THE WORLD OF PREPOSITIONS
Small Words, Big Connections!
Interactive English Grammar | Std. 9–12
◷TIME
⌖PLACE
➜DIRECTION
⇄COMPARISON
1. PREPOSITIONS OF TIME ◷
They tell us WHEN something happens.
AT
Exact Timeat 7 o’clock
at noon
at midnight
ON
Days and Dateson Monday
on Sunday
on 15 August
IN
Longer Periodsin June
in 2026
in winter
Other Important Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| Since | I have lived here since 2020. |
| For | She has studied for two hours. |
| During | We played during the holidays. |
| By | Finish your work by 5 p.m. |
| Until | Wait until Monday. |
| Before | Wash your hands before lunch. |
| After | We play after school. |
| From…to | School runs from 10 to 5. |
Remember: AT = Exact Time | ON = Day/Date | IN = Month/Year/Season.
2. PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE ⌖
They tell us WHERE someone or something is.
📦IN
Inside
Inside
📚ON
On a surface
On a surface
⬇️UNDER
Below
Below
⬆️ABOVE
Higher than
Higher than
↔️BETWEEN
Separating two
Separating two
👥AMONG
Within a group
Within a group
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| In | The books are in the bag. |
| On | The book is on the table. |
| Under | The cat is under the chair. |
| Above | The fan is above us. |
| Below | The valley is below the hill. |
| Behind | He is behind the door. |
| In front of | She stands in front of the class. |
| Between | The bank is between two shops. |
| Beside | Sit beside me. |
| Near | My school is near the park. |
| Among | He stood among his friends. |
Exam Tip:
BETWEEN = Separating two distinct people or things.
AMONG = Within a group.
IN = Inside something.
ON = On a surface.
BETWEEN = Separating two distinct people or things.
AMONG = Within a group.
IN = Inside something.
ON = On a surface.
3. PREPOSITIONS OF DIRECTION ➜
They indicate MOVEMENT from one place to another.
➡️TO
↗️INTO
↙️OUT OF
↔️ACROSS
➡️THROUGH
⬆️OVER
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| To | Go to school. |
| Into | He jumped into the pool. |
| Out of | She came out of the room. |
| Towards | Walk towards the gate. |
| Across | Swim across the river. |
| Through | Walk through the tunnel. |
| Along | Walk along the road. |
| Past | Drive past the hospital. |
| Over | The bird flew over the house. |
| Under | The dog ran under the bridge. |
| Onto | The cat jumped onto the table. |
| From | She came from Nagpur. |
Understand the Difference:
ACROSS = From one side to another.
THROUGH = Within a passage or enclosed space.
INTO = Movement from outside to inside.
ONTO = Movement towards a surface.
ACROSS = From one side to another.
THROUGH = Within a passage or enclosed space.
INTO = Movement from outside to inside.
ONTO = Movement towards a surface.
4. PREPOSITIONS OF COMPARISON ⇄
These prepositions help us express similarities, differences and comparisons.
THAN
Rahul is taller than Amit.AS…AS
She is as intelligent as her sister.TO
This book is preferable to that one.FROM
This painting is different from that one.WITH
Compare this answer with the model answer.Important Expressions for Exams
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| Superior to | He is superior to me in experience. |
| Inferior to | This product is inferior to that one. |
| Senior to | She is senior to me. |
| Junior to | He is junior to his brother. |
| Equal to | Both answers are equal to each other. |
| Similar to | Your idea is similar to mine. |
| Different from | This is different from that. |
| Preferable to | Walking is preferable to driving for short distances. |
Grammar Alert:
Use SUPERIOR TO, INFERIOR TO, SENIOR TO, JUNIOR TO and PREFERABLE TO.
Avoid forms such as “more superior than” and “more preferable than” in standard English.
Use SUPERIOR TO, INFERIOR TO, SENIOR TO, JUNIOR TO and PREFERABLE TO.
Avoid forms such as “more superior than” and “more preferable than” in standard English.
QUICK REVISION CHALLENGE
Test your knowledge of prepositions!
