Preposition List
Preposition List
www.megalecture.com
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EnglishClub.com
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Cambridge CB1 1AH
England, UK
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All rights reserved
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This ebook is distributed in the universal PDF format.
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Printing: this ebook will print out on A4 (297 x 210mm) or
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American Letter size (11 x 8.5in) paper
Contents
Introduction 5
Why 150 prepositions? 6
1 One-word Prepositions 7
with sample sentences
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2 Complex Prepositions 29
with sample sentences
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3 Illustrations 33
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Prepositions of place 33
Prepositions of time 34
One-word prepositions 36
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Complex prepositions 45
Prepositions of place 51
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Prepositions of time 52
One-word and complex prepositions 53
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Introduction
This ebook contains a list of most English prepositions in use today.
The first section lists “one-word prepositions” (for example before, into, on).
The second section lists “complex prepositions” (phrases of two or more words
that function like one-word prepositions, for example according to, but for, in
spite of).
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• noun phrase
• gerund (verb in -ing form)
tu
If a preposition does not come before another word, it is still closely linked to
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another word:
• Who did you talk to?
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One-word Prepositions
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across • We drove across the desert.
• The dog ran across the road.
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• There is a bridge across the river.
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after (also conj.) • We had lunch [1pm] after the meeting [11am].
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• Ram is as tall as Anthony.
astride tu
• She sat astride the horse.
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at • He is at school.
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before (also conj.) • We had lunch [1pm] before the meeting [3pm].
• We met the day before yesterday.
• She was before me in the queue.
• I would rather die before doing that.
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•
• She is behind the other children in her class.
below tu
• Much of Holland is below sea-level.
• There is a family in the flat below us.
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• The temperature is 5 degrees below freezing
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point. [-5ºC]
• I came below Vonica in the test.
• You can buy it if it’s below $50.
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by • We came by car.
• Fireworks were invented by the Chinese.
• He was shot by a professional killer.
It happened by accident.
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•
• He lost the race by five seconds.
• The room is 10 metres by 6 metres.
•
•
tu
We must finish by Tuesday.
We were sitting by the window.
c
• By my calculation he must be 73.
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from • Where do you come from?
• This letter is from my wife.
•
•
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I bought this car from Henry.
They prevented me from entering.
c
• My car is different from yours.
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• My modem is inside my computer. It’s an internal
modem.
into •
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John went into that shop.
c
• If you heat ice it turns into water.
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less • 10 less 3 = 7.
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minus • 10 minus 3 = 7.
• The temperature is minus 30 degrees centigrade.
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off • Please take your shoes off the table.
• Keep off the grass.
•
•
tu
It fell off the table and broke.
They live in a street off Fifth Avenue.
c
Le
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•
• It took over an hour to do my homework.
• The population has increased over the past
twenty years. tu
• Can you stay with us over Christmas?
c
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plus • 2 plus 2 = 4.
tu
• There will be three of us, plus the baby.
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pro • Are you pro capital punishment?
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• Please wait till I come.
to •
•
tu
Could you give this to Kob?
My car does 10 miles to the litre.
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• To his surprise, the door was open.
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speak.
eg
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rude.
• This problem is unlike any we have met before.
upon (formal) • Please don’t put your shoes upon the table.
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without • I want trousers without buttons.
• I came without my wife because she is working.
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• He watched without speaking.
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worth • This car is worth $10,000.
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Complex Prepositions
along with • Do you want some pork along with the chicken?
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as for • As for Matt, he will arrive later.
aside from • I have another car aside from this one. Both are
red.
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as per • We must work strictly as per the law.
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sure.
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away from • The cat ran away from the dog and escaped.
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but for • It’s your fault! But for you, I’d have been on time.
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compromise.
in case of tu
• You can phone me in case of need. Day or night.
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in face of • He reacts bravely in face of danger.
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dollars?
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on board • Is there a doctor on board this plane?
on to (UK)
tu
• The cat jumped on to the chair.
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see onto
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out of • Take your hands out of your pockets and help me!
• He went out of the room to smoke a cigarette.
• We’re out of eggs. Shall I buy some?
save for • Everyone came, save for Lek who had to work.
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up against • We are up against a powerful enemy.
up to tu
• There was a shop here up to 1990. But it closed
that year.
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with regard to • I’d like to speak to you with regard to your work.
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He has coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon and wine in the evening.
I work during the morning/afternoon/evening/day/night.
Let’s meet at 6pm.
The clock strikes twelve at midday/noon/midnight.
The condemned man was shot at sunrise/dawn.
The street lights come on at sunset/dusk.
We can see the stars at night.
Quizzes
Try the quizzes on the following pages to check your understanding. In general
there is only one possible answer to each question. The answers are shown at
the end of each quiz.
One-word prepositions
Complex prepositions
Prepositions of place
Prepositions of time
One-word and complex prepositions
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If you like, you can use the chart below to record your progress. If you don’t get
10 out of 10 for one quiz the first time, revise your prepositions and try again
later a second time, and a third time if necessary!
Quiz
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st
1 time
My Score out of 10
2nd time 3rd time
1 One-word prepositions
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2 One-word prepositions
3 One-word prepositions
4 One-word prepositions
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5 One-word prepositions
6 One-word prepositions
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7 One-word prepositions
8 One-word prepositions
9 One-word prepositions
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10 Complex prepositions
11 Complex prepositions
12 Complex prepositions
13 Complex prepositions
14 Complex prepositions
15 Complex prepositions
16 Prepositions of place
17 Prepositions of time
18 One-word and complex prepositions
19 One-word and complex prepositions
20 One-word and complex prepositions
1 10 __________ 3 = 7.
a) pro b) against c) less
2 2 __________ 2 = 4.
a) despite b) plus c) circa
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a) outside b) pro c) without
a) throughout b) by c) against
a) by b) bar c) during
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Answers: 1c, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5a, 6c, 7b, 8a, 9a, 10c
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a) despite b) inside c) behind
a) throughout b) with c) by
Answers: 1a, 2a, 3b, 4a, 5b, 6c, 7c, 8c, 9b, 10a
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a) outside b) since c) saving
a) concerning b) inside c) up
Answers: 1c, 2b, 3b, 4a, 5b, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9c, 10b
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a) throughout b) till c) via
a) than b) inside c) on
Answers: 1b, 2a, 3b, 4a, 5c, 6b, 7b, 8a, 9c, 10c
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a) as b) than c) with
a) cum b) inside c) at
a) worth b) of c) astride
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Answers: 1c, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5c, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9b, 10b
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a) less b) inside c) onto
a) beyond b) as c) unlike
a) beside b) up c) astride
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Answers: 1a, 2b, 3c, 4c, 5b, 6a, 7a, 8a, 9c, 10c
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a) among b) concerning c) except
a) until b) in c) along
Answers: 1c, 2c, 3a, 4a, 5c, 6a, 7b, 8c, 9b, 10c
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a) at b) since c) in
Answers: 1b, 2a, 3a, 4c, 5b, 6a, 7b, 8b, 9c, 10c
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a) since b) aboard c) worth
a) minus b) of c) besides
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Answers: 1a, 2a, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9c, 10b
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a) As per b) Up until c) As to
b) In favour of c) Contrary to
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5 _______________ expectations, the euro fell in value.
a) Next to
Answers: 1a, 2b, 3a, 4c, 5c, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9c, 10b
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a) in favour of b) thanks to c) away from
Answers: 1a, 2b, 3c, 4a, 5c, 6b, 7c, 8c, 9a, 10c
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a) up against b) in front of c) with regard to
b) contrary to c) in between
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5 I’m calling you _______________ Mr Brown. I represent him.
a) on behalf of
Answers: 1b, 2c, 3c, 4c, 5a, 6b, 7a, 8b, 9a, 10b
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a) Out of b) Thanks to c) On board
b) on to c) due to
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5 The cancellation was _______________ the rain. No other reason.
a) close to
a) on top of b) on to c) as well as
9 The school’s ______________ the bank. Between the hotel and bank.
a) in front of b) next to c) on account of
Answers: 1a, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5c, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9b, 10c
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a) as for b) on board c) in addition to
b) outside of c) contrary to
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5 They stopped _______________ the city to check the map.
a) but for
9 We don’t have any tea. Would you like coffee _______________ tea?
a) out of b) instead of c) by means of
Answers: 1b, 2c, 3a, 4c, 5b, 6a, 7c, 8b, 9b, 10b
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a) on behalf of b) by means of c) depending on
Answers: 1c, 2a, 3a, 4c, 5a, 6c, 7c, 8a, 9c, 10b
3 From the plane we could see people in the fields __________ us.
a) beside b) below c) above
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a) behind b) in front of c) over
a) on b) behind c) under
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10 The police car came first. The president was in the car __________ it.
a) behind b) on c) under
Answers: 1b, 2a, 3b, 4a, 5c, 6c, 7c, 8a, 9b, 10a
2 Does your boss visit the office __________ the morning or afternoon?
a) in b) at c) on
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a) during b) at c) beside
a) in b) at c) on
a) in b) during c) at
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Answers: 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7c, 8c, 9c, 10b
1 ____________ Ati, the film was good. But in my opinion it was boring.
a) Except for b) From c) According to
4 Nok bought her book ____________ $20 but mine cost me $25.
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a) for b) in c) save for
b) from c) out of
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5 Who did you buy it ____________? Have they got any more?
a) of
6 It’s always your fault if you hit the car ____________ you.
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10 It was good ____________ her to help. She has her own problems.
a) forward of b) off c) of
Answers: 1c, 2c, 3a, 4a, 5b, 6b, 7c, 8c, 9a, 10c
2 I can’t talk now. But we can talk about it ____________ dinner tonight.
a) over b) on to c) within
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a) pending b) outside of c) below
b) underneath c) up against
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5 Everybody came at 9am, ____________ Neil who came at 10am.
a) apart from
a) in b) except c) on top of
8 They sat ____________ each other in the cinema and held hands.
a) below b) next to c) via
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Answers: 1a, 2a, 3a, 4c, 5a, 6c, 7b, 8b, 9a, 10c
4 The ticket is $5 or $10, ____________ your age. How old are you?
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a) above b) out of c) depending on
b) under c) as for
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5 I work ____________ Dr Hudson. I will have to ask him for permission.
a) since
a) in b) as to c) on
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8 You should take paper ____________ a pen. They don’t have either.
a) as b) as well as c) except for
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Answers: 1b, 2b, 3a, 4c, 5b, 6b, 7c, 8b, 9a, 10c
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