Prepositions
Overview
Prepositions are small but crucial words that establish relationships between nouns, pronouns, and other elements in a sentence. They indicate time, place, direction, movement, and various other logical connections. For the KAR TET Language II English paper, prepositions appear both in direct grammar questions and within unseen passage comprehension, making them a high-frequency testing area.
Mastering prepositions is essential because they are among the most error-prone areas for second-language learners. Many preposition choices depend on conventional usage rather than strict rules, which means students must learn common patterns and collocations. The exam typically tests your ability to select the correct preposition in fill-in-the-blank questions, identify errors in sentences, and understand prepositional phrases in reading passages.
Key Concepts
- Prepositions never stand alone — they always take an object (noun, pronoun, or gerund) to form a prepositional phrase. Example: "in the classroom" (not just "in").
- Prepositions of time answer "when?" — They indicate points in time (at, on, in), duration (for, during, since), or sequences (before, after, by, until).
- Prepositions of place answer "where?" — They show position or location (at, on, in, under, above, between, among, beside, behind).
- Prepositions of movement answer "where to?" — They indicate motion from one place to another (to, into, onto, towards, through, across).
- Prepositions of direction show the path or course of movement — They include along, around, past, up, down, and across.
- Some prepositions have multiple functions — "In" can indicate time (in the morning), place (in the room), or manner (in a hurry).
- Prepositional idioms are fixed expressions — Certain verbs, adjectives, and nouns always take specific prepositions (interested in, afraid of, reason for).
Formulas / Key Facts
Prepositions of Time
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At | Specific time, festivals | at 5 o'clock, at noon, at Diwali |
| On | Days, dates | on Monday, on 15th August |
| In | Months, years, seasons, parts of day | in July, in 2024, in winter, in the morning |
| For | Duration (how long) | for two hours, for three years |
| Since | Starting point (with perfect tense) | since 2010, since morning |
| During | Throughout a period | during the holidays |
| By | Deadline (not later than) | by tomorrow, by 6 PM |
| Until/Till | Up to a point in time | until Monday, till evening |
Prepositions of Place
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At | Specific point/location | at the bus stop, at home |
| On | Surface contact | on the table, on the wall |
| In | Enclosed space | in the box, in Karnataka |
| Under | Below something | under the bridge |
| Above/Over | Higher than | above the clouds, over the hill |
| Between | Two things | between the two buildings |
| Among | More than two | among the students |
| Beside | Next to | beside the river |
| Behind | At the back of | behind the house |
Prepositions of Movement and Direction
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| To | Destination | go to school |
| Into | Movement inside | jumped into the water |
| Onto | Movement to a surface | climbed onto the roof |
| Towards | In the direction of | walked towards the station |
| Through | From one side to another | passed through the tunnel |
| Across | From one side to another (surface) | swam across the river |
| Along | Following a line | walked along the road |
| Around | In a circular path | ran around the playground |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Fill in the blank with the correct preposition
The meeting will start ____ 9 AM ____ Monday.
Solution:
- For specific clock time, use "at" → at 9 AM
- For days of the week, use "on" → on Monday
- Answer: The meeting will start at 9 AM on Monday.
Example 2: Choose the correct preposition
She has been working here ____ (since/for) five years.
Solution:
- "Five years" is a duration (how long), not a starting point
- For duration, use "for"
- If the sentence were "since 2019" (starting point), we would use "since"
- Answer: She has been working here for five years.
Example 3: Identify the error and correct it
The cat jumped in the table when it saw the mouse.
Solution:
- "Jumped in" suggests going inside something
- The cat moved onto the surface of the table, not inside it
- For movement to a surface, use "onto" (or "on" in informal usage)
- Corrected sentence: The cat jumped onto the table when it saw the mouse.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing "in" and "on" for time → Wrong: "on the morning" / Correct: "in the morning" (use "in" for parts of day, but "on Monday morning" when day is specified).
- Using "since" with duration instead of "for" → Wrong: "I waited since two hours" / Correct: "I waited for two hours" (since needs a point in time, for needs a duration).
- Confusing "between" and "among" → Wrong: "between the five students" / Correct: "among the five students" (between for two, among for more than two).
- Using "to" instead of "into" for movement inside → Wrong: "He walked to the room" (implies reaching the room) / Correct: "He walked into the room" (implies entering the room).
- Omitting prepositions with certain verbs → Wrong: "She is waiting the bus" / Correct: "She is waiting for the bus" (some verbs require specific prepositions).
- Adding unnecessary prepositions → Wrong: "Where are you going to?" / Correct: "Where are you going?" (in standard usage, "to" is redundant with "where").
Quick Reference
- At = specific time/point; On = days/surfaces; In = enclosed spaces/longer periods.
- For = duration (how long); Since = starting point (always with perfect tense).
- To = destination; Into = movement inside; Onto = movement to surface.
- Between = two items; Among = more than two items.
- Through = passage from one end to another (tunnel, forest); Across = crossing a surface (road, river).
- When in doubt about verb-preposition combinations, recall common collocations: listen to, look at, wait for, depend on, believe in.