning can change depending on context. Many preposition usages — especially after adjectives and verbs — are fixed collocations that must be learned as set phrases rather than derived from rules. For example, you are good at something, interested in something, and afraid of something — there is no single rule that predicts which preposition follows which adjective.

Are prepositions tested in English proficiency exams?

Yes — prepositions appear throughout Cambridge B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS, and TOEFL, particularly in gap fill and multiple choice grammar tasks. Prepositions after adjectives, fixed prepositional phrases, and the at/on/in distinction are among the most commonly tested areas.

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Preposition Exercises in English (All Levels)

Welcome to our complete collection of preposition exercises for ESL learners. Prepositions are one of the trickiest areas of English grammar — small words that carry a lot of meaning. You'll find free, interactive exercises covering prepositions of time, place, after adjectives, phrasal verbs, and mixed practice at every level.

All exercises are free and interactive, with instant answer checking. Levels range from A1/A2 (Beginner) to B2/C1 (Advanced).

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.

🟢 Not sure where to start?
Beginners should start with Prepositions of Time 1 or Mixed Prepositions 3 (beginner level). Intermediate learners should work through the On, At, In exercises and Prepositions after Adjectives. The Prepositions with Phrasal Verbs exercise is great for higher-intermediate learners.

All Preposition Exercises — Free & Interactive

(B) = Beginner (A1/A2) | (I) = Intermediate (B1/B2) | (A) = Advanced (C1/C2)

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time 1 B — Practice using at, on, and in with times, days, months, and seasons.
Prepositions of time 2 I — Intermediate-level practice with a wider range of time prepositions including during, for, since, and by.
Prepositions (for / since) 1 I — Focused practice on the for vs. since distinction, commonly used with the present perfect.

Prepositions of Place: At, On, In

Prepositions (on, at, in) 1 I — Practice choosing between at, on, and in in a variety of location contexts.
Prepositions (on, at, in) 2 I — More practice with this essential three-way distinction in place and time contexts.

Prepositions after Adjectives

Many English adjectives require a specific fixed preposition. These exercises help you learn and practise the most common adjective + preposition combinations.

Prepositions after adjectives 1 I — Practice common adjective + preposition collocations in sentence context.
Prepositions after adjectives 2 I — More adjective + preposition combinations at the intermediate level.

Prepositions: Opposites

Prepositions: opposites 1 B/I — Practice opposite preposition pairs such as above/below, before/after, and in front of/behind.

Prepositions with Phrasal Verbs

Prepositions with phrasal verbs 1 I — Practice the prepositions (particles) that form common phrasal verb combinations.

Preposition or No Preposition?

Preposition or no preposition? 1 B — Decide whether a preposition is needed or not — a key skill for avoiding unnecessary additions like discuss about or reach to.

Mixed Prepositions

These exercises cover a wide variety of preposition types in one place — great for general review and exam preparation.

Mixed prepositions 1 I — Intermediate-level mixed preposition practice across a range of contexts.
Mixed prepositions 2 I — More intermediate practice with varied preposition types.
Mixed prepositions 3 B — A beginner-friendly mixed preposition exercise covering the most common usages.

Frequently Asked Questions About Prepositions

What is a preposition in English?: A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Prepositions typically express time (at noon), place (in the room), direction (to the station), cause (because of the rain), or manner (by car). Common English prepositions include in, on, at, by, for, with, from, to, about, during, and through.
When do you use "at," "on," and "in" for time?: Use at for specific times of day: at 3pm, at midnight. Use on for days and dates: on Monday, on the 5th of June. Use in for longer periods — months, years, seasons, and parts of the day: in October, in 2020, in the morning. A useful memory trick: think of them as moving from the most specific (at) to the most general (in).
What is the difference between "for" and "since"?: For is used with a length or duration of time: I've been waiting for two hours. Since is used with a specific starting point in time: I've been waiting since 9am. Both are commonly used with the present perfect tense. A quick test: if you can replace the time expression with "a period of time," use for; if it's a point in time, use since.
Why are prepositions so difficult in English?: Prepositions are difficult because they often don't translate directly from other languages, and their meaning can change depending on context. Many preposition usages — especially after adjectives and verbs — are fixed collocations that must be learned as set phrases rather than derived from rules. For example, you are good at something, interested in something, and afraid of something — there is no single rule that predicts which preposition follows which adjective.
Are prepositions tested in English proficiency exams?: Yes — prepositions appear throughout Cambridge B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS, and TOEFL, particularly in gap fill and multiple choice grammar tasks. Prepositions after adjectives, fixed prepositional phrases, and the at/on/in distinction are among the most commonly tested areas. Developing strong prepositional awareness is essential for achieving high scores in the Use of English sections of Cambridge exams.