40 Common Prepositions

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Introduction

Prepositions are small words that connect elements in a sentence. They are essential because they provide additional details about the sentence by locating events, people and objects in a time and place or to show movement from one place to another.

Form

Prepositions usually come before a noun phrase or pronoun.

The most commonly used prepositions are: at, by, for, from, in, on, to, with…

Example

  1. I am at the supermarket.
  2. He went by bus.
  3. They went for a walk.
  4. The price increased from nine euros to eleven euros.
  5. The card is in the wallet.
  6. The exit is on the left.
  7. He went to the market.
  8. She paid with her card.

Use

Prepositions are small words that connect elements in a sentence.

Prepositions don’t stand alone, but rather act with other elements of the sentence to create the main sense. We use prepositions of time to locate an event in a specific moment or period, prepositions of place to express the location of something or someone and prepositions of movement to show movement from one place to another.

The most common prepositions are:

  1. At (being in a specific place);
  2. By (using the means of…);
  3. For (with the purpose of…);
  4. From (starting point of a movement);
  5. In (being inside a closed 3-dimensional place);
  6. On (being on a surface and having some contact with it);
  7. To (moving towards a destination);
  8. With (in the company or presence of…).

Summary

Prepositions connect elements in a sentence and they provide additional information about it. Some of the most common prepositions are prepositions of time, place and movement. They usually come before a noun phrase or a pronoun.

The most commonly used prepositions are: at, by, for, from, in, on, to, with…

For example:
— “I’m at the supermarket.” = We use at because supermarket is a specific place.
— “I’m speaking with the manager.” = We use with because I’m in the presence of the manager.

Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.

Related

Common Preposition come before a noun phrase or pronoun.

In English, for better understanding about the combination of a preposition and other elements of the sentence,  you can learn Prepositional phrases.

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