Prepositions of Time, Place, and to Introduce Objects

One point in time

On is used with days:

• I will see you on Monday.7


• The week begins on Sunday.

At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day:

• My plane leaves at noon.


• The movie starts at 6 p.m.

In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with seasons:

• He likes to read in the afternoon.


• The days are long in August.


• The book was published in 1999.


• The flowers will bloom in spring.

Extended time

To express extended time, English uses the following prepositions: since, for, by, from—to, from-until, during,(with)in

• She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)


• I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.)


• The movie showed from August to October. (Beginning in August and ending in October.)


• The decorations were up from spring until fall. (Beginning in spring and ending in fall.)


• I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.)


• We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)

Place

To express notions of place, English uses the following prepositions: to talk about the point itself: in, to express something contained: inside, to talk about the surface: on, to talk about a general vicinity, at.

• There is a wasp in the room.


• Put the present inside the box.


• I left your keys on the table.


• She was waiting at the corner.

Higher than a point

To express notions of an object being higher than a point, English uses the following prepositions: over, above.

• He threw the ball over the roof.


• Hang that picture above the couch.

Lower than a point

To express notions of an object being lower than a point, English uses the following prepositions: under, underneath, beneath, below.

• The rabbit burrowed under the ground.


• The child hid underneath the blanket.


• We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches.


• The valley is below sea-level.

Close to a point

To express notions of an object being close to a point, English uses the following prepositions: near, by, next to, between, among, opposite.

• She lives near the school.


• There is an ice cream shop by the store.


• An oak tree grows next to my house


• The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street.


• I found my pen lying among the books.


• The bathroom is opposite that room.

To introduce objects of verbs

English uses the following prepositions to introduce objects of the following verbs.

At: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare

• She took a quick glance at her reflection.
  
  (exception with mirror: She took a quick glance in the mirror.)


• You didn't laugh at his joke.


• I'm looking at the computer monitor.


• We rejoiced at his safe rescue.


• That pretty girl smiled at you.


• Stop staring at me.

Of: approve, consist, smell

• I don't approve of his speech.


• My contribution to the article consists of many pages.


• He came home smelling of alcohol.

Of (or about): dream, think

• I dream of finishing college in four years.


• Can you think of a number between one and ten?


• I am thinking about this problem.

For: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish

• Did someone call for a taxi?


• He hopes for a raise in salary next year.


• I'm looking for my keys.


• We'll wait for her here.


• You go buy the tickets and I'll watch for the train.


• If you wish for an "A" in this class, you must work hard.