Physics Wallah

Preposition: Definition and Meaning

Within the English language section of the Bank exam, Prepositions can help you score around 3 to 4 sure shot marks. You can get the details of Preposition, definition and meaning.
authorImagePriyanka Dahima17 Jul, 2024
Share

Share

Preposition

Preposition: Understanding Prepositions is crucial for mastering English grammar. These small yet powerful words play an important role in creating clear and coherent sentences, showing relationships between different elements within a sentence. In this detailed guide, we'll explore the definition, meaning, and types of prepositions, delve into prepositional phrases, and provide an extensive list of prepositions to enhance your mastery of English.

Prepositions are essential for constructing sentences that flow logically. These words typically precede nouns or pronouns and establish relationships involving time, place, direction, and more. By effectively using prepositions, speakers, and writers can convey precise details about how different parts of a sentence are connected.

Preposition Definition

A preposition is a part of speech that introduces prepositional phrases, linking them to other elements of the sentence to modify verbs, nouns, or adjectives. This linking clarifies the semantic relationships, making sentences not just grammatically correct but also meaningfully rich.

Meaning of Preposition

The main function of a preposition is to provide necessary details that dictate how the subjects, verbs, and objects within a sentence relate to one another. For instance, prepositions can specify locations, time frames, or conditions, giving readers or listeners a clearer understanding of the action or state being described.

Types of Preposition

Prepositions are categorized based on the types of relationships they express: Time Prepositions: These specify when something occurs. "At" is used for precise times, "on" for days and dates, and "in" for months, years, and longer periods. Example: "She arrived at 5 PM, on Tuesday, in October." Place Prepositions: They indicate location and position. "At" points to a specific point, "in" denotes an enclosed space, and "on" shows a surface. Example: "He was at the mall, in the store, on the first floor." Direction Prepositions: These show the direction or movement towards a target. "To" indicates movement towards a place, "into" signifies entering something, and "towards" suggests a direction. Example: "She ran to the park, into the woods, towards the lake." Agent Prepositions: These relate to the individual or entity performing an action in passive voice constructions. "By" is commonly used. Example: "The novel was written by the author." Prepositional Phrase Prepositional phrases consist of the preposition itself and its object, which is usually a noun or pronoun. These phrases function as adjectives or adverbs, providing additional details about time, locations, or ways in which actions are performed. For example, "under the weather" (feeling ill) and "by the book" (following rules strictly) are prepositional phrases that enrich the content by providing extra information.
Type Prepositional Phrase Example Sentence
Time at noon We will meet at noon.
Place in the garden She found the cat in the garden.
Direction towards the sun He walked towards the sun.
Agent by the teacher The essay was graded by the teacher.
Instrumental with a spoon He ate his dessert with a spoon.
Cause or Purpose for the sake of clarity She explained it again for the sake of clarity.
Manner with care Handle the vase with care.
Possession of the company She is the CEO of the company.
Comparison as a professional He acted as a professional.
Content about the project We need to talk about the project.
Exception except for John Everyone agreed, except for John.

Prepositions List

Type Prepositions
Time at, on, in, before, after, during, until, since
Place at, in, on, under, above, below, beside, between, by, near, against
Direction to, into, through, towards, from, off, out, up, down
Agent by, with
Instrumental with, by, using, on, through
Cause or Purpose for, because of, on account of, for the sake of
Manner with, by, in, on, like, as
Possession of, with
Comparison than, as
Content about, concerning, regarding, including
Exception except, apart from, but for

Preposition Examples and Usage

  1. Time Prepositions
At: Used for specific times. Example: We eat dinner at 7 PM. On: Used for days and dates. Example: My birthday is on Monday. In: Used for months, years, centuries, and long periods. Example: She was born in 1989.
  1. Place Prepositions
At: Used for specific points. Example: Meet me at the entrance. In: Indicates an enclosed space. Example: They are waiting in the car. On: Indicates a surface. Example: The book is on the table.
  1. Direction Prepositions
To: Indicates movement towards a place. Example: We are going to the cinema. Towards: Indicates direction towards a place or a thing. Example: She ran towards the fire to rescue the kitten. From: Indicates the point where something starts. Example: She walked from the library to the park.
  1. Agent Prepositions
By: Used to indicate the doer in passive voice. Example: The mural was painted by a famous artist.
  1. Instrumental Prepositions
With: Used to indicate the instrument used in an action. Example: He cut the rope with a sharp knife. By: Can also indicate the means or method. Example: They traveled to New York by plane.
  1. Cause or Purpose Prepositions
For: Indicates the reason or purpose of an action. Example: We went to the store for some bread. Because of: Indicates a specific cause. Example: She stayed home because of the storm.
  1. Manner Prepositions
With: Describes the manner in which something is done. Example: He spoke with enthusiasm. In: Can describe the manner or style. Example: She always dresses in a sophisticated style.
  1. Possession Prepositions
Of: Shows possession, belonging, or part of something. Example: The lid of the jar is tight.
  1. Comparison Prepositions
Than: Used in comparisons. Example: He is taller than his brother. Like: Indicates similarity. Example: She sings like a professional.
  1. Content Prepositions
About: Relating to a subject. Example: We talked about the new project. Concerning: Similar to about, but often more formal. Example: The meeting concerning the new policy is tomorrow.

Preposition Practice Questions

Fill in the blank questions based on prepositions
  1. We will meet _______ the library at 3 PM.
  2. She has been working here _______ Monday.
  3. They live _______ the same street.
  4. He is interested _______ learning Spanish.
  5. The cat jumped _______ the table.
  6. She looked _______ her shoulder to see if he was following her.
  7. The book belongs _______ my sister.
  8. Can you please turn off the TV? I'm working _______ an important project.
  9. They arrived _______ the airport just in time.
  10. The painting was hung _______ the fireplace.
Answer Key:
  1. at
  2. since
  3. on
  4. in
  5. onto
  6. over
  7. to
  8. on
  9. at
  10. Above
Directions: In the following question, some part of the sentence may have errors. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If a sentence is free from error, select 'No Error'. Q1. Sleep helps regulate blood glucose as(A)/ well as the amount of cortisol or stress(B)/ hormones being produced, hence protecting(C)/ towards vascular damage and diabetes.(D)/No error(E) (a)A (b)B (c)C (d)D (e)No error Ans.(d) Sol. In part(d), replace the preposition ‘towards’ with ‘against’. Towards means ‘in the direction of’ and against means ‘in opposition to’. Hence, option(d) is the correct choice. Q2. Arbitrum developers have previously denied(A)/ they planned to issue tokens, but that didn’t(B)/ dissuade traders in making bets on the(C)/ possibility of the tokens in the future.(D)/No error(E) (a)A (b)B (c)C (d)D (e)No error Ans.(c) Sol. In part(c), replace the preposition ‘in’ with ‘from’ as the word dissuade which means ‘to convince not to try’ , takes the preposition 'from' after it. Hence, option(c) is the correct choice. Q3. This was a big emotional blow to my mother(A)/ who was suffering from a chronic illness and(B)/ she died from multiple organ failure within(C)/ three weeks of moving into our new house.(D)/No error(E) (a)A (b)B (c)C (d)D (e)No error Ans.(c) Sol. In part(c), replace the preposition ‘from’ with ‘of’. ‘Die of’ refers to dying as the result of a disease, and ‘die from’ refers to dying as a result of an external cause such as an accident or a disaster. Hence, option(c) is the correct choice. Q4. The announcement, which came on March 10 after(A)/ four days of talks between Chinese, Iranian and(B)/ Saudi Arabian officials in Beijing, coincided with(C)/ a session of China’s National People’s Congress.(D)/No error(E) (a)A (b)B (c)C (d)D (e)No error Ans.(e) Sol. The sentence is grammatically correct. Hence, option(e) is the correct choice. Between can be used for more than two when:
  1. We talk about a definite number of people.
  2. When we talk about mutual relationship/co-operation.
Eg:  1. She chose between Harvard, Brown, and Yale.
  1. His company was bought out for 5 million, divided between five partners.
Q5. Through our planet’s(A)/ history, he pointed(B)/ out, life has been(C)/ its own worst enemy.(D)/No error(E) (a)A (b)B (c)C (d)D (e)No error Ans.(a) Sol. In part(a), replace ‘through’ with ‘throughout ’.Throughout means ‘in every part of (a place or object)’ and through means ‘moving in one side and out of the other side of’. Hence, option(a) is the correct choice.

Preposition, Definition and Meaning FAQs

Q1. What is a preposition?

Ans. A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence.

Q2. Can a sentence end with a preposition?

Ans. Yes, a sentence can end with a preposition, especially in informal speech and writing.

Q3. What is a Prepositional Phrase?

Ans. Prepositional Phrase includes a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object, functioning as an adjective or adverb in a sentence.

Q4. How do I choose the right preposition to indicate time?

Ans. Use "at" for specific times, "on" for days and dates, and "in" for longer periods like months, years, or seasons.

Q5. Are there rules for using prepositions with specific verbs?

Ans. Yes, many verbs require specific prepositions to convey the correct meaning, such as "depend on," "interested in," or "responsible for."
Popup Close ImagePopup Open Image
Talk to a counsellorHave doubts? Our support team will be happy to assist you!
Popup Image
CTA Image
008448982616
Check out these Related Articles
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
Punjab and Sind Bank LBO Admit Card 2025 (Out), Direct Download Link
Read Full Story
30 Sept 2025, 05:52 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
LIC AAO Exam Shift Timings 2025
Read Full Story
29 Sept 2025, 07:38 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
Last minute Tips For LIC AAO 2025, Exam on 3rd October
Read Full Story
30 Sept 2025, 11:58 am
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
Bank of Maharashtra SO Recruitment 2025, Last Date Today to Apply (30th Sept)
Read Full Story
30 Sept 2025, 01:37 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
RBI Grade B Notification 2025 Out, Last Day to Apply Online (30th Sept)
Read Full Story
30 Sept 2025, 12:49 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
Indian Bank SO Eligibility Criteria 2025
Read Full Story
27 Sept 2025, 07:43 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
IFSCA Grade A Recruitment 2025 Notification Out for 20 AM Posts
Read Full Story
29 Sept 2025, 06:35 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
IFSCA Grade A Admit Card 2025 (Out Soon), Phase 1 Call Letter
Read Full Story
29 Sept 2025, 06:19 pm
BlogImage
BANKING
Share
IBPS RRB Clerk Exam Date 2025
Read Full Story
29 Sept 2025, 04:42 pm
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Point IconLive & recorded classes available at ease
Point IconDashboard for progress tracking
Point IconMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
Download ButtonDownload Button
Banner Image
Banner Image
Free Learning Resources
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others
Privacy Policy
Terms of use
Copyright © 2025 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.