Rules of preposition

1) About:- Nearness of some kind

★ Concerning:-

Example:- Do you know about him?

He is careless about his duties.

★ Nearness of place:-

Example:- He is wandering about the town.

He is travelling about the world.

★ Nearness of time:-

Example:- It is about ten o'clock.

He arrived at about seven o'clock.

★ Nearness of state:-

Example:- The train is about to start.

The show is about to start.

2) Above:- In a higher position

★ Higher than:-

Example:- A sword was hanging above his head.

The plane is flying above the clouds.

★ Beyond the reach of, more than:-

Example:- He is above suspicion.

We should value honour above life.

3) Across:- From one side to the opposite
★ On the opposite side of:-

Example:- Her house is across the river.

★ From one side to the other side of something:-

Example:- Can you swim across the river?

There is a bridge across the river.

4) After:- Sequence
★Later than, showing sequence of time/place:-

Example:- He came after ten o'clock.

I will enter after you.

★ Indicating much repetition:-

Example:- He fired shot after shot.

★In the style of somebody/something:-

Example:- This is a poem after Shelly.

5) Against:- Opposition of some kind

★ In opposition to somebody/something:-

Example:- I am not against you.

That is against the law.

★ In contact with:-

Example:- He was leaning against a tree.

★ In preparation for:-

Example:- There is an injection against cholera.

★ In return for:-

Example:- Tickets are issued only against payment of the full fee.
6) Along:- In the same line with anything
★ From one end to or towards the other end of something, close to or parallel with the
length of something:-

Example:- The railway line went along the highway.

He walked along the river bank.

7) Among & Between:-

★ Both have the meaning in middle of but difference is between is used when two items or
persons is there and Among is used when three or more items or persons are there:-

Example:- The money was divided between my two sons.

The money was divided among my four sons.

Note:- Between is also used for two or more persons or items if there is a reciprocal relationship in
them.

Example:- There is a treaty between the five great powers.

There is not much space between the three points.

8) At:- Proximity (With actual or intended contact)

★ Proximity in time:-

Example:- He will come at 4 o'clock.

He came at noon/night/midnight.

★ Proximity in place:-

Example:- He lives at Madhubani.

He is at home.

★Indicating price/rate/speed:- Proximity in value/speed:-

Example:- At what price is this sold?

I bought this coat at 25% discount.

★Proximity in aim/direction:-

Example:- She is looking at him.

He frowned at him for laughing at him.

★Indicating a state, condition or continuous activity:- Proximity in state/occupation:-

Example:- Children are at play.

They are at work.

9) Before
★ Earlier than somebody/something:-

Example:- He will come before lunch.

A comes before B.

★ In front of, In the presence of:-

Example:- He stood before the judge.

The task before us is not an easy one.

10) Behind
Example:- The dog ran behind its master.

She hid behind the tree.

11) Below:- At a lower point or degree

Example:- Please don't write below this line.

He stood below me in the class.

12. Beside and Besides

★Beside means near or outside and gives the sense of place. Besides means in addition to:-

Example:- She was sitting beside her mother.

She had no one besides her mother.

13) Beyond:- On the farther side of
Example:- My house is beyond those hills.

It is beyond belief/endurance.

14) But:- Except

Example:- Everyone was there but you.

Nobody but you could be able.

15) By:- Nearness of some kind

★ Nearness in place:-

Example:- Come and sit by me.

There was a house by the church/river.

★ Nearness in time:-

Example:- Can you finish the work by 4 o'clock?

★ Idea of the means of transportation:-

Example:- We travel by car/bus/boat/cycle/plane.

He used to travel by air/land/sea.

★ Indicating means:-

Example:- May I pay by cheque?

I shall contact you by letter.

★Some other uses of 'by':-

Example:- The thief entered by the back door.

'Hamlet' has been written by Shakespeare.

16) For
★ Indicating personal benefit:-

Example:- This is for you.

What is for Ravi?

★ Indicating direction/place:-

Example:- He will soon start for home.

Is this the train for Delhi?

★ Indicating cause or reason:-

Example:- She danced for joy.

He got a prize for bravery.

★ Period of time:-

Example:- He has been running for an hour.

He stayed there for two hours.

★ Sense of representation/ recommendation:-

Example:- I am speaking for all the workers.

I am for this proposal.

★ In spite of:-

Example:- For all his learning he has no sense.

For all his wealth he is not happy.

★ Exchange:-

Example:- He sold his horse for five thousand.

I paid 100/- for the book.

★ Indicating purpose or function:-

Example:- He went for a walk.

He is learning music for pleasure.

★ Some other uses of 'for':-

Example:- She is tall for her age.

I am anxious for her.

17) From:- Motion or rest apart from anything

★ Change of destination:-

Example:- He has come from Patna.

The wind is coming from the north.

★ Idea of time:-

Example:- He was blind from birth.

I will be teaching from 10 a.m.

★ Sense of cause/reason:-

Example:- He is suffering from fever.

★Origin:-

Example:- These lines are from the Bible.

★ Forming one thing from the other:-

Example:- We make curd from milk.

We make steel from iron.

★ Some other uses of 'from':-

Example:- I had a phone call from Ravi.

This is a man from England.

18) In:- Rest in the interior of anything
★ With a big place:-

Example:- We live in India.

He lives in Bihar.

★ Sense of time/period:-

Example:- He will come in four days.

I play in the morning.

★ Indicating state/condition:-

Example:- He is in debt.

He is in a bad temper.

★ Inside:-

Example:- She is in the room.

There are seven days in a week.

★ Dress:-

Example:- He was in uniform.

She was in sari.

★ Sense of direction:-

Example:- The sun rises in the east.

★ Sense of occupation, business, work, etc.:-

Example:- He is in the army.

He has been in politics all his life.

★ Some other uses of 'in':-

Exmaple:- This novel is in three parts.

Can you speak in English?

19) Into:- Motion towards the interior of something
★ Sense of entering from outside:-

Example:- He came into my room.

She dived into the swimming pool.

★ Sense of changing into the other:-

Example:- Heat turns water into vapour.

★ Sense of change in condition:-

Example:- She came into power in 1970.

20) Of
★ Sense of relation/possession:-

Example:- Ram was the son of king Dashrath.

I don't live in the house of my father.

★ Sense of measure/weigh:-

Example:- Please give me a cup of tea.

He bought a kilo of sugar/rice.

★ Material:-

Example:- This chair is made of wood/iron/steel.

This pot is made of glass.

★ Portion:-

Example:- He is a member of the team.

Don't tear the page of that book.

★ Cause:-

Example:- He died of cholera.

He is ashamed of his behaviour.

★ Origin/source:-

Example:- Of what family is he sprung?

She is a woman of royal descent.

★ About/in relation to:-

Example:- You must have heard of Gandhiji.

I know nothing of him.

★ Quality:-

Example:- He is a man of strong will.

She was a woman of cheap taste.

★ Some other uses of 'of':-

Example:- It was kind of you to help me.

His chance of winning is very high.

21) Off:- Separation at a near distance

★ Sense of down/away from a place:-

Example:- He fell off the horse.

He jumped off the table.

★ Sense of leading away from something

Example:- There is a big house off the high street.

Note:- On/Off is also used as like adverb, then there is a change of words.

Example:- Put off the radio.

Put on the radio.

22) On:- Rest on the upper surface of a thing
★ Attached with a person/thing sense of a place:-

Example:- They are sitting on the grass.

There are glasses on the table.

★ Sense of time:-

Example:- I am free on Sundays.

He will come here on Monday.

Note:- On time means on exact time not before or after, In time means before time not after time.

★ About; concerning:-

Example:- I am writing on Shakespeare.

Can you write an essay on "Friendship"?

★ Sense of being a member:-

Example:- He is on the committee/staff/jury.

Which side are you on?

★ Sense of work/condition:-

Example:- He is on tour/business/holiday.

★ Close to a place or time:-

Example:- There was no house on the main road.

There was a town on the coast.

★ Some other uses of 'on':-

Example:- Have you got any money on you? (Possession)

The cow lives on grass. (Dependence)

They made an attack on my house. (Direction)

He was appointed on these terms. (Conditions)

It is easy to speak on the telephone. (Means)

23) Out of:- Motion from the interior of a thing
★ Sense of a place:-

Example:- He is out of this town.

He jumped out of bed.

★ Source:-

Example:- I paid it out of my own pocket.

The hut was made out of pieces of wood.

★ Motive/cause:-

Example:- He said that out of ill temper.

She helped me out of pity/generosity.

★ From among:-

Example:- Choose one out of the seven.

★ Some other uses of 'out of':-

Example:- He is not out of danger.

These books are out of order.

24) Over:- Above or beyond anything

★ In/to a position higher than (Attached/touching):-

Example:- Spread a cloth over the table.

He put his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming.

★ In/to a positon higher than (Not attached/touching):-

Example:- There was an umbrella over her head.

The sky was a clear blue over our heads.

★ In/to a position higher than (From one end to the other):-

Example:- There was a bridge over the river.

The child could run over the grass.

★ Over across something:-

Example:- He lives over the road/bridge.

It is difficult to go over the mountain.

★ More than:-

Example:- He is over sixty.

The river is over sixty miles long.

★ Sense of spreading all or most parts of something:-

Example:- Gandhiji is remembered all over the world.

It is raining all over the country.

★ Some other uses of 'over':-

Example:- I heard it over the radio.

She has no control over her emotions.

25) Since:- From some point of past time

★ Point of time:-

Example:- He has been absent since morning/Sunday/January.

26) Through:- Across the interior of anything

★ From one end to the other:-

Example:- The River Thames flows through London.

There is no way through the forest.

★ From the beginning to the end of something:-

Example:- I have gone through the book.

She nursed me through my long illness.

★ Way:-

Example:- I knew it through a newspaper.

It was through you that I came to know it.

★ Cause/motive/reason:-

Example:- The vase was broken through carelessness.

He died through neglect.

27) To:- Motion towards anything

★ Indicating direction:-

Example:- He is going to school.

The egg fell to the ground.

★ Sense of place/time:-

Example:- From door to door.

From morning to evening.

★ Purpose/intention:-

Example:- He came to see us.

He came to our help.

★ Limit:-

Example:- They fought to the last man.

★ Place:-

Example:- He has come to me/my house.

★ Sense of time:-

Example:- It is six to ten.

It is a quarter to eight.

★ Belonging to somebody/something:-

Example:- This is a key to the door.

★ Comparison/ratio/proportion:-

Example:- I prefer reading to writing.

He is junior to me.
★ Some other uses of 'to':-

Example:- There are mountains to the north of India.

He rose to power.

28) Towards
★ Nearness of approach:-

Example:- He is coming towards the house.

The child came running towards me.

★ Nearness of time:-

Example:- It is now towards evening.

★ In relation to - behaviour:-

Example:- He was very kind towards beggars.

He behaved very affectionately towards my children.

★ In aid of:-

Example:- You will have to give 100/- towards the Poor Boys' Fund.

29) Under:- Rest or motion in a lower place

★ Below (Sense of place):-

Example:- The cat was under the table.

The water flows under the bridge.

★ Less than/younger than:-

Example:- Applicants should not be under twenty.

Many children under five go to nursery schools.

★ Lower in rank than somebody:-

Example:- I have a staff of 20 working under me.

No one under the rank of captain may enter the room.

★ Governed or led by somebody:-

Example:- Under his captainship the team is running well.

This institute works under a committee.

★ Being in a state of something:-

Example:- His case is under consideration.

These buildings are under construction.

★ Some other uses of 'under':-

Example:- One should not open a bank account under a false name.

He is very much under the influence of his neighbours.

30) With
★ Union of some kind:-

Example:- He arrived with all his luggage.

He was playing with his friends.

★ Sense of quality:-

Example:- She was a girl with red hair.

He is a man with long beards.

★ Carrying something:-

Example:- Did you see the boy with a camera?

He was a hunter with a gun.

★ Instrument/material:-

Example:- He cut the apple with a knife.

He is writing with a pencil.

★ Sense of cause:-

Example:- I was sick with fever.

They were dancing with joy.

★ Sense of the way of doing something:-

Example:- I will do it with pleasure.

He looked upon them with anger.

★ Sense of agreement:-

Example:- I am always with you.

I can't accord with the management.

★ Sense of opposition/disagreement:-

Example:- He quarrelled with me.

One king fought with another.

★ Separation:-

Example:- I parted with my friend yesterday.

I could never part with this ring.

★ In spite of:-

Example:- With all his wealth he is in debt.

With all her faults he liked her.

★ Indicating point of reference:-

Example:- He is not popular with his pupils.

★ Some other uses of 'with':-

Example:- Skill comes with experience.

Good wine will improve with age.

31) Within:- Inside the limits of anything
★ Sense of place/time:-

Example:- He will come within an hour/a month.

Her house is within a mile of the station.

★ Limit/range/capacity:-

Example:- This is not within my power.

She finds it hard to live within her income.

32) Without:- On the outside of anything

★ Not having something

Example:- One cannot live without food.

He came without money.

Some Special Notes on the Use of Prepositions

1) At & In:- At is used small extent of space/time, In is used wider extent of
space/time:-
Example:- He lives at Salempur.

He lives in Patna/Bihar/India.

2) In & Into:- In is used as anything inside or at on its rest position of something,

Into is used where something is coming from outside and whose speed is
denoted:-
Example:- The frog is in the well.

The frog fell into the well.

3) With & By:- Where with is used before any tools or material objects used to
complete a work, then agent or doer (which is usually a human or abstract
noun) is used:-
Example:- He was beaten with a stick.

He was beaten by his teacher.

4) After & In:- While 'After' is used in Past Tense, 'In' is used in Future Tense to
indicate completion of any work or business after a given period of time:-
Example:- He will come in a week.

He came after a week.

Note:- To convey the sense of 'before' in Future Tense, Within is used as follows.

Example:- He will come within a week. (a week before)

5) Since & From:- Since is not used with Future Tense, instead From is used:-
Example:- I shall have been doing this from January.

I shall be absent from Monday.