Prepositions — Patwari English Grammar
A preposition shows the relationship of time, place or direction that a noun or pronoun has to other words in an English sentence. This page explains the rules for the most confusing prepositions, like in/on/at, with examples, in simple terms, so that fill-in-the-blanks questions can be solved easily.
- Class 5-8 grammar level
- 9 min read
What is a Preposition
A preposition is a word that comes before a noun or pronoun and shows its relationship (place, time, direction, etc.) to other words in the sentence — for example, in 'The book is on the table', 'on' is the preposition.
A preposition is always followed by an 'object' (a noun, pronoun, or the -ing form of a verb), which is exactly why it's called 'pre' (before) + 'position' — it stands before its object. Hindi's equivalent term, 'poorvasarg', carries the same sense, whereas Hindi's case markers (like 'mein', 'par') come after the word, so the word order is reversed between the two languages — this is exactly what causes the biggest confusion for Hindi-medium candidates. This is exactly why it works better for Hindi-medium students to learn prepositions not through direct translation, but by repeatedly seeing them used in English sentences.
Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | a specific point in time (clock time) | The class starts at 9 o'clock. |
| on | a day or date | The exam is on Monday. |
| in | a month, year, season or longer period | The exam is held in July. |
| since | from a definite starting point up to now | She has lived here since 2020. |
| for | the length of a duration | He studied for two hours. |
| before / after | before or after an event | The exam is before Diwali. |
| by | up to a fixed deadline | Submit the form by Friday. |
Among time prepositions, the most confusion happens between at/on/in — it's easiest to remember them in order from the smallest to the largest unit of time (hour → day → month/year).
Prepositions of Place and Direction
| Preposition | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | a small/specific point in space | Meet me at the gate. |
| in | inside an enclosed/large space | She lives in Jaipur. |
| on | on top of a surface | The pen is on the desk. |
| to | movement towards a destination | We went to school. |
| into | entering an enclosed space | The cat jumped into the box. |
| under / below | beneath something | The bag is under the table. |
| between / among | 'between' for two things/people, 'among' for more than two | Sit between Ravi and Sonu. / Divide the sweets among the students. |
Prepositions Commonly Got Wrong
- good at (not 'good in')
- 'She is good at Maths' is correct; 'good in' is an incorrect usage
- interested in (not 'interested about')
- 'He is interested in history' is correct
- depend on (not 'depend from')
- 'Success depends on hard work' is correct
- since vs for
- 'since' is used with a definite point in time ('since 2020'), 'for' with a length of duration ('for two years')
- between vs among
- 'between' is generally used for two, and 'among' for a group of more than two people/things
The Correct Verb Form After a Preposition
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| A preposition is followed by the -ing form of the verb (gerund), not the base form | She is interested in reading. (not 'in read') |
| 'to' is sometimes a preposition and sometimes an infinitive-marker — identify it from context | He is good at swimming. / He wants to swim. |
| An adjective is usually followed by a fixed preposition (such as afraid of, proud of, angry with) | She is proud of her result. |
Memory Trick
Remember in > on > at in order from 'biggest to smallest' — 'in' is used for a large/enclosed area (in Rajasthan), 'on' for a surface/day (on Monday), and 'at' for the smallest/most specific point (at 9 o'clock). This same order works for both time and place, so once you understand it, more than half the preposition questions become easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are prepositions asked in the exam?+
They are usually asked as choosing the correct preposition to fill a blank in a sentence, or identifying a wrongly used preposition in a sentence.
What is the difference between in, on, at?+
'in' is used for a large/enclosed space and for months-years, 'on' for a surface and for days-dates, and 'at' for a precise point and for clock time.
What is the difference between since and for?+
'since' goes with a definite starting point (like 2020, Monday), while 'for' goes with the length of a duration (like two years).
What word form follows a preposition?+
A preposition is usually followed by a noun, pronoun, or the -ing form (gerund) of a verb, not the verb's base form — as in 'interested in reading', not 'interested in read'.
What is the difference between between and among?+
'between' is used for two people/things (between Ravi and Sonu), while 'among' is used for a group of more than two (among the students).