What are prepositions?
Prepositions are words that help show relationships between things in sentences. They’re like direction signs telling us where things are or how they’re connected:
- Location: Prepositions show where something is. “In,” “on,” “under,” and “between” help us understand where things are placed.
- Direction: They tell us where something is moving. “To,” “from,” “toward,” and “through” show movement.
- Time: Prepositions talk about when something happens. “Before,” “after,” “during,” and “at” help us understand the timing of events.
- Possession: They indicate who owns something. “Of” shows ownership, like “the book of John.”
- Comparison: Prepositions help us compare things. “Like,” “as,” and “than” are used for comparisons.
- Purpose: They explain why something is happening. “For” and “to” show purpose, like “She studies for good grades.”
- Agent: Prepositions introduce the doer of an action. “By” is often used to show the person doing something.
Prepositions are like glue, connecting words and ideas in sentences. Imagine a treasure map – prepositions guide you to the right spot and help you understand the whole picture!
Exercise
Exercise: underline the prepositions in the following sentences
1 The man fell off the ladder.
2 We have dinner at 7:30 P.M.
3 Tom was born on a Friday.
4 There are seven days in a week.
5 Sue is running after her dog.
6 Several people are waiting at the bus stop.
7 I received a letter from Sara yesterday.
8 Why are you still in bed?
Exercise. Fill in the blanks with one of these prepositions: near, in, by, on, at, between, behind, around, into, up
1 The bus arrived __________ 8:30 A.M.
2 The children are swimming __________ the pool.
3 There’s a picture __________ the wall.
4 There is a fence __________ the house.
5 Granny is sitting __________ fire.
6 Harold is hiding __________ the chair.
7 Jack climbed __________ the beanstalk.
8 We divided the candy __________ us.
9 I dived __________ the river.
10 Don’t go too __________ the edge.
Answers
Exercise: underline the prepositions in the following sentences.
1 The man fell off the ladder.
2 We have dinner at 7:30 P.M.
3 Tom was born on a Friday.
4 There are seven days in a week.
5 Sue is running after her dog.
6 Several people are waiting at the bus stop.
7 I received a letter from Sara yesterday.
8 Why are you still in bed?
Exercise. Fill in the blanks with one of these prepositions: near, in, by, on, at, between, behind, around, into, up
1 The bus arrived at 8:30 A.M.
2 The children are swimming in the pool.
3 There’s a picture on the wall.
4 There is a fence around the house.
5 Granny is sitting by the fire.
6 Harold is hiding behind the chair.
7 Jack climbed up the beanstalk.
8 We divided the candy between us.
9 I dived into the river.
10 Don’t go too near the edge.
