Three groups of prepositions are identified: (1) prepositions of place, position and direction, (2) prepositions of time, and (3) prepositions for other relationships. The document then provides examples of common prepositions that fall into each of these three categories. It also discusses rules for using the prepositions "at", "in", and "on" with times and places. Specific examples are given to illustrate the uses of these prepositions.

1. Three Groups of Prepositions:
a. Prepositions of place, position and direction.
b. Prepositions of time.
c. Prepositions for other relationships.
PLACE
above
across
along
among
at
away from
behind
below
beside
between
SOME COMMON PREPOSITIONS
POSITION
DIRECTION
TIME
on
beyond
opposite
after
by
out (of)
before
down
outside
from
at
over
by
in
around
for
in front of
through
during
inside
to
from
into
towards
in
near
under
off
up
OTHER
except
as
like
about
with
without
by
for
Although prepositions are hard to generalize with separate rules,
there is one simple rule about them. And, unlike most rules, this
rule has no exceptions.
Rule:
They are always followed by a "noun", never followed by a verb.
By "noun" we include:
• Noun (dog, money, love)
• Proper Noun (name) (London, Mary)
• Pronoun (you,him,us)
• Noun Group (my first car)
• Gerund (swimming)

2. If we want to follow with a verb, we must use the "-ing" form
which is really a gerund or verb in noun form.
Subject + Verb
The pen is
He lives
Henry is looking
The newspaper is
Pascal is used
She isn't used
We ate
Prepositio
n
on
in
for
under
to
to
before
"noun"
the table.
England.
you.
your green book.
English people.
working.
coming.
Prepositions of Time / Place at, in, on
• At for a PRECISE TIME
• In for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
• On for DAYS and Dates
At
At 4:30 pm
At 3 o'clock
At noon
At dinnertime
At bedtime
At the moment
In
in March
In Winter
In the summer
In 1990
In the next century
In the future
On
on Monday
On 6 March
On 22 Dec.2012
On Christmas Day
On your birthday
On New Year's Eve
Notice that use of the prepositions of time in and on in these
common expressions:
• In the morning /On Monday morning
• In the mornings / On Sunday mornings

3. • In the afternoon(s) / On Sunday afternoons
• In the evening(s) / On Friday evenings
When we say next, last, this, every we do not use at,in,on.
I went to New York last June (not in last June)
She is coming back next Monday. (not on next Monday)
I go home every Easter . (not at every Easter)
We'll call you this afternoon. (not in this afternoon)
Place: at, in, on
In General:
• At for a POINT (dog, money, love)
• In for an ENCLOSED SPACE
• On for a SURFACE
At
At the
At the
At the
At the
At the
bus stop
corner
entrance
crossroads
top of the page
In
In London
In the garden
In a box
In a building
In a car
On
On the wall
On the ceiling
On the floor
On the carpet
On a page
Some other common uses of at / on / in
At
At home
At work
At school
In
In a car
In a taxi
In a helicopter
On
On a bus
On a train
On a plane

4. At
At
At
At
At
university
the top
the bottom
the side
reception
In
In
In
In
In
an elevator
the sky
the street
a row
a boat
On
On
On
On
On
a bicycle
the radio
the left
a horse
a boat
Notice how we can use on a boat or in a boat depending on the
type and the size of the particular boat/ship.
More Prepositions
Prepositions use
during
while in
for
from / to
until/till
the time period from
one to another
before a certain time
by
at the least
to
movement towards
movement towards
inside something
to leave a place/a
thing
near/next to/beside
between
into
out of
by
through
across
against
into
opposite ends
movement towards
inside something
Example
during the film,during the war,
during my stay
for two days, for an hour
from Saturday to Monday, from 5
to 9
between 1986 and 2012, between
Saturday and Monday
until/till Sunday,5 o'clock
by Tuesday, by next month, by
tomorrow
to school, to work, to the station
into the cinema, into the car
out of the cinema,out of the car
LINK stand by me, by the lake
through the tunnel, through the
room
across the river, across the street
against the wall, against the door
into the cinema, into the car