List of Prepositions: 100+ English Prepositions with Examples

Prepositions are some of the smallest words in English, but they are also some of the most important.

Words such as in, on, at, to, from, with, under, between and through help us explain where something is, when something happens, how something moves and how different parts of a sentence are connected.

This list of prepositions gives you more than 100 useful English prepositions, but you do not need to memorize all of them at once.

If you are learning English, begin with the most common prepositions first. Then learn them inside real phrases and sentences.

For example:

at 8:00

on Monday

in July

under the table

between two buildings

through the tunnel

Learning the complete phrase is usually much easier than trying to memorize the preposition alone.

Table of Contents

• Quick Answer: What Is a Preposition?
• 25 Common English Prepositions to Learn First
• List of Prepositions in English A–Z
• Types of Prepositions
• Prepositions of Time
• Prepositions of Place
• Prepositions of Movement and Direction
• Other Useful Prepositions
• Common Multi-Word Prepositions
• The Most Confusing English Prepositions
• Prepositions Used With Verbs
• Prepositions Used With Adjectives
• Prepositions in Everyday Sentences
• How to Learn Prepositions More Easily
• Prepositions Quiz
• Frequently Asked Questions About Prepositions
• Final Thoughts on This List of Prepositions

Quick Answer: What Is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word or group of words that shows the relationship between different parts of a sentence.

That relationship can describe:

Place:
The keys are on the table.

Time:
The meeting starts at 9:00.

Movement:
She walked into the room.

Direction:
We drove toward the city.

Connection:
This gift is for you.

Method:
We travelled by train.

Prepositions are commonly followed by a noun, pronoun or noun phrase.

For example:

under the bed

with him

after dinner

near the hotel

The Cambridge Dictionary guide to prepositions explains how English uses prepositions to show relationships involving space, time and other connections between words.

If prepositions are difficult for you, our Learn Laugh Speak guide on how to learn prepositions easily in English explains practical ways to understand them through context instead of simply memorizing long lists.

25 Common English Prepositions to Learn First

There are many prepositions and prepositional expressions in English, but beginners do not need all of them immediately.

Start with these 25:

If you are an A1 or A2 English learner, these words are far more important than trying to memorize every rare preposition in English.

List of Prepositions in English A–Z

Here is a larger list of prepositions you may see in spoken and written English.

Remember that some English words can perform different grammatical jobs depending on how they are used in a sentence.

A

aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
alongside
amid
amidst
among
amongst
around
as
at
atop

B

before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
by

C

concerning
considering

D

despite
down
during

E

except
excluding

F

following
for
from

I

in
including
inside
into

L

like

N

near
notwithstanding

O

of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over

P

past
pending
per

R

regarding
round

S

since

T

than
through
throughout
till
to
toward
towards

U

under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon

V

via

W

with
within
without

You may notice that some letters of the alphabet have no common English prepositions beginning with them. That is normal.

The important goal is not to memorize this list alphabetically.

The goal is to understand how prepositions work in real sentences.

Types of Prepositions

A long preposition list becomes much easier to understand when the words are grouped by meaning.

Some of the most useful groups are:

• prepositions of time
• prepositions of place
• prepositions of movement
• prepositions of direction
• prepositions of method or means
• prepositions showing relationships or connections

The same preposition can sometimes belong to more than one group.

For example:

in the room → place

in December → time

That is one reason prepositions can be difficult for English learners.

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time tell us when something happens.

Some common examples are:

at
on
in
before
after
during
since
for
until
from
to

At

Use at for specific times.

at 7:00

at noon

at midnight

Example:

“The meeting starts at 9:30.”

On

Use on for days and dates.

on Monday

on my birthday

on October 21

Example:

“We’re meeting on Friday.”

In

Use in for months, years, seasons and longer periods.

in October

in 2026

in summer

Example:

“They moved here in 2024.”

A simple way to remember the basic pattern is:

AT → specific time

ON → day or date

IN → longer period

If these three words still cause problems, see our complete Learn Laugh Speak guide to prepositions of time in English with more examples of at, on and in.

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place tell us where somebody or something is.

Common examples include:

at
in
on
above
below
behind
between
beside
inside
near
opposite
outside
over
under

In

Use in when something is inside an area or space.

“The clothes are in the closet.”

“She lives in Canada.”

“They are in the kitchen.”

On

Use on when something is on a surface.

“The phone is on the table.”

“The picture is on the wall.”

“Our office is on the third floor.”

At

Use at when thinking about a specific point or location.

“Meet me at reception.”

“She is at work.”

“I’ll see you at the station.”

The British Council guide to prepositions of place also explains the important differences between in, on and at when talking about location.

For more examples, you can also practise with our Learn Laugh Speak guide to prepositions of place, including words such as in, on, at, under, behind, beside and between.

If you use English at work, our lesson on prepositions of time and place in hospitality shows how these words are used for hotel directions, times, restaurants, meetings and guest communication.

Prepositions of Movement and Direction

These prepositions tell us where somebody or something is moving.

Common examples include:

across
along
around
down
from
into
onto
out of
past
through
to
toward
up

Compare:

“The cat is in the box.”

This describes its location.

Now:

“The cat jumped into the box.”

This describes movement.

Another example:

“The book is on the table.”

This describes location.

“She put the book onto the table.”

This describes movement toward a surface.

Across

Movement from one side to another.

“She walked across the street.”

Through

Movement inside something and out the other side.

“We drove through the tunnel.”

Along

Movement following a path or line.

“They walked along the beach.”

Toward

Movement in the direction of something.

“He walked toward the door.”

From and To

Use these to describe a starting point and destination.

“We travelled from Cancún to Mexico City.”

Other Useful Prepositions

Not every preposition simply describes time, place or movement.

By

By can describe method or transport.

“We travelled by plane.”

“You can pay by card.”

It can also identify the person who performed an action.

“The book was written by George Orwell.”

With

Use with to show accompaniment or an instrument.

“Come with me.”

“She cut the bread with a knife.”

Without

Without means not having something.

“Don’t travel without your passport.”

“He drinks coffee without sugar.”

For

For has many uses.

“This is for you.”

“We stayed there for three days.”

“Thank you for your help.”

Of

Of often describes connection, quantity or possession.

“A cup of coffee.”

“The end of the road.”

“One of my friends.”

Common Multi-Word Prepositions

Not every preposition is a single word.

English also uses groups of words that function together as prepositional expressions.

Common examples include:

according to
ahead of
along with
apart from
as for
as of
aside from
away from
because of
by means of
close to
due to
except for
far from
in addition to
in front of
in place of
in relation to
in spite of
instead of
next to
on account of
on behalf of
on top of
out of
owing to
prior to
regardless of
thanks to
together with
up to
with regard to
with respect to

Let’s look at some common examples.

Because of

“The flight was delayed because of the weather.”

In Front of

“The taxi is waiting in front of the hotel.”

Next to

“The pharmacy is next to the bank.”

Instead of

“I’ll have tea instead of coffee.”

In Spite of

“We went outside in spite of the rain.”

According to

“According to the schedule, the flight leaves at 8:00.”

Learning these as complete expressions is usually easier than trying to analyse every word individually.

The Most Confusing English Prepositions

Some groups create far more mistakes than others.

In, On and At

For time:

at 8:00

on Monday

in July

For place:

at the station

on the table

in the room

Do not try to translate each word directly from your first language. Learn the English combinations.

In vs Into

In usually describes location:

“She is in the pool.”

Into usually describes movement:

“She jumped into the pool.”

On vs Onto

On usually describes location:

“The keys are on the desk.”

Onto usually describes movement toward a surface:

“She put the keys onto the desk.”

Between vs Among

Use between when discussing separate or clearly identified people or things.

“The hotel is between the bank and the restaurant.”

Use among when something is part of a larger group.

“She was standing among the crowd.”

Beside vs Besides

These look similar but usually mean different things.

Beside means next to.

“Sit beside me.”

Besides usually means in addition to.

“Besides English, she speaks Spanish.”

Since vs For

Use since with a starting point.

“I’ve lived here since 2020.”

Use for with a period of time.

“I’ve lived here for six years.”

This is one of the most common mistakes made by English learners.

Prepositions Used With Verbs

Some verbs naturally combine with particular prepositions.

For example:

agree with

“I agree with you.”

apply for

“She applied for the job.”

belong to

“This bag belongs to me.”

depend on

“It depends on the weather.”

listen to

“I listen to music every morning.”

look at

“Look at the screen.”

pay for

“I’ll pay for dinner.”

talk about

“We talked about work.”

wait for

“I’m waiting for my friend.”

There is not always a simple rule that tells you which preposition goes with a particular verb. The British Council guide to verbs and prepositions is a useful reference for learning these combinations as complete phrases.

Some verb combinations are also related to phrasal verbs. If you want to continue practising, see our Learn Laugh Speak guide on how to learn phrasal verbs in English with examples and exercises.

Prepositions Used With Adjectives

Adjectives can also combine with particular prepositions.

Examples include:

afraid of

“She is afraid of spiders.”

angry with

“I’m angry with him.”

bad at

“I’m bad at remembering names.”

different from

“This is different from the original.”

excited about

“We’re excited about the trip.”

famous for

“Mexico is famous for many different foods.”

good at

“She is good at English.”

interested in

“I’m interested in learning Spanish.”

proud of

“They are proud of their daughter.”

ready for

“Are you ready for the meeting?”

Again, it is usually better to learn the combination rather than the individual preposition.

Prepositions in Everyday Sentences

Here are 30 examples showing how common prepositions work naturally.

1. The phone is on the table.
2. My passport is in my bag.
3. Meet me at the airport.
4. We arrived before lunch.
5. I’ll call you after work.
6. She’s sitting between two friends.
7. The dog is sleeping under the chair.
8. The hotel is near the beach.
9. We walked through the park.
10. He drove across the bridge.
11. She came with her family.
12. Don’t leave without your wallet.
13. This package is for you.
14. We travelled by train.
15. I’m going to the supermarket.
16. She came from Australia.
17. The plane flew over the city.
18. They’re waiting inside the restaurant.
19. He walked into the office.
20. She put the box onto the table.
21. I’ll stay until Friday.
22. We’ve been here since Monday.
23. They lived there for five years.
24. The bank is opposite the hotel.
25. The car is parked behind the building.
26. We walked along the beach.
27. He ran toward the bus.
28. The café is beside the bookstore.
29. We stayed indoors because of the rain.
30. The restaurant is in front of the hotel.

Notice how much easier these prepositions are to understand when they appear inside a complete sentence.

How to Learn Prepositions More Easily

A list of prepositions is useful as a reference, but reading a list repeatedly is not the fastest way to learn them.

1. Learn Complete Phrases

Instead of memorizing:

at

learn:

at work

at home

at 8:00

at reception

Instead of memorizing:

on

learn:

on Monday

on the table

on the bus

on the second floor

Your brain remembers meaningful phrases more easily than isolated words.

2. Group Prepositions by Meaning

Study:

time

then:

place

then:

movement

Do not try to learn 100 prepositions in one session.

3. Use Your Own Environment

Look around you.

Say:

“My phone is on the desk.”

“My keys are in my pocket.”

“The chair is next to the table.”

“The door is behind me.”

Real examples are easier to remember.

4. Practise Common Combinations

Learn:

interested in

good at

listen to

wait for

depend on

as complete expressions.

5. Listen for Prepositions

When watching a movie, video or English lesson, notice short words such as:

in

on

at

to

for

with

You will begin hearing them constantly.

Prepositions Quiz

Choose the correct answer.

1. The meeting starts ___ 8:30.

A. in
B. at
C. on

Answer: B — at

2. We are meeting ___ Monday.

A. on
B. in
C. at

Answer: A — on

3. She was born ___ 1998.

A. at
B. on
C. in

Answer: C — in

4. The keys are ___ the table.

A. on
B. into
C. to

Answer: A — on

5. She walked ___ the room.

A. in
B. into
C. at

Answer: B — into

6. The restaurant is ___ the bank and the hotel.

A. among
B. between
C. through

Answer: B — between

7. I’ve lived here ___ 2021.

A. for
B. since
C. during

Answer: B — since

8. I’ve lived here ___ five years.

A. since
B. during
C. for

Answer: C — for

9. I’m waiting ___ my friend.

A. for
B. at
C. with

Answer: A — for

10. She is interested ___ learning English.

A. at
B. in
C. for

Answer: B — in

Frequently Asked Questions About Prepositions

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a word or group of words that shows a relationship between other parts of a sentence.

Prepositions commonly describe time, place, movement, direction and other relationships.

What are 10 common prepositions?

Ten extremely common English prepositions are:

at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, with and about.

What are the most important prepositions for beginners?

Beginners should concentrate first on common words such as:

in, on, at, to, from, for, with, by, under, over, between, before and after.

How many prepositions are there in English?

There is no single universally agreed number because English grammar changes depending on how certain words and multi-word expressions are classified.

For learners, knowing the most frequently used prepositions is much more important than knowing the exact total.

What are the three main prepositions of time?

The three learners usually study first are:

at

on

and:

in

For example:

at 7:00

on Monday

in January

What are common prepositions of place?

Some common prepositions of place are:

in, on, at, under, above, below, behind, beside, between, near, opposite and inside.

What is the difference between in and into?

In usually describes location.

“The dog is in the house.”

Into usually describes movement.

“The dog ran into the house.”

What is the difference between on and onto?

On generally describes location on a surface.

“The phone is on the desk.”

Onto generally describes movement toward a surface.

“She put the phone onto the desk.”

Should I memorize a complete preposition list?

You can use a preposition list as a reference, but do not try to memorize every word immediately.

Learn the most common prepositions inside phrases and sentences first.

For example, learning:

at work

is more useful than memorizing at by itself.

Final Thoughts on This List of Prepositions

There are many English prepositions, but you do not need to learn all of them at the same time.

Start with the words you hear every day:

in

on

at

to

from

for

with

by

under

over

and:

between

Then practise them inside complete phrases:

in the office

on Monday

at 9:00

to the airport

from Mexico

with my friends

under the table

The most important lesson from this list of prepositions is not how many words you can memorize.

It is whether you can use the right preposition naturally when you speak and write English.

Learn them in context, practise them in real sentences and pay attention when you hear them.

Over time, many of the combinations that seem difficult today will begin to sound natural.