List of Prepositions in English with Examples

Introduction

If you’re learning English, understanding prepositions is very important. In this article, we will share a full list of prepositions with easy explanations and clear examples.

Prepositions help us describe place, time, direction, and more. For example:

• The book is on the table.

• She was born in March.

• He is going to school.

This article is perfect for English learners, beginners, and even advanced students who want to review. You’ll also find an Amazon-recommended grammar book to help you practice.

What Is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. It often tells us where, when, or how something happens.

Example:

• The pen is under the chair.

• We met after the class.

Prepositions are always followed by a noun or pronoun (this is called the object of the preposition).

List of Prepositions in English

1. Preposition of pace

These tell us where something is.

Preposition	Use	Example
in	inside something	The books are in the bag.
on	resting above the surface	The pen is on the table.
under	lower than something else	The shoes are under the bed.
above	higher than something	The light is above the mirror.
below	lower than something	The valley is below the mountain.
behind	at the back of something	The school is behind the mosque.
in front of	facing something	The car is packed in front of the house.
next to	beside	The chair is next to the sofa.
between	in the middle of two things	The ball is between the shoes.
inside	with in a closed space	The milk are inside the fridge.
outside	Not inside	The kids are playing outside.

2. Prepositions of Time

These tell us when something happens.

preposition	Use	Example
at	at specific time	we will meet at 5 pm.
on	Days and dates	I was born on Monday.
in	Months, years, parts of the day	She was born in July.
before	Earlier than a time/event	Let’s meet before lunch.
after	Later than a time/event	We’ll talk after class.
during	In the middle of a period	He slept during the movie.
until/till	Up to a certain point	Stay until 8 PM.
since	From a point in time	I have lived here since 2010.
from…to	Start and end	We worked from 9 AM to 5 PM..

3. Prepositions of Direction or Movement

These show movement from one place to another.

Prepositions	Use	Example
to	Movement toward a place	She is going to school.
into	Entering a space	He walked into the room
onto	Moving to a surface	The cat jumped onto the couch.
out of	Leaving a space	She got out of the car.
off	Down from something	He fell off the ladder
from	Starting point	They came from the office.
toward	In the direction of	He ran toward the house.

4. Prepositions of Cause, Reason, or Purpose

These tell us why something happens.

Preposition	Use	Example
because of	Shows the reason	I was late because of traffic.
due to	Shows the cause	The delay was due to the rain
for	Purpose or reason	This gift is for you.t
thanks to	Positive reason	We won thanks to your help.

These tell us how something happens.

Preposition	Use	Example
by	Method of doing something	She traveled by train.
with	Using something	He opened the door with a key.
like	Similarity	He swims like a a fish.

6. Prepositions of Comparison or Contrast

These prepositions are used when we compare two or more things.

Preposition	Use	Example
like	Similar to	She looks like her mother.
unlike	Different from	Unlike his brother, he is quiet.
as…as	Equality	He is as tall as his friend.
than	Comparison	She is faster than him.

7. Prepositions of Possession

These prepositions show ownership or relationship between people or things.

Preposition	Use	Example
of	Belonging to	The cover of the book is blue.
with	Having	The boy with the red shirt is my brother.
to	Belongs to	That house belongs to my uncle.

8. Other Useful Prepositions

Preposition	Use	Example
about	Topic	We talked about football
according to	Source	According to the teacher, the test is easy.
except	Exclusion	Everyone is here except John.
concerning	related	Hassan have a question concerning the lesson.

Full List of Common English Prepositions

Here is a complete list of prepositions you can save or print:

About,

Above,

Across,

After,

Against,

Along,

Among,

Around,

At,

Before,

Behind,

Below,

Beneath,

Beside,

Between,

Beyond,

But (except),

By,

Concerning,

Despite,

Down,

During,

Except,

For,

From,

In,

Inside,

Into,

Like,

Near,

Of,

Off,

On,

Onto,

Out,

Outside,

Over,

Past,

Since,

Through,

Throughout,

To,

Toward,

Under,

Underneath,

Until,

Up,

Upon,

With,

Within,

Without

Tip: Try to memorize prepositions in small groups. Practice with real-life sentences.

How to Practice Prepositions Effectively

Here are some ways to improve your understanding:

• Use flashcards with sentences.

• Watch English videos with subtitles.

• Read simple English books or short stories.

• Write daily sentences using new prepositions.

Recommended Book for Practice

Want to master prepositions and English grammar at home?

English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy – This book is perfect for learners who want grammar explanations with exercises.

Easy to understand and includes hundreds of examples.

Buy here

Common Mistakes with Prepositions

Avoid these mistakes:

❌ She is good in math.
✅ She is good at math.

❌ I will see you on next Monday.
✅ I will see you next Monday.

❌ He is married with her.
✅ He is married to her.

Conclusion

Now you know what prepositions are, how they work, and how to use them correctly. Use this list of prepositions to improve your English writing and speaking skills.

Keep practicing every day. The more you use prepositions in real situations, the more confident you’ll become.

What to Read Next:

• Top 50 Most Common English phrases