Simple prepositions
Simple prepositions are the most common type and are usually single words that denote a simple, straightforward relationship between the noun or pronoun following the preposition and other elements in the sentence. Here are some examples of simple prepositions:
1. **In:** She is in the house.
2. **On:** The book is on the table.
3. **At:** They arrived at the airport.
4. **By:** The picture was painted by an artist.
5. **For:** This gift is for you.
6. **To:** He went to the store.
7. **From:** She received a letter from her friend.
8. **With:** He wrote with a pen.
9. **Of:** The color of the sky is blue.
10. **About:** They were talking about the movie.
These prepositions establish relationships of time, place, direction, possession, means, and more within sentences. They’re integral for constructing clear and coherent sentences in English.
"in"
The preposition “in” is used to denote various relationships in English, primarily related to:
1. **Place:** “In” typically refers to being within the boundaries, limits, or confines of something. For example:
– “She is in the room.”
– “The cat is in the box.”
2. **Time:** It’s used to refer to a period or point within a specific timeframe. For example:
– “They arrived in the morning.”
– “She’ll be back in an hour.”
3. **Conditions or State:** It describes a condition or state someone or something is situated in. For instance:
– “He is in good health.”
– “The car is in excellent condition.”
4. **Inclusion:** It can indicate membership or participation within a group or category. For instance:
– “He is in the soccer team.”
– “She is in the top percentile.”
Remember, the use of “in” depends on the context and the relationship you want to convey between the subject and the object. It often denotes an enclosed space, a specific time frame, a condition, or inclusion within something broader.
"on, at, by, for, to from, with, of, about"
Here’s a breakdown of when to use these common prepositions:
1. **On:**
– Used to indicate a surface or position:
– “The book is on the table.”
– “She lives on Main Street.”
– Time expressions like specific days or dates:
– “We’ll meet on Monday.”
– “The party is on the 25th of December.”
2. **At:**
– Denotes a specific point, location, or event:
– “She is waiting at the bus stop.”
– “He arrived at the airport.”
– Used for specific times:
– “Let’s meet at 3 o’clock.”
– “The store opens at noon.”
3. **By:**
– Indicates proximity or nearness, a deadline, or method:
– “He stood by the window.”
– “Finish the task by tomorrow.”
– “She came by bus.”
4. **For:**
– Used to express purpose, duration, or intended recipient:
– “This gift is for you.”
– “He studied for two hours.”
– “She works for a software company.”
5. **To:**
– Indicates direction, movement, or destination:
– “They went to the park.”
– “Please give this letter to her.”
– “He traveled to France.”
6. **From:**
– Denotes the point of origin, source, or starting point:
– “She hails from Canada.”
– “The train departed from the station.”
– “I got this book from the library.”
7. **With:**
– Shows association, means, or accompaniment:
– “He went with his friends.”
– “She wrote with a pen.”
– “They celebrated with cake.”
8. **Of:**
– Indicates possession, belonging, or composition:
– “The cover of the book.”
– “A cup of coffee.”
– “The teacher of the class.”
9. **About:**
– Refers to the subject or topic of discussion:
– “They talked about the weather.”
– “He knows a lot about computers.”
– “What is the book about?”
Each of these prepositions has specific contexts and usage, conveying different relationships between the subject and the object in a sentence. Understanding these contexts helps in using them accurately in communication.
Worksheet
Here’s a simple worksheet on simple prepositions that includes exercises to practice using them correctly:
**Worksheet: Simple Prepositions**
**Exercise 1:** Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition from the word bank:
Word bank: in, on, at, by, for, to, from, with, of, about
1. She lives ___ a small house ___ the countryside.
2. The cat is sleeping ___ the sofa.
3. We’ll meet you ___ the restaurant ___ 7 o’clock.
4. The book was written ___ a famous author.
5. Can you pass the salt ___ me, please?
6. They traveled ___ train ___ Paris.
7. The party is ___ Saturday.
8. He is talking ___ his friends ___ the phone.
9. The painting ___ the wall is beautiful.
10. Tell me more ___ your trip ___ Europe.
**Exercise 2:** Create your own sentences using any three prepositions from the word bank.
Answers
Here are the answers to the exercises:
**Exercise 1:**
1. She lives **in** a small house **in** the countryside.
2. The cat is sleeping **on** the sofa.
3. We’ll meet you **at** the restaurant **at** 7 o’clock.
4. The book was written **by** a famous author.
5. Can you pass the salt **to** me, please?
6. They traveled **by** train **to** Paris.
7. The party is **on** Saturday.
8. He is talking **to** his friends **on** the phone.
9. The painting **on** the wall is beautiful.
10. Tell me more **about** your trip **to** Europe.
**Exercise 2:** Sample sentences (may vary):
1. She works **for** a tech company.
2. He walked **with** his dog in the park.
3. The keys are **under** the table.
Here are 20 more practice questions on simple prepositions along with their answers:
**Exercise 1:** Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition from the word bank:
Word bank: in, on, at, by, for, to, from, with, of, about
1. The cat is hiding ___ the bed.
2. She arrived ___ the airport an hour ago.
3. He is waiting ___ the bus stop.
4. The movie starts ___ 8 PM.
5. They went ___ a long walk.
6. The gift is ___ her.
7. The book is ___ the shelf.
8. They live ___ a house ___ the beach.
9. She is interested ___ learning new languages.
10. The flowers are made ___ paper.
11. He fell asleep ___ his desk.
12. She’s been away ___ home for a week.
13. He is going ___ a trip ___ Europe.
14. I have a question ___ the assignment.
15. The cat played ___ a ball of yarn.
16. They will arrive ___ the party together.
17. She’s going ___ the doctor.
18. The picture was taken ___ a professional photographer.
19. The concert is ___ the arena.
20. They’re talking ___ the latest news.
—
**Exercise 1: Answers**
1. The cat is hiding **under** the bed.
2. She arrived **at** the airport an hour ago.
3. He is waiting **at** the bus stop.
4. The movie starts **at** 8 PM.
5. They went **for** a long walk.
6. The gift is **for** her.
7. The book is **on** the shelf.
8. They live **in** a house **on** the beach.
9. She is interested **in** learning new languages.
10. The flowers are made **of** paper.
11. He fell asleep **at** his desk.
12. She’s been away **from** home for a week.
13. He is going **on** a trip **to** Europe.
14. I have a question **about** the assignment.
15. The cat played **with** a ball of yarn.
16. They will arrive **at** the party together.
17. She’s going **to** the doctor.
18. The picture was taken **by** a professional photographer.
19. The concert is **in** the arena.
20. They’re talking **about** the latest news.
