Prepositions

Preposition In Use century/year/month/season period of time (in two weeks) part of the day (in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening) Dates / days night the weekend Christmas / Easter the moment / present the same time 8 p.m. period of time Duration Examples I usually go to the gym in the morning.

On

Im giving a party on Saturday. You cant all talk at the same time

TIME

At

For For/throughout/during Since

In

PLACE

At

On

duration relating to the time when the action began place / city / country the water / the sea / the sky / the street the text / the newspaper the middle / the world the bus stop / the door the top / the bottom the back / the front home / school the floor / the grass / the planet the wall / the ceiling an island / the road / the river the right / the left the face / the screen the table / the page

Shes been studying for two hours It rained throughout the night. Im going to Faro for a week. She worked part-time during the summer. Ive lived here since 1998. I was six. The workers were demonstrating in the streets. Theres a fountain in the park. I always stay at home at the weekend.

You can see the Royal Palace on the left. Its on the main square. There are soldiers on guard outside.

MOVEMENT

To Into Across Towards

Im travelling to Greece tomorrow. She swerved and crashed into the fence. How are you going to get across the stream? She pointed towards the window.

Other prepositions of time: ago, after, before, until, by, from to, within. Other prepositions of place: out, outside, inside, off, by, beside, opposite, near, next to, away from, behind, between, among, over, above, under, below, beneath, underneath. Other prepositions of movement: from, out of, onto, off, through, up, down, over, along, past, around, in, on.

Exercises:
A. Fill in the blank with the prepositions of time:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. I was born ________ November 6. Her first exam is ________ April. _________ sitting at the table, we should always wash our hands. _________ Christmas I got a portable computer. He has loved football ever _______ he was a little child. Where were you? Ive been waiting ______ hours. A supervisor from the university will observe your lessons three or four times _______ the year. Im having a meeting _______ Monday morning. She never gets out _________ night.

10. Ill see you ________ 5 p.m. tomorrow. 11. Im going on holiday __________ the first week of July.

12. Well be there _______ five minutes. 13. He was born ________ 14 June 1987. 14. Laura finally received a reply to the letter she had written weeks ________. 15. Michael decided to take a walk with Jane _______ the afternoon. 16. I fell asleep ______ the film. 17. ______ that day I was feeling down. 18. Mr. Johnson is very busy ______ the moment. 19. Ive been studying Chinese ______ six months. 20. I havent seen her ______ the party. 21. I learnt to drive ______ four weeks.

B. Fill in the blank with the prepositions of place:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. We spent the whole holiday ______ the beach. The documents are ________ the drawer. Help! Theres a spider ________ the wall! Do you know the man standing ________ the bus stop? My house is ________ a very busy street. The children are hiding ______ the tree. I live ________ the school. It takes me 5 minutes to be there. Theres a bridge ________ the river. I couldnt see. I was sitting _______ the back.

10. Ive lived _______ England since I got divorced.

11. They were laying ________ the beach.

12. Who is the girl standing ________ the window? 13. London is _______ the river Thames. 14. I was sitting ___________ Mary and Charles.

15. I wont be ______ home tomorrow morning.

16. Im sure I saw him _______ the bus yesterday. 17. You shouldnt step ______ the grass. 18. The children are ______ the swimming-pool. 19. I cant see him. He must be _______ the tree. 20. The papers are ________ the desk.

C. Choose the most suitable preposition of movement for each case:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. We were moving ________ the light. (out / towards / onto) She swam ________ the river. (on / by / across) Shes gone _________ the shops. (over / to / up) They arrived __________ London for the celebration. (in / on / through) Everybody came ________ to see the fireworks. (inside / outside / under) The children jumped ________ the fence. (past / across / over)

D. Complete the interview with 18-year-old actress Mischa Barton with the correct prepositions: Interviewer: Where were you born? Mischa: I was born ________ London, England. Interviewer: What attracted you to acting? Mischa: It was mainly when I moved _____ London _____ New York. The biggest thing which triggered my acting was doing a Broadway play when I was only nine. I felt completely _____ home. Interviewer: What was the most unusual role youve played? Mischa: Well, ______ The Sixth Sense I was throwing up and dead! Interviewer: How do you deal with all the attention that comes with fame? Mischa: Ive learned to deal with the fame to a certain extent, but if I see the press _______ my house, I wont leave. When they rush ________ me, I still feel a moment of panic but not as much as _________. Interviewer: You did some modeling when you were younger. Would you like to get ______ that again? Mischa: No. Theres too much pressure about weight and personal image. Also, I said that models are the most stupid people _______ earth. Interviewer: What next _______ The OC? Mischa: To be honest, I just want to find good roles. We never know peoples opinion ________ the film is exhibited. E. Complete the following text about Nelson Mandela with the missing prepositions: Nelson Mandela was born _______ Transkei, South Africa, ________ 18 July 1918. His father was the principal councilor for the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland. ________ his fathers death, Nelson Mandela was to assume high office, but he was determined to become a lawyer. _______ receiving a primary education _______ a local mission school, he was sent _____ a Wesleyan secondary school of some repute and finally he enrolled ______ university. He entered politics while studying ______ Johannesburg by joining the African National Congress _____ 1942. Meanwhile he was the victim of various forms of repression; he was banned, arrested and imprisoned. _______ June 12, 1964 he was sentenced to life imprisonment. _______ 1964 _____ 1982 he was incarcerated _____ Robben Island Prison, _____ Cape Town: thereafter, he was ______ Pollsmoor Prison, ______ the mainland. _______ his years ______ prison, Nelson Mandelas reputation grew steadily. He became a symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom. He was released _____ February 18, 1990. _____ his release he plunged again ______ his lifes work. _____ 1991 he was elected President of the ANC. ______ 1993 he received the Nobel Peace Prize and he was the first democratically elected State President of South Africa ______ 1994 _____ 1999.