Ski l l 6: Identifying the Correct Prepositions

In Part 5, your understanding of the context of the sentence will help you choose the correct
preposition. Prepositions are words used to show the relationship between things in a sentence.
They are commonly used in prepositional phrases to show relationships of time or location.

Sample TOEIC Test Question

1 . We are so glad you could come. Welcome ___ Rome.

(A) in
(B) at
(C) to
(D) of

Answer

Choice (C) is the correct answer. The sentence should read, Welcome to Rome. The combination
of Welcome and Rome indicates that Rome is a destination. Destinations use the preposition of
place, to. Choice (A) is also a preposition of place, but it is not used with destinations. Use it after
you get there: I vacationed in Rome. Choice (B) is a preposition of place (but not with cities) and
time. Choice (D) is a preposition that shows possession.

Ski l l Focus

There are many prepositions in English. Pay attention to the prepositions that you hear and
read every day; that is the best way to learn them. There are a few rules, however, about the
use of prepositions. Study the prepositions in the following chart for common ways to express
location and time. Notice the contrasts in the ways the prepositions are used.

I Prepositional Phrase Use Exa mples

to Rome destination I went to Rome.

in Rome within a location While I was in Rome, I saw many Roman

rums.

from Rome direction away I went from Rome to Vienna.

from Rome source I brought you this souvenir from Rome.

to the meeting destination I went to the meeting.

in the meeting within a location I was in the meeting all morning.

from the meeting direction away I went from the meeting to my office.

at the meeting during Some people got bored at the meeting

this morning.

at the airport general location I can catch a cab at the airport.

66 Reading
 Prepositional Phrase Use Examples

at 9:00 specific point in time At 9:00, I arrived at work.

at night specific period of time It gets chilly at night.

(night, noon, dawn,
sunrise, sunset)

from 9:00 to 1 2:00 boundaries of a time period I attended a seminar from 9:00 to 1 2 :00.
until Tuesday end of a time period I decided to stay until Tuesday.

for one hour duration of time I stopped for one hour to eat lunch.

since 1 0 :00 time starting at a point I have been working on this proposal
in the past and since 1 0:00.
continuing to the present

on February 6 with dates I start my new job on February 6.

in one day with a period of days I wrote the memo in one day.

in two weeks with a period of weeks The package should arrive in two weeks.

in April with a specific month, year, His birthday is in April.

decade, or century

in the morning with a period of the day I ride the train in the morning.
(morning, afternoon,

l evening)

Skill 6: Exercise
Complete the sentences with the correct preposition from the chart.

1 . Ms. Legesse is ______ a meeting right now.

2. Class starts ______ one month. TEST T I P

3. Meet me noon. For and since are both

prepositions of time. For
4. The meeting continued ______ 5 : 3 0. shows a d u ration of
time, and since shows
5 . She's been the director ______ Mr. Lee retired. an exact starting point
6. I'll meet you ______ the train station. in time. Don't confuse
them. Look at the
7. She went the office to the party. meaning of the verb
and the length of time.
8. \Xie have been waiting for him two hours.
Examples:
We have been talking
for a n hour.

We have been talking

since 11 :00.

Incomplete Se n tences 67