Choosing the Right Preposition

What's the issue?

If English is not your native language, learning to choose the appropriate preposition can be difficult.
Nonetheless, prepositions play an important role in showing the relationships between words. No consistent
rules exist, so often students of English must memorize which word goes with which preposition. However,
the following information can provide a basic guide to understanding prepositional use.
Relationships in Time:
Notice how at, on, and in show relationships in time:
At to show a certain time:
at :!"
at bedtime

On to show a certain day or date :
on #anuary $%st
on &aturday
In to show a portion of a $'(hour period:
in the evening
in five minutes
to specify a year or month:
in )ebruary
in %*+!
For to show a specific period of time:
I,ve -nown her for ! years.
to show duration:
gone for $ wee-s
Relationships in Space:
Notice how the same three prepositions show relationships in space:
At to show location:
at the library
to indicate a target:
&hoot at the bull.s eye.
On to identify something on a surface:
on the floor
to indicate a street:
/urn left on 0roadway.
In to show an enclosed space:
in the office
in your car
to specify a geographic location:
Essential Information:
1repositions indicate relationships in time, in space, and between ideas.
in &eattle
in the 2nited &tate
Relationships between Ideas:
Notice how of, for, on, about, by, and with show relations of ideas
Of to compare a part to a whole:
&ome of the students are here.
3ne of the apples is rotten.
to show material or content:
/he bas-et is full of trash.
/he shirt is made of cotton.
For to show purpose:
/his flower is for you.
On/About to show a sub4ect:
/his class is on genetics.
5ngela heard about the concert.
By/With to show an agent:
I can coo- pasta with help.
He read the boo- by himself.
Let's practice!
6hoose the correct pronoun from the choices provided.
%7 6ome and get me 8in9at7 an hour.
$7 /he meeting was 8on9in7 the conference room.
!7 He wrote the paper 8with9by7 himself.
'7 I will go to :exico 8at9in7 )ebruary.
;7 /ara was sic- 8in9for7 three days.

Answers:
%7 6ome and get me in an hour.
$7 /he meeting was in the conference room.
!7 He wrote the paper by himself.
'7 I will go to :exico in )ebruary.
;7 /ara was sic- for three days.
Editors Note: /his publication is derived from the shared experiences of &eattle 2niversity <riting 6enter
consultants and from definitions adapted from the second edition of Bedford Basics: A Workbook for
Writers by =iana Hac-er and <anda >an ?oor 8&t. :artin.s 1ress %**'7 and from A Reference Guide to
English: A Handbook of English as a Second Language, by 5lice :aclin 860& 1ublishing, %*%7.