The 50 Rules for Using Prepositions: Mastering the Hidden Structure of English. (Includes Downloadable Teaching / Learning Materials.

Prepositions may be small in size, but they are giants in importance when it comes to mastering the English language. These little words—in, on, at, by, with, of, and many more—create the essential relationships between words and phrases, indicating time, place, direction, cause, manner, and possession.

Yet prepositions can also be among the most challenging aspects of English for both native speakers and learners alike. Why do we say “interested in” but not “interested on”? Why is it “at night” but “in the morning”? There are rules, patterns, and exceptions that make prepositions a fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) area of grammar.

This comprehensive blog article presents 50 essential rules for understanding and using prepositions in English. Master these, and you'll have the tools to communicate with precision, clarity, and confidence.

BASIC RULES ABOUT PREPOSITIONS

1. Prepositions always come before a noun or pronoun

Correct: She sat on the chair.
Incorrect: She sat the chair on.

2. A preposition is never followed by a verb

Correct: He is good at playing the piano.
Incorrect: He is good at play the piano.

3. Prepositions create relationships

They show how nouns and pronouns relate to other parts of the sentence: time, place, direction, cause, etc.

4. Prepositions are followed by an object

Correct: I spoke to her.
Incorrect: I spoke to.

5. Never end a formal sentence with a preposition (in academic writing)

Correct: This is the book about which I told you.
Incorrect: This is the book I told you about.

(However, this is acceptable in informal English: “That’s the guy I was talking about.”)

PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

6. Use at for specific times

at 5 p.m., at noon, at midnight

7. Use on for specific days and dates

on Monday, on Christmas Day, on July 4th

8. Use in for months, years, centuries, and long periods

in August, in 2020, in the 21st century

9. Don’t use on or in with last, next, this, every

Correct: I saw him last week.
Incorrect: I saw him in last week.

**10. Use for to indicate duration**

for five years, for a few minutes, for a week

**11. Use since to indicate the starting point**

since Monday, since 2010, since I was a child

12. Use by to indicate a deadline

by 5 p.m., by Friday, by next year

**13. Use until/till to express continuation up to a point**

until midnight, till next Monday

PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE AND DIRECTION

14. Use in to indicate position within a space

in the room, in the bag, in the world

15. Use on to indicate position on a surface

on the wall, on the table, on the floor

16. Use at to indicate a point or location

at the door, at the station, at home

17. Use to to indicate movement toward a destination

go to school, walk to the park

**18. Use into for movement inside something**

She walked into the room.

**19. Use onto for movement toward a surface**

The cat jumped onto the bed.

**20. Use from to show the point of origin**

I came from Canada.

**21. Use out of for movement outside something**

He ran out of the building.

PREPOSITIONS IN COMMON EXPRESSIONS

22. Use interested in, good at, afraid of

Prepositions often follow adjectives:

She is interested in history.
He is good at tennis.
I’m afraid of spiders.

23. Use listen to, look at, depend on

Verbs and prepositions often pair together:

Listen to the music.
Look at the stars.
It depends on the situation.

24. Some expressions must be memorized

by accident
in charge of
on purpose
under pressure

25. Use by for agents in passive voice

The book was written by George Orwell.

PREPOSITIONS IN QUESTIONS AND RELATIVE CLAUSES

26. In questions, the preposition can go at the end

Who are you talking to?
What are you laughing at?

27. In formal English, prepositions stay before relative pronouns

The person to whom you were speaking...
The house in which I was born...

SPECIAL CASES AND COMMON MISTAKES

28. Use on the bus, on a train, on a plane

Even though you’re in a vehicle, English uses on for most public transport.

29. Use in a car, in a taxi

Private vehicles usually take in.

**30. Use at the weekend (UK) / on the weekend (US)**

Both are correct depending on the dialect.

**31. Use in bed (not on bed)**

She is in bed, feeling ill.

32. Use at night, not in night

I wake up at night sometimes.

**33. Use at school, at university, at work for general presence**

She's at school (not specifying inside or outside a building).

PREPOSITIONS OF CAUSE, PURPOSE, MANNER, AND MEANS

**34. Use because of + noun**

The flight was delayed because of the fog.

**35. Use due to in formal contexts**

The delay was due to technical issues.

36. Use by to indicate means

I sent it by email.
He traveled by train.

**37. Use with to show an instrument or tool**

He cut the bread with a knife.

**38. Use for to express purpose**

This gift is for you.
A brush for painting.

PREPOSITIONS WITH NUMBERS AND MEASUREMENTS

**39. Use per to indicate rate**

60 kilometers per hour
$50 per person

40. Use of after measurements

A piece of cake
A bottle of water

41. Use by for measurement of size/amount

A room 10 by 12 feet
Prices rose by 10%

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS WITH PREPOSITIONS

42. Idiomatic prepositional phrases should be memorized

At a loss
In a hurry
By heart
On fire

43. Some prepositions change meaning with the verb

Look at (direct your eyes)
Look for (search)
Look after (take care of)

COMMON ERRORS AND CONFUSIONS

44. Don't confuse in time and on time

In time = early enough
On time = punctual, not late

45. Don't confuse at and in

At = point (at the station)
In = inside (in the station)

46. Don't confuse between and among

Between = two things
Among = more than two

47. Avoid unnecessary prepositions

Where are you at?
Where are you?

ADVANCED RULES AND OBSERVATIONS

48. Prepositions can govern noun clauses

She is confident of her success.

49. Prepositions can precede gerunds

She succeeded in passing the exam.

50. Some verbs take no preposition

Discuss (not discuss about)
Enter (not enter into)
Approach (not approach to)

Mastering prepositions means more than memorizing lists—it’s about understanding context, collocations, and conventional usage. Though they can be tricky, prepositions are critical to fluency and clarity in English communication.

Review these 50 rules often. Practice them through reading, listening, speaking, and writing. And remember: even native speakers get tripped up by prepositions. The key is to remain curious, patient, and consistent in your learning.

Bibliography / Sources of Reference

Azar, Betty Schrampfer. Understanding and Using English Grammar. Pearson Education, 2009.
Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Murphy, Raymond. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge University Press, 2019.
Hewings, Martin. Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Quirk, Randolph, and Greenbaum, Sidney. A University Grammar of English. Longman, 2003.
Huddleston, Rodney, and Pullum, Geoffrey. A Student’s Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Thornbury, Scott. How to Teach Grammar. Pearson Education, 1999.
The British Council. "Prepositions." https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org
Purdue OWL. "Prepositions." https://owl.purdue.edu

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