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Preposition Explained in Details

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Prepositions are used to link nouns and pronouns to other words within a sentence. The words linked to are called objects. In other words, a preposition is a word that is usually placed before a noun or a pronoun to describe its relationship with other words in the sentence. For example: 

•  The ball is under the table. Here, “ball” is the noun; “under” is the preposition; “table” is the object. Here, the preposition “under” links the noun “table” with the rest of the sentence.  
• Grandma lives in a village. 
• The village lies on the banks of the river Surma.  
• Take the lane behind our house.  

A preposition tells us where a person, thing, or place is located. In the second sentence the preposition “in” tells us where “grandma” lives. In the third sentence, the preposition “on” tells us where the village is located.

A preposition also tells us where something happens or where something or somebody does something. Take the lane behind our house. The preposition “behind,” tells us where the road is. Follow it till you reach the river Surma which flows under a bridge.  The preposition “under,” tells us where the river “Surma” flows.

​

A preposition can also indicate direction – from where somebody or something is coming, or where somebody or something is going. After crossing the bridge, go straight through the road which leads towards a park. The preposition “towards” indicates that the road goes in the direction of the park.  

• Take a left turn from the park and stop. “From” tells us the direction that someone has to walk in. 

A preposition can also indicate the relationship of time.     

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• I love visiting Grandma during my holidays. The preposition “during” indicates the time when someone loves visiting grandma. 
• I go for a walk in the morning. “In” indicates the time someone goes for a walk. 

     How many prepositions does the English language have? There are over 150 in total. Honestly speaking, they can be very tricky to master because every rule is full of exceptions.  

      Tips for Using Prepositions 

• It is alright—and sometimes better—to end a sentence with a preposition. (Examples: where are you from? What are you waiting for? Who should I give a special thanks to? Where have you come from?) 
•  A noun always comes after a preposition. 
•  A verb never comes after a preposition. 
•  It is alright to begin a sentence with a prepositional phrase, or a preposition, but be careful when you do so. 

•  A prepositional phrase will always begin with a preposition but will always end with an object of the preposition, i.e., a noun or a pronoun. 
• The subject will never be considered a part of the prepositional phrase. 
•  A verb too cannot be a part of a prepositional phrase.     

Kinds of Preposition  

       prepositions are of Seven kinds 

1. Simple Preposition 

2. Double Preposition 
3. Compound Preposition 
4. Phrase Preposition 
5. Participle Preposition 
6. Disguised Preposition 

7. Detached Preposition 

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 1.   Simple Preposition: 

 Simple preposition consists of one word. They are of, by, at, in, with, after, off, through, from, over, etc. 

      2.    Double preposition: 

 Though double prepositions act like single ones, they consist of two separate prepositions.  

∙        You are now out of danger.  (out + of)                              

∙        The frog jumps into the pond. (in + to)                                                    

∙        The frog jumps onto the table. (on + to)                    

∙        Finish the assignment within seven days. (with + in)      

∙         The cow lives upon the grass. (up + on)       

 List: into, upon, onto, throughout, inside, without, from within, out of, from behind, outside of, from above, up to, next to, according to, because of, as about, as above, as after, up against, at about, at around, before considering, as inside, as outside, over to, over from, off on, off to, etc. 

      3.   Compound Prepositions: 

 When any noun, adjective, or adverb is preceded by a simple proposition, a compound preposition is formed. 

 Examples: 

•         along =on (=a) + long 
•         behind = by (=be) + hind 
•         before = by (+be) fore. 
•         about = on (=a) + by (=b) = out.  
•         beside = by (=be) + side. 
•         beyond = by (=be) + yond. 
•         between = By (=be) + tween. etc. 

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Note: In compound preposition on turns into a and by turns into b or be.  

List: insight, outside, around, beneath, beyond, amidst, amongst, etc.    

4. Phrase Preposition: 

A phrase consists of more than one word having no subject or finite verb. Depending on the function, a phrase can be a noun an adjective, or any other part of speech. So, when a phrase acts as a preposition, it is called a prepositional phrase.  

 Examples:  

•     There is a garden in front of my reading room. 
•     He failed the exam in spite of his hard work. 
•     I could not go to college in case of my illness. 
•     We spent our time aimlessly instead of doing anything. 
•     As for himself, he knows nothing about it. (as for = about) 

List: on account of, in addition to, as far as, as soon as, in reference to, with the exception of, as long as, on top of, etc. 

      5.   Participle Preposition: 

There are some present participles and past participles which behave like prepositions. Technically they are called participle prepositions. 

Examples: 

• Regarding grammar, I have a lot of knowledge. 
•  She works during the morning. 
• He gets sick during the winter season. 
• My holiday homework is still pending. 
• Assuming the professor to be absent, some students left the class. 
• Considering his performance, he can be considered one of the best all-rounders. 
• We have to learn many things regarding grammar.  
• We will be rewarded according to our merit.   

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The Surma river flows past our village. (past = by. As the word past is a past participle, it is a participle preposition. 

List of some participle prepositions: 

including, excluding, touching, notwithstanding, barring, concerning, pending, provided, saving, counting, accepting, excepting, gone, past, given, regarding, considering, respecting, following, failing, etc. 

   6.  Disguised Preposition 

Sometimes we replace of, at, for, on, per (preposition) by ‘o’ or 'a'. This usage of a preposition is called disguised preposition. 

•     The king went on hunting. 
•     The king went a-hunting. (a = disguised preposition. 
•      Now it is 9 of clock. 
•      Now it is 9 o’clock. (O’ = of, disguised preposition) 

•  He sells 200 taka for k. g. 
•      He sells 200 taka a k. g. (a = disguised preposition)  
•      He receives a salary of 40000 takas for a month. 
•      He receives a salary of 40000 takas a month. 

         7. Detached Preposition: 

 Usage of a detached preposition is seen in an interrogative sentence. 

•     I live with my father.  Who/whom do I live with? 
•     He reads in class XII. What class does he read in? 
•     You have a chair to sit on. Do you have a chair to sit on? 
•     We are going to Cumilla. Where have you come from? 

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•  I have brought it for you. Who/whom have you brought it for? 
•      He has come from Australia. Where has he come from? 
•      I depend upon my father. Who/ whom do I depend on?  

        Exercise: 

1.   Identify the disguised preposition. 

a. about           b. with         c. o’clock    d. a and c

2.   Identify the compound preposition 

a. along           b. about      c. with         d. b and c 

3.   Which sentence carries the example of a detached preposition? 

a. Where have you come from?   c. I have brought it for you. 

b. The cow feeds on grass           d. He is walking across the road.  

Prepositions of Movement  

We have come to know what preposition is; we have come to know different types of prepositions. But without enough practice prepositions will be very tough to master. Another thing we should keep in mind is that though there are about only 150 prepositions, every rule of prepositions is full of exceptions. By the way, I've planned to take a big place on the usage of prepositions in sentences. Firstly, the author is going to discuss the prepositions of movement. Then, he will talk about prepositions of time. Next, he will talk about prepositions of place. Afterward, he will deal with the prepositions used to express transformation. Finally, he will cope with prepositions of direction.  

Prepositions of movement includes "to" "towards", “into", "onto", "from", "along", “along with” "across", "down", "past", “through", "over", “under", "up", "down", “above”, “across”, “against”, “ahead”, “amid”, “around”, “away”, “away from, “behind”, “below”, “beneath”, “by means of”, “off”, “on”, “out of”, “round, “via”   

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1. To �"To" is one of the most common prepositions of movement. We use it to suggest our movement in the direction of a person, place, or thing. “To” is used when the destination is certain or the destination is given importance. Example: 

•  Rohit is walking to the college.  
• He is walking to reach the college. Here, the destination is certain. 

2. Towards �Like "to", “towards" also means a movement in the direction of a destination. But the destination is not given importance. For example: 

 Kicking the ball towards the goal means that the ball is on the way to the goal.  If I say I kicked the ball to the goal, it means that the ball reached the goal. That is the difference between "to" and "towards". Look at the diagram below. 

          A       Towards       B (A on the way to B) 

         A          To             B (A arrives at B) 

3. Into 

"Into" is used to mean a movement to/towards the inside of something.   

• I entered the classroom.  
• He entered the shop.  

“Into” also means to collide with something.  

• The buses crashed into each other.   

The opposite of "into" is "out of".   

4. Out of 

“Out of” is used to mean a movement from an enclosed place to the outside. 

• The students are coming out of their classroom.  
• We are going out of our home.  

5. Through 

"Through" means getting in one side and getting out the opposite; it also means a movement from one side of an enclosed space to the other side. In the open spaces, we use "across". In the close spaces, we use "through.  

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• They were walking through the jungle.  
• We can enter the room through the door.   
• The blood flows through the heart.             
• They are driving through a tunnel.    

6. Onto, On, and Off 

"Onto" refers to a position that is on. "Onto" has a sense of movement, but the preposition "on" doesn't have that sense of movement. "On" only let us know about the location. "onto" is to mentally say "up" before "on" in a sentence 

• My cat jumped onto a chair.  
• I tossed a coin onto my reading table.  

The opposite of “onto” is “off”. We can say the dog jumped off the table. When Someone jumps from an upper position to a lower position we use "off". We use "onto" when someone jumps from a lower position to an upper position. We use no prepositions when someone jumps from one position to another.  

7. From 

"From" refers to a place where someone or something starts. "From" indicates a specified place as a starting point.  

• They are coming from the playground.  
• The wind is coming from the south. 
• He has come from his office.  

8. Along 

When we move forward on a road, path, line, etc., we use "Along". Walking along means walking in a straight line and walking parallel to something. 

• Rohit is walking along the street.   
• We sailed along with the cost.  

9. Across 

"Across" means moving from one side to another side. 

• I am walking across the street. It means I am walking from one side of the street to another side.  

I ran across the park.  

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10. Down 

We use the "down" preposition when we move from a higher to a lower place or location.  

• I am walking down the stairs.  
• He climbed down the tree. 
• They were climbing down the mountain.  

11. Up 

We use "up" when we move from a lower to a higher position.  

• I am walking down the stairs. 
• I climbed up the tree. 
• They were climbing up the mountain.  

12. Past 

"Past" means beyond; it means the far side of something. Past something, be it a shop, means starting with the shop in front of someone and walking past that something.   

14. Back To 

"Back to" refers to the movement of return to a place someone has been before.  

• They went to Canada. It means that they went to Canada for the first time.  
• They went back to Canada. It may either mean that they went to Canada for the second time or Canada They are from Canada.  

15. Under and below 

"Under" and "below" are similar to each other. But "Under" has a sense of movement; you pass from one side of something to another. "Below" means staying underneath something. Walking below something means walking underneath something all the time.   

• Salma is walking under the bridge. (It means “Salma” is passing the bridge from one side to another.  
• Salma is walking below the bridge. 

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Note: “Below” does not have a sense of motion. So, walking below the bridge means walking underneath the bridge all the time. So, you have to be careful while using “under” and “below” as prepositions of movement. 

16. Over and Above. 

To go over refers to a movement at a higher level. “Over” is just opposite to “under” and above is just opposite to “below”. 

• The birds flew over my head. 
• I jumped over the fence. 
• There is beautiful scenery above my head. 
• Can you see the electric fan that is just above your head? 

EXERCISE 

They are riding ___ the street. 

2. They are walking ___ the desert. 
3. They are running ___ the stadium. 
4. The spaceship is flying ___ the space. 
5. They are coming ___ the playground. 
6. They are going ___ the river. 
7. The bird is flying ___ to the sky. 

The boat is passing ___ the bridge. 

The dog is jumping ___ the fence. 

10.  He is walking ___ a book stop. 
11. They are walking ___the forest. 
12.  He is jumping ___ the water. 

 Lava is coming ___ the volcano. 

Correct Answers: 1. along 2. across; 3. round; 4. to; 5. from; 6. down; 7. up; 8. under; 9. over; 10. past; 11. through; 12. into; 13. out of 

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Prepositions of Time 

Prepositions of time tell us the relationship of time between nouns and other words of a sentence. The most common prepositions of time are “at”, “on”, “in”, “from”, “to”, “for”, “since”, “by”, “till/until”, and “during”, “about”, “after”, “ago”, “around”, “before”, “gone, “past”, “circa, “prior to”, “up to, “up”, ‘until. 

   In - part of the day, month, year, seasons, decades, centuries, millennia 

      "In" is followed by the names of months and years. For example: 

• I last went to Saint Martin in January 2009. 

      "In" is also used before parts of the day:  

• in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. 

 But there are exceptions:  

• at night, at sunset, at dawn.  

We can also use "by" before "dawn" to mean doing something before dawn. 

 We can also use “in” before the names of the seasons: 

• in summer, in winter, in spring, in autumn.  

We can also place “during” and “over” before the names of the seasons. “Over” means the total frame of the time. “During” refers to "at some point of the total frame of the time". Decade/century is also preceded by “in”.  

• Global temperature has increased in the last decade/century.  

We can also place “during” and “over”. Look at the example:  

• I taught at the college level during the past decade. 

 It means in the last ten years I taught at the college level at some point of the decade but you don't know how long. If I say 'I taught at the college level over the last decade,' it means I had been in college for the last ten years. "I engaged myself on writing during weekend means I engaged myself on writing at some point of the weekend. "I engaged myself on writing over the weekend" means I engaged myself in writing all the time frame of the weekend. �

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“Over” means all the time frame (Over the weekend means all the time frame of the weekend--It means I spent the whole weekend) 

        Note: To express time we can also use the phrase “overtime” which means gradually.  

• His sense of responsibility is growing over time.  
• Internet users are increasing over time.  

 “During” means at some point (During weekend means at some point of the weekend) 

      "In" is also placed before centuries. For example: 

• we can say modernism started in the 20th century. 

      Note:  Difference between "in" and "within" 

      When I say I will come back in ten minutes, it means that I will come back when ten minutes is over. When I say I will come back within ten minutes, I mean I will come back between now and ten minutes. 

  On - day and date 

      We use "on" with days. For example: 

• I had a meeting with him on Monday. 

 We use "on" with the date: 

• I was born on the 14th of June. 

 "On" is also placed before words "day" and "date". For example: 

• we remember our heroic sons on Independence Day.  
• We also offer a floral wreath on that date.  

       At - Precise time, special day, before words “time” and “movement”  

• I like to get up at sunrise.  
• At that time, I go out for a walk.  
• The environment is full of oxygen at the moment.  
• By the way, I go to college at 10:am and come back home at noon. 

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  Be aware of British/American usage 

      We say “at the weekend” and “at Christmas” in British English. In American English, we say "On Christmas" and "On the weekend". 

 During and While 

"During" and "while" are used to say the time when something happens. We use them to talk about two things happening at the same time or something happening in the middle of something else. But they follow different sentence structures.  

“During” is followed by a noun or noun phrase.  

• He falls sick during the summer season. 
• We enjoyed ourselves a lot during our trip 

“While” is followed by a clause: 

• One student stood up and questioned me while I was lecturing 
• While I am out can you clean my room? 
• I like taking care of my garden while I am free. 

Note: We can also use "at" to talk about things happening at the same time. 

• At the exact moment, I reached the college, and my battery ran out.  
• We should not study and watch TV at the same time.  

Since 

Since refers to a point of time in the past until now: 

• I have been working since 9:00 am 
• Everything is going good Since his arrival 

Until 

"Until" marks the end of the action: 

•  I’ll be here until Tuesday. 
•  He studied until midnight yesterday. 

By 

Before/no later than: 

• I will have finished my writing by Tuesday. 
• By noon yesterday, I had been studying for three hours. 

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 For - a length of time 

       "For" is used to mean a length of time. We can use "for" in various ways. Look at the following examples: 

• She worked in India for two months.  
• I have done this work for nine years. 
• I'll be doing this work for three days. 
• I have been writing this novel for three days.  

      Phrases to express time 

       We have some common phrases with “for”: For ages (for a long time), for a while (for sometimes which means not very long or not very short. 

•  Their company is making money for ages. 
•  This village has been suffering from religious dogma for ages.  
•   Let's sit together for a while. 
•   You can stay here for a while.  

  Take �         We can use the "Take" verb to express time. The "Take" verb can be used in many different ways. Look at the following examples: 

•   How long will it take to finish your homework? 
•   It will take half an hour to finish the work.                 

       Exercise: 

1.   We wake up ......... dawn. 

2.   She became ill .......... her study in the USA. 

3.   She met him ............ visiting Germany. 

4.   They moved here ......... 2019. 

5.   She’s been self-employed ....... many years. 

6.   She is staying with us .......... next week. 

7.   I got to the station.... time to catch my train. 

8.   The letter should arrive .......... the next few days. 

9.   I’m seeing my parents........... Christmas. 

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10.                The lesson ended .......... the time I arrived. 

11.                She is punctual. She always arrives .......... time. 

12.                I’m usually free .......... the afternoon. 

13.                We all arrived......... same time. (at)    

14.                She never sleeps .......... the day 

15.                They’re getting married .......... 21^st May. 

16.                 I haven’t seen her........... 2008.  

17.                The plane leaves ......... an hour. 

18.                They usually go on holiday ......... autumn. 

19.                He was born .......June. 

20.                She has been sleeping ............ our departure.  

Correct answer: 1. at; 2. during; 3. while; 4. in; 5. from; 6. until; 7. in; 8. within; 9. at; 10. by; 11. on 12. in/during; 13. at; 14. in/during; 15. on; 16. since; 17. in; 18. in; 19. in; 20. Since 

Prepositions of Place 

There are three important prepositions of place. They are “at”, “on”, and “in”. They are used in various ways. The author will talk about these various ways to discuss how “at”, “on”, and “in” are used to express time. The author will bring some other prepositions and prepositional phrases which are used to express time. So, read and inform yourselves about prepositions of place and know how to say where someone or something is. Yes, prepositions of place tell us where someone or something is. Let us start with the preposition “at”. Prepositions of place are: “Aboard”, “above”, “across”, “against”, “alongside”, “amid”, “among”, “apart from”, “astride”, “at”, ‘atop”, “behind”, “below”, “beneath”, “besides”, “between”, “beyond”, “by”, “close to”, “far”, “far from”, “forward of”, “from”, “in”, “in between”,

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“in front of”, “inside”, “into”, “minus”, “near”, “near to”, “next to”, “of”, “off”, “on”, “on board”, “on top of”, “onto”, “upon”, “opposite”, “out”, “out of”, “outside”, “outside of”, “over”, “round”, “through”, “throughout”, “to”, “together with”, “toward/towards”, “under”, “underneath”, “up”, “against”, “with”, “within”, “without”.   

AT �"At" can be used in various ways. The author will talk about the rules about the usage of” at”. At the same time, he will talk about some expressions which do not follow any rules. We just need to remember them. If we use them in our conversations consciously, our brain will automatically recognize them. Let's start with the rules:  � �Rule one: “At” is used to talk about a specific address. 

• I live at 65 College Street.  
• We spent a good time at Rohit's house. 

Note: If there is no exact address and if there is only the name of the street, we use the preposition "on".  

Rule two: "At" refers to specific places which are close to something. 

• I am at the door. (It means I am standing close to the door, and I will knock on the door.    
• I am at the elevator. (It means I am close to the elevator and waiting to get in the elevator) 
• I am sitting at the table. (It means I am sitting beside the table. Of course, I am sitting in the chair (we use "in" if it is an armed chair) and at the table. 

Rule three: “At” is also used for public places: 

• I work at college. 
• I studied at East-West University. 
• Let's meet at the supermarket. 
• We can meet different types of people at the station.  
• I spend hours at our college library. 
• I saw him at the language club. 
• He filed a case at the police station.  

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Rule four: We also use "at" for a stop/break on a journey.  

• Our car to Chittagong stopped at a cafe.  
• I stopped at a nice village.  
• The bus to Sumamgonj stopped at Sylhet.  

Rule five: We also use "at" for events: 

• We spent some quality time at the conference. 
• We enjoyed ourselves much at the party. 
• They all became nervous at the meeting.  
• My friend's song mesmerized us at the concert.  

Some Exceptions:  

• At home 
• At work 
• At reception 

ON 

�Rule one: “On” indicates something on flat surfaces. A surface is a continuous set of points that has length and breadth but no thickness. We use “on” for someone or something concerning this surface.  � 

• The scenery was hung on the wall. (The wall is a surface) 
• There is a book on the table.  
• I am going to write something on the whiteboard.  
• You can find the information on page nine.  
• There was a ship on the ocean. 
• I saw a flower floating on the river.  

Rule two: We also use the preposition "on" when we talk about something close to the coast, river, or road.  

• I live on College Street. (It means I live close to College Street. But if any specific address is attached to the name of the road you should use “at”.  

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• Dhaka stands on Buriganga. (It means Dhaka is close to the river Buriganga.)  
• Endemic plants are found on the South Coast. 

Rule three: We can also use "on" for something which is attached to something.  

• There are some mangoes on the tree. 
• She is wearing a ring on her finger. 

Exceptions: 

• She sits on the left/right. 
• He works on a farm. 
• He works on a ship. 
• I live on the fifth floor.  
• I watched the news on television. 
• I heard the news on the radio.  

IN  

When we use "in", we think about the position of something concerning what surrounds it.  

There are also various rules related to the preposition "in".  

Rule one: "In" is used for an enclosed space/a large place with boundaries:  

• I am in my bedroom. 
• We are in our classroom.  
• There is something in my bag. 
• I spend some time in my garden. 
• Suddenly, we got lost in the desert.  

 Rule two: You can also use "in" when you are talking about villages, towns or cities, forests, deserts, oceans, and lakes.  

• He lives in New York. 
• We were in Paris to visit Eiffel Tower. 
• I live in a village. 

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Standard usage:  

• I am reading an important article in the newspaper. 
• She spends hours in bed. (Don't say the bed) 
• He was in the hospital. (Don't say the hospital) 
• I noticed her in the photograph. 
• Birds are flying in the sky.  
• I enjoyed the characters in the movie.  

BY 

 “By” means “near”, “besides”, or “next to” something”.  

• I stood by her.  
• He lives by the river. Similarly, I can say he lives near the river/next to/beside the river.  

Note: There is a difference between “near” and “beside/next to”. “Besides” or “next to” means very close to something. But “near” does not tell how close something is. 

Between 

Between means in the middle of two persons or things.  

• There is a pen between the books.  
• I stood between them. 

Among  

Among means in the middle of more than two persons or things.  

• There is a pen among the books. 
• I stood among them.   

Over and Above �As prepositions of place over and above carry similar meanings. 

• I am holding the book over or above the table. (you can use either  'over' or above'. They carry similar meaning as a preposition of place.)  

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Note: Be careful when you are talking about the movement). 'Over' and above' carry different meanings as far as movement is concerned) 

�Below and Under: �I am holding the book under the table. (You can use either 'below' or under'. They carry similar meaning as prepositions of place.) 

• I am holding the book below or under the table.  

Note: Prepositions of movement "over" and "under" carry a sense of movement. But, “Below” and “above” cannot carry such movement. 

�Behind: �“Behind” means at the back of someone or something. 

• I saw them singing behind me.  
• I stood behind them. 

Before:  

‘Before’ means in front of someone or something. 

• I saw them singing before me. 
• I stood before them and delivered my lecture.  

Exercise: 

There are some apples ___ the trees. 

2. This kind of animal is found ____the South Coast. 
3. We spent a good time ___ Naim’s house. 
4. He is holding the book ___ the table. 
5.  He filed a case ___ police station 

Correct answers: 1. on; 2. on; 3. at 4. below/above/over/under; 5. At 

Prepositions of Transportation 

In your daily life, you use vehicles to move from one place to another. You use the metro bus, car, motorbike, taxi, tram, or other engine-driven vehicles. You may also walk or cycle to move from one place to another.

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Can you use the prepositions correctly while you talk about transportation? Today, you are going to learn certain prepositions which are used with forms of transport. There are only three prepositions of transportation. 

By �You can use "by" to express transport or travel in a general way. How do you go to your office? I go to the office by bus. Another one may say he goes to the office by rail. You may say your son goes to school by rickshaw, van, or tram. You may say when you go abroad, you go by plane. So, when we talk about transportation in a general way we use "by". �You can also use "by" when you talk about the surface of transport. You can say you go abroad by road, by rail, or by air. You can say your son go Bangaluru by air or rail. So, when you talk about the surface or atmosphere of transport, be it air or road or rail or river or sea, you should use "by". � 

 In and On �When you talk or indicate any specific vehicle or specific detail about the form of transport, you should use either “in” or “on”. For example, I go in my car. Here, "My car" provides specific detail. But the question is why did I use “in” instead of “on”. The answer is we use “in” for the vehicle which is small where you can only sit in and you cannot stand up and walk during its motion. In general, this type of vehicle is used for personal communication. Such vehicles include cars, taxis, helicopters. �Though motorcycles and bicycles are small vehicles, you cannot sit inside them. So, you use “on” for such a vehicle where you can sit on it but you cannot sit inside (in) it. Like motorcycle and bicycle, you should use “on” when you use any animal such as horse, donkey, elephant or camel for your transport because you sit on them. So, you can say you are on a horse or elephant, or camel. You can also use “onto” when you travel on animals because you are to climb onto them. But, keep in mind that usage of “onto” is limited to animals. �You can also use “on” for big vehicles where you can get in and stand and walk during the motion of the vehicle.

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So, you can use 'on' for bus, train, plane, ferry, ship, etc. because you can stand and walk in those vehicles. So, you can say you are going to your office by bus or train. I can say he waved to me on the train. I could not talk to you because I was going abroad “on” a plane. We spent a nice moment on the ship. �You can also use 'on' when you go somewhere walking. You can say you went to the office on foot. �You can use both “on” and “in” for a boat based on its size. If the boat is small, you should use “in”. The fact is that many people have their boats. They use it for their personal use such as fishing or rowing. In that case, you can use “in”. So, you can say you are in a boat if it is small enough and you can say you are on the boat if it is a big one. 

 Exercise: 

1.   I’m ____ the car. 

2.   I go to college ___ car. 

3.   He goes to the city ____ horse. 

4.   I’m ____ my horse. 

5.   I love to travel, sitting ___ Helicopter. 

6.   He loves to travel sitting ____ bus. 

7.   He was __ a small boat. 

Prepositions of manner tell us how something is done or how something has happened. Prepositions of manner answer the question “how”. Prepositions of manner are also known as prepositions of the method. 

The most common prepositions of method:  

By, in, with, as, as if, like 

He keeps himself fit by taking exercise regularly. (How does he keep himself fit? The answer is “by taking exercise.” So, here, “by” is a preposition of manner. 

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In and with 

We are to use “in” and “with” to describe how something is carried out. 

• Pahela Baishakh is celebrated in a befitting manner. 
• He was working with passion and dedication.    

By and with 

While “by” refers to a person, “with” points to an instrument.  

• This chair has been broken by John.  
• We can succeed in life by working hard.  
• Drive the snake with a stick.  

Like  

“like” as a preposition shows a method with which something is performed.  

• He speaks like a wise man.  

As  

“As” is another preposition of the method with which something is done.  

He is working as a Lecturer in English.  

As if 

• He speaks as if he bought the car. 
• She speaks as if she were drunker.  

Prepositions of Instrument 

By, on, and with/without 

The prepositions of the instrument show how something is done with the help of the instrument or object. The most common prepositions of the instrument are  

By 

“By” can be used for two purposes—for passive voice and means of transportation.  

• I go to my college by car. 
• Sapiens was written by Noah Harari.  

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On 

“On” is another preposition with which we do something. 

• Can I edit my video on your mobile phone?  
• He is going to college on his feet.  

With/without 

“With” as a preposition can also work as an instrument to do something. 

• Please cut the cake with a knife. 

Prepositions of Agent 

The prepositions of the agency are:  

By and What  

Prepositions of agency describe who or what has caused or is causing something to happen.  

By 

• This job was greatly done by John. 
• This glass has been broken by Rohan.  

With 

• I have been pleased with her honesty.  
• We will surely be seized with the panic.  
• Please cut the guava with the knife.   

Prepositions of Reason or Purpose 

Prepositions of Reason or Purpose  

On account of, because of, through, and for 

Prepositions of reason or purpose describe why something has happened or will happen.  

• I Could not go to college because of my sickness. 
• On account of my sickness, I could not go to market. 
• I seriously worked hard for you.  
• Through her hard work, he has achieved success. 

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Prepositions of Origin 

Prepositions of origin answer the question of “where”.  

Of, from 

• These cars are made of steel 
• We are from South Asia.  

Prepositions of Connection 

To, of, with 

Prepositions of connection show the connection between two persons or things.  

• He is the son of Rahman 
• I like to spend time with her.  

In the first sentence, “of” makes a connection between “the son” and “Rahman”. Similarly, in the second example, “with” has established a connection between “her” and “me”.  

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Common Mistakes with Prepositions 

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