List of Common Prepositions in English (With Examples)

What Are Prepositions?

Prepositions are small but important words used to show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in a sentence.

They often describe:

Place (where)
Time (when)
Direction (movement)
Cause or reason

List of Common Prepositions

Here is a list of the most commonly used prepositions in English:

About, Above, Across, After, Against, Along, Among, Around, At, Before, Behind, Below, Beneath, Beside, Between, Beyond, By, Down, During, For, From, In, Inside, Into, Near, Of, Off, On, Onto, Out, Outside, Over, Through, To, Toward, Under, Up, With, Within, Without

Common Prepositions with Examples

1. Prepositions of Place

These show where something is located.

The cat is under the table.
The picture is on the wall.
She is sitting between two friends.

2. Prepositions of Time

These show when something happens.

The meeting is at 3 PM.
I will call you after lunch.
She was born in 2010.

3. Prepositions of Movement

These show direction or movement.

He walked into the room.
The bird flew over the house.
She ran toward the gate.

4. Prepositions of Cause / Purpose

These show reason or purpose.

This gift is for you.
He succeeded because of hard work.
She left due to illness.

Quick Reference Table

Preposition	Usage	Example
In	Inside	The keys are in the bag.
On	Surface	The book is on the table.
At	Specific place/time	She is at the door.
Under	Below	The cat is under the chair.
Between	Middle of two	He sits between them.
Over	Above	The plane flew over the city.
With	Together	She is talking with her friend.
From	Starting point	I came from school.

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect:

She is married with him.
✔ Correct: She is married to him.

❌ Incorrect:

He is good in English.
✔ Correct: He is good at English.

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition:

The ball rolled ___ the table.
She arrived ___ the airport early.
He walked ___ the room quietly.
This letter is ___ you.
The cat jumped ___ the wall.

Answers:

under
at
into
for
onto

Tips to Remember

Learn prepositions in phrases, not alone (e.g., good at, afraid of)
Practice using them in sentences
Read and listen to English regularly

Conclusion

Common prepositions are essential for clear communication in English. By learning their meanings and practicing regularly, you can improve your grammar and sentence structure effectively.These show reason or purpose.

👉 Learn more about Prepositions of Place (In, On, At)

👉 Practice with English Grammar Worksheets