Prepositions of place and time

Prepositions are small words that show where something is (⟦in the box⟧, ⟦under the bed⟧) or when something happens (⟦at 7 o'clock⟧, ⟦on Monday⟧, ⟦in June⟧). They come before a noun or a pronoun.

Key facts

  • Place: ⟦in⟧ (inside), ⟦on⟧ (touching the top or a surface), ⟦under⟧ (below), ⟦next to⟧, ⟦between⟧ (one thing on each side), ⟦behind⟧, ⟦in front of⟧, ⟦above⟧, ⟦opposite⟧.
  • ⟦at⟧ is for a point or a place where something happens: ⟦at the door⟧, ⟦at the bus stop⟧, ⟦at school⟧, ⟦at home⟧.
  • Time: ⟦at⟧ for clock times and exact moments: ⟦at 6 o'clock⟧, ⟦at noon⟧, ⟦at night⟧.
  • ⟦on⟧ for days and dates: ⟦on Friday⟧, ⟦on my birthday⟧, ⟦on Saturday morning⟧.
  • ⟦in⟧ for months, years, seasons and parts of the day: ⟦in March⟧, ⟦in 2010⟧, ⟦in winter⟧, ⟦in the evening⟧.
  • ⟦since⟧ + a starting point (⟦since 2018⟧), ⟦for⟧ + a length of time (⟦for two years⟧), ⟦during⟧ + an event (⟦during the film⟧), ⟦until⟧ + an end point (⟦until 9 p.m.⟧).

Worked examples

Example 1

Choose ⟦in⟧, ⟦on⟧ or ⟦at⟧: ⟦The lesson starts ___ 9 o'clock.⟧

  1. ⟦9 o'clock⟧ is a clock time.
  2. Clock times take ⟦at⟧.
  3. ⟦The lesson starts at 9 o'clock.⟧

Answer: ⟦at⟧

Example 2

Choose ⟦in⟧, ⟦on⟧ or ⟦at⟧: ⟦My birthday is ___ July.⟧

  1. ⟦at⟧ for a moment, ⟦on⟧ for a day, ⟦in⟧ for something longer.
  2. ⟦July⟧ is a month, a longer time, so we use ⟦in⟧.
  3. ⟦My birthday is in July.⟧

Answer: ⟦in⟧

Example 3

Choose a preposition: ⟦The cat is sleeping ___ the sofa and the wall.⟧

  1. There are two things: the sofa and the wall.
  2. The cat has one thing on each side, so it is ⟦between⟧ them.
  3. ⟦The cat is sleeping between the sofa and the wall.⟧

Answer: ⟦between⟧

Example 4

Choose ⟦since⟧ or ⟦for⟧: ⟦We have lived here ___ six years.⟧

  1. ⟦six years⟧ is a length of time, not a starting point.
  2. A length of time takes ⟦for⟧. (A starting point would take ⟦since⟧: ⟦since 2019⟧.)
  3. ⟦We have lived here for six years.⟧

Answer: ⟦for⟧