Prepositions of Time and Place in English (with Examples)
A preposition is a word used before a noun or pronoun to indicate place, position, time, or method. Let's explore prepositions of time and place and their usages:
Prepositions of Time
Prepositions of time refer to different time expressions.
In
- Usages: Centuries, Seasons, Years, Months, Parts of the day
- The event happened in the 20th century.
- She was the only writer born in the 19th century.
- I'm going to France in the winter.
- He likes going to the beach in the summer.
- He was born in 1990.
- This house was built in 2000.
- We'll take the test in June.
- They are getting married in December.
- He usually has a snack in the afternoon.
- I get up at 6 am in the morning.
On
- Usages: Days, Dates, Particular days
- My mom always goes shopping on Mondays.
- He doesn't go to school on Sundays.
- Her birthday is on the first of May.
- He's leaving on the fifth of October.
- I wish to get a doll on my birthday.
- Jim gave his girlfriend a rose on Valentine's Day.
At
- Usages: Clock time, Short and precise times
- My grandpa goes to bed at 9 pm.
- My wife starts working at 8 am.
- Don't stay up late at night.
- See you at lunchtime.
Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place refer to different positions and directions.
In
- Usages: Room, town, country, car, taxi, picture, book, the world
- The baby has gone. She isn't in the room.
- He's working in New York now.
- Nina is American. She was born in America.
- There's a doll in the car.
- I'm in the taxi now. I'll get there in 5 minutes.
- Who's this sexy lady in the picture?
- What can you see in the picture?
- I saw this writer in the book Harry Potter.
- There are lots of lively illustrations in the book.
- Which is the longest river in the world?
- Have a look at the three best countries in the world. What do you think?
On
- Usages: Streets, islands, surfaces (table, floor, wall), a certain side (left, right), public transports, TV, radio
- My house is on Jackson Street.
- The kids are playing on the street.
- He lives on this island.
- There are not many people living on that island.
- My teacher put the books on the table.
- Please put your shoes on the floor.
- The picture on the wall is fantastic.
- Max is the tall boy standing on the right.
- The human heart is on the left side.
- We're on the bus.
- Please switch your phone into airplane mode if you're on a plane.
- I saw her yesterday on TV.
- There have been lots of advertisements on the radio these days.
At
- Usages: For events, meaning "next to," somewhere typical
- My grandpa goes to bed at 9 pm.
- My wife starts working at 8 am.
- Don't stay up late at night.
- See you at lunchtime.
- I am at school, while my parents are at work.
- Jim is watching a movie at the cinema.
Behind
- Usages: At/toward the back of something/someone
- There is a big box behind the car.
- Can you see the street behind the building?
In front of
- Usages: The opposite of behind
- The rabbit is in front of the tree.
- The girl is standing in front of the mirror.
Under
- Usages: Below the surface of something/covered by something
- The ball is under the tree.
- There are some flowers under the chair.
Above
- Usages: To a higher level than something/someone (opposite with below)
- The plane is flying above the tree.
- Please turn on the projector above your head.
Across
- Usages: From one side to the other side of something
- The duck is swimming across the lake.
- The boy helped his grandma walk across the crowded street.
Into
- Usages: To a position in/inside something
- Throw the trash into the dustbin, please.
- I can't go into the water since it's too cold.