Complete bilingual study notes for Prepositions — every concept explained step by step, with definitions, formulas, and worked examples.
Prepositions — Complete Grammar Guide
What is a Preposition?
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. It usually comes before a noun or pronoun and tells us about time, place, direction, manner, or reason.
Examples: in, on, at, to, from, with, by, for, about, under, over, between, among, since, during.
Why Do We Use Prepositions?
Prepositions help us give clear information about when, where, and how something happens. Without them, sentences become incomplete or confusing. In the SEE examination, prepositions are tested through fill-in-the-blank questions, error correction, and sentence completion. Correct use of prepositions is essential for good writing and high scores in grammar.
- They show time relationships (when).
- They show place or position relationships (where).
- They show direction or movement (where to).
- They show manner, reason, or other relationships.
- They are very common in SEE grammar questions.
Types of Prepositions
- 1Prepositions of Time
- 2Prepositions of Place (Position)
- 3Prepositions of Direction (Movement)
- 4Other Common Prepositions (manner, reason, agent, instrument)
Prepositions of Time
These prepositions tell us when something happens.
In, On, At for Time
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|
| at | Exact time, clock time, fixed points, night, weekends (British) | at 5 o’clock, at noon, at midnight, at night, at the moment, at Christmas |
| on | Days and dates | on Sunday, on Monday morning, on 15th August, on my birthday, on New Year’s Day |
| in | Longer periods: months, years, seasons, centuries, parts of the day | in July, in 2020, in summer, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the 21st century |
Special note: We say at night (not in the night) but in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening.
Since and For
| Preposition | Meaning | Use with | Examples |
|---|
| since | Starting point of time (from when) | A point in time | since 2015, since Monday, since morning, since I was a child |
| for | Duration or period of time (how long) | A length of time | for two hours, for three years, for a long time, for five days |
Since and for are often used with the present perfect tense.
- I have lived here since 2018.
- I have lived here for six years.
- It has been raining since morning.
- It has been raining for three hours.
Other Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|
| during | Throughout a period or event | during the class, during the holidays, during the meeting |
| by | Not later than; before or at a certain time | by 5 o’clock, by next Monday, by the end of the month |
| until / till | Up to a certain time | until Friday, till 10 p.m., until the rain stops |
| before | Earlier than | before the exam, before 8 a.m. |
| after | Later than | after school, after the party |
| from ... to | Starting and ending time | from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Monday to Friday |
Prepositions of Place (Position)
These prepositions tell us where something or someone is.
In, On, At for Place
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|
| in | Inside a space, enclosed area, countries, cities, large areas | in the room, in the box, in Kathmandu, in Nepal, in the garden |
| on | On a surface, on a line, floors, streets, public transport | on the table, on the wall, on the floor, on the bus, on the first floor, on the road |
| at | Specific point, address, place of activity, events | at the door, at the station, at school, at home, at the party, at 25 New Road |
Other Prepositions of Place
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| under / below | Lower than something | The cat is under the table. The temperature is below zero. |
| over / above | Higher than something | The plane flew over the city. The picture is above the table. |
| between | In the middle of two things or people | The book is between the two bags. She sat between Ram and Sita. |
| among | In the middle of more than two things or people | He is sitting among his friends. The house is among the trees. |
| behind | At the back of | The garden is behind the house. |
| in front of | At the front of | There is a tree in front of the school. |
| next to / beside / by | At the side of; near | She sits next to me. The bank is beside the post office. He stood by the window. |
| near | Close to | The school is near my house. |
| opposite | Facing something | The hospital is opposite the park. |
Prepositions of Direction (Movement)
These prepositions show movement from one place to another.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| to | Movement towards a destination | She goes to school. We went to Pokhara. |
| towards | In the direction of | He walked towards the market. |
| into | Movement from outside to inside | She went into the room. The bird flew into the cage. |
| onto | Movement to a surface | The cat jumped onto the table. |
| from | Starting point of movement | He came from Biratnagar. Take the book from the shelf. |
| out of | Movement from inside to outside | She came out of the house. |
| through | Movement from one side to the other (inside) | We walked through the forest. The river flows through the village. |
| across | From one side to the other side | They swam across the river. He walked across the road. |
| along | In a line following the length of something | We walked along the river bank. |
| up / down | To a higher or lower place | He climbed up the hill. She ran down the stairs. |
| past | Going beyond something | He walked past the school without stopping. |
Other Important Prepositions
| Preposition | Common Uses | Examples |
|---|
| with | Together with; having; using a tool | She lives with her parents. Cut it with a knife. A man with a beard. |
| by | Agent (passive); method; near; not later than | The book was written by him. Go by bus. Sit by the window. Finish by Monday. |
| for | Purpose; duration; intended for | This gift is for you. He works for money. She stayed for two weeks. |
| of | Belonging; part of; made of | The capital of Nepal. A glass of water. A house of stone. |
| about | Concerning; approximately | We talked about the exam. About 50 students came. |
| without | Not having | He left without his bag. You cannot live without water. |
Important Differences
| In / On / At (Time) | Examples |
|---|
| at = exact time | at 7 a.m., at night |
| on = day or date | on Friday, on 10th May |
| in = longer period | in March, in 2025, in the morning |
| In / On / At (Place) | Examples |
|---|
| in = inside / large area | in the room, in Kathmandu, in Nepal |
| on = surface / line | on the table, on the bus, on the wall |
| at = specific point | at the door, at school, at the station |
| Since | For |
|---|
| Point of time (starting point) | Period of time (duration) |
| since 2020, since Monday, since morning | for five years, for two hours, for a long time |
| I have studied English since 2019. | I have studied English for six years. |
| Between | Among |
|---|
| Used for two people or things | Used for more than two people or things |
| The ball is between the two chairs. | She is sitting among her friends. |
| There is a difference between you and me. | He distributed sweets among the children. |
| During | For |
|---|
| Throughout an event or period (focus on the time when something happens) | Duration / how long |
| during the class, during the holidays | for two hours, for three days |
| I slept during the film. | I slept for two hours. |
Common Fixed Combinations (Verb / Adjective + Preposition)
Some verbs and adjectives are always followed by a particular preposition. These must be learned carefully.
| Combination | Example |
|---|
| afraid of | She is afraid of darkness. |
| good at | He is good at mathematics. |
| interested in | I am interested in music. |
| depend on | Success depends on hard work. |
| listen to | Please listen to the teacher. |
| look at | Look at the blackboard. |
| look for | I am looking for my pen. |
| wait for | We are waiting for the bus. |
| talk about | They talked about the match. |
| agree with | I agree with you. |
| angry with (person) | She is angry with her brother. |
| angry at / about (thing) | He is angry about the result. |
| fond of | Children are fond of sweets. |
| proud of | We are proud of our country. |
| belong to | This book belongs to me. |
| consist of | The team consists of eleven players. |
| suffer from | He is suffering from fever. |
| different from | This is different from that. |
Important Rules
- 1A preposition is usually followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase (object of the preposition).
- 2Never end a sentence with a preposition in formal writing if it can be avoided, but in spoken English it is common.
- 3Use in for months, years and seasons; on for days and dates; at for exact times.
- 4Use since with a point of time and for with a period of time.
- 5Use between for two and among for more than two.
- 6Do not use a preposition after last, next, this, every with time expressions (next week, not in next week).
- 7Some verbs take fixed prepositions — learn them as combinations.
- 8The same preposition can have different meanings depending on the context (in for time and place).
Common Mistakes
- 1Wrong: I go to school in foot. Correct: I go to school on foot. Reason: Fixed expression is on foot.
- 2Wrong: She is good in English. Correct: She is good at English. Reason: Adjective + preposition combination is good at.
- 3Wrong: I have been here since two hours. Correct: I have been here for two hours. Reason: since needs a point of time, for needs a period.
- 4Wrong: The book is among the two bags. Correct: The book is between the two bags. Reason: between is for two items.
- 5Wrong: He arrived to Kathmandu. Correct: He arrived in Kathmandu. Reason: Arrive takes in or at, not to.
- 6Wrong: Discuss about the problem. Correct: Discuss the problem. Reason: Discuss does not take about.
- 7Wrong: She is afraid from dogs. Correct: She is afraid of dogs. Reason: Fixed combination is afraid of.
- 8Wrong: We met in Sunday. Correct: We met on Sunday. Reason: Days take on.
Remember (Memory Tricks)
- Time: at (clock), on (day), in (month/year)
- Place: in (inside/large), on (surface), at (point)
- Since = point of time (since 2020), For = period (for 5 years)
- Between = two, Among = more than two
- Good at, interested in, afraid of, depend on, listen to, wait for
- Arrive in a city / arrive at a small place
- Go to school (but arrive at school)
SEE Exam Tips
- 1Read the whole sentence carefully before choosing the preposition.
- 2Identify whether the blank is about time, place or direction.
- 3For time: check if it is exact time (at), day/date (on) or longer period (in).
- 4For since/for: ask “from when?” (since) or “how long?” (for).
- 5Look for fixed verb or adjective combinations.
- 6Eliminate options that do not fit the context.
- 7Practise the common confusable pairs regularly: in/on/at, since/for, between/among.
- 8In error correction questions, check the preposition after verbs and adjectives first.
How Prepositions Appear in SEE
- Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions
- Choose the correct preposition from the options
- Correct the errors in the given sentences
- Complete the sentences with appropriate prepositions
Quick Revision
- Prepositions show relationship of time, place, direction and other meanings.
- In / On / At are the most important for both time and place.
- Since = starting point, For = duration.
- Between (two), Among (more than two).
- Learn fixed combinations: good at, interested in, afraid of, depend on, listen to, wait for.
- Context decides the correct preposition — always read the full sentence.