Rules of Preposition

Kabir Ahmed
Lecturer in English

English Grammar
Prepositions
For Class- XI & XII

Rule-1: Preposition
Preposition of time: on, in, at.
At: at is used to express precise time.
 Salma gets up at six every day.
 Salma takes a nap at noon.

Rule-2: Preposition
In: in is used before year, months, seasons
and other long periods
 Salma lived in Rajshahi in 1998.
 Salma was born in April.
 It is hot in summer.
 In the past, there were a lot of fish in this
river.

Rule-3: Preposition
On: on is used before days and dates.
 My roommate threw a surprising party on
my birthday.
 Children get red envelopes on Chinese
New Year’s Eve.
 We do not work on Friday.

Rule-4 : Preposition
＊No preposition is used before words
like this, last, or next
 She is coming back next Tuesday.
 We went hiking this morning.
 I met her last summer.

Rule-5: Prepositions
Preposition of places
At: at is used for a specific point
 I will be waiting for you at the bus stop.
 Please wait for me at the entrance.
 There is a park at the end of the road.

Rule-6: Preposition
In: in is used for an enclosed space or in a
larger place.
 The airplane will be landing in Dhaka in
five minutes.
 My mother is working in the garden.
 You can find the scissors in the drawer.

Rule-7: Preposition
On: on is used for a surface
 The cat is lying on the ground.
 There are a clock and a painting on the
wall.

Rule-8: Preposition
Special Usage of on, in and at.
 We use at home, at work, at school, at the
top, at the bottom,
 We use in a car, in a taxi, in a boat, but on
a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ship.
 On a bicycle, on the radio, and on TV, but
in the newspaper.

Rule-9: Prepositions
about
1) on the subject of: This is a story about
aliens.
2) approximately: She is about twenty
years old.

Rule-10: Preposition
 above
1) Over: The picture is above the piano.
 across
1) from one side to the other: We swam
across the lake.
2) on the other side of: There is a store
across the street.

 after
1) later in time:
Mrs. Fatema is used to taking a nap after
lunch.
2) later in a series:
1) B comes after A in the alphabet.

against
1) in opposition to: Smoking on the plane
is against the law.
2) touching: I leaned my bicycle against
the wall.

 along
1) following the length of: Walk along the
street and you will see the barbershop.
 among
1) within a group: The money is going to
be shared among five persons.

around
1) circling something: Let me show you
around.
2) approximately: Most of the basketball
players are around six feet tall.

 before
1) earlier in time: You have to come back
before twelve o’clock.
2) earlier in a series: A comes before B in
the alphabet.

Rule 16: Preposition
 below
1) under: It’s cold today. The temperature
must be below zero.
 beside
1) next to: The coffee shop is beside the
flower shop.
 besides
1) also; as well as: We study Spanish and
French besides English.

 behind
1) at the back of: There is a dog behind
the sofa.
2) late: I am behind in my work.

 by
1) near: I would like to buy a house by the
sea.
2) past: He waved to his wife and kids as
he drove by the house.
3) not later than: Try to finish the work by
next week.
4) through the means of: We like traveling
by plane.

 during
1) throughout a period: Most students
have a part-time job during the summer
vacation.
 except
1) not including: The teacher gave each
student a present except Jafar.

 for
1) duration of time: We have walked for
two hours.
2) purpose: I bought this jacket for you.
3) in favor of: I am for the proposal.

 Into
1) to the inside of: We stepped into the
room.
2) change of condition: The frog changed
into a prince.

 of
1) part of a group: One of you has to go to
the conference.
2) measurement: a cup of milk; two meters
of snow

 off
1) away from: Please keep off the grass.
 Above/over
1) above: There are pictures above the TV.
2) more than: The watch costs over ten
thousand dollars.

 to
1) in the direction of: Turn to the right.
2) destination: I am going to Rome.
3) until: from Monday to Friday; five
minutes to ten

 under
1) beneath: The cat is lying under the
dining table.
2) less than: Under 100 people were
present.

 until
1) up to a certain time: She will stay until
Sunday.
 with
1) accompanying: I live with my parents
and my two younger sisters.
2) using: I repaired the shoes with glue.

 Without
1) not having: Do not go out without
putting on your coat.

Try yourself
 Use an appropriate preposition to
complete each sentence.
1. Masud was born __________ 1998.
2. Someone is playing the piano ________
the classroom.
3. The secretary is talking on the phone
____________ this moment.

Try yourself
4. Salma got an i-pod _________ his
birthday.
5. _________ the past, Mr. Tareq was very
poor.
6. My husband always has tea __________
the afternoon.
7. We have typhoons ________ September
and October.

More Prepositions to Practice
1. My mother’s birthday is ______ May 15th.
2. He's working on his homework _____this
moment.
3. I had a terrible dream _______ last week.
4. I lived in the US _________the 1980s.
5. I'll see you _________a few weeks.
6. We like going to the movies _________
the morning.

7. He lives _________ Cairo.
8. My boyfriend works_________ a hospital.
9. He went _________his friend's house
last night.
10. I'm going to stay _________home.
11. We played tennis yesterday. We played
________ two hours.
12. Why don't we go _________the movies
tonight?

13. We are visiting Disney World _______
Florida this summer.
14. What time did you arrive ______ the hotel?
15. He's sitting _________the chair next
_________ the piano.
16. There are a lot of beautiful pictures
_________the wall.
17. I live _________the fifth floor of my
apartment building.

Rules of Preposition

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