Master Common Prepositions: 100+ Examples for Exam Success

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Introduction

Common prepositions are foundational elements of English grammar, serving as words that show relationships between other words in a sentence, such as time, place, or direction, with examples like “in,” “on,” and “at.” For students and candidates preparing for competitive exams like SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE, a firm grasp of common prepositions is crucial for excelling in grammar, comprehension, and writing sections. These prepositions, such as “with” in “She came with friends,” enhance sentence clarity. This article provides over 100 common prepositions examples with meanings, along with practical tips to boost your exam performance.

What Are Common Prepositions?

Common prepositions are basic words that indicate relationships between nouns, pronouns, or phrases, typically related to time, place, direction, or manner. Examples include “under,” “before,” and “beside,” and they are frequently assessed in competitive exam grammar and sentence structure tasks.

100+ Examples of Common Prepositions with Meanings

Below is an extensive list of over 100 common prepositions, showcasing their use and meanings to strengthen your grammar skills.

1. In – Inside or during (She is in the room; It happened in 2025).
2. On – On the surface or specific day (The book is on the table; It’s on Tuesday).
3. At – Specific point or time (He is at the door; Meet at 7:51 PM).
4. To – Toward or indicating direction (She went to the park).
5. For – Duration or purpose (He waited for an hour; This is for you).
6. With – Accompanied by or using (She came with friends; He wrote with a pen).
7. By – Near or no later than (The store is by the river; Finish by tomorrow).
8. From – Starting point (He traveled from Delhi).
9. Of – Possession or relation (The book of the student; A friend of mine).
10. About – Concerning or approximately (We talked about the plan; It’s about 5 km).
11. Under – Beneath (The cat is under the bed).
12. Over – Above or across (The plane flew over the city).
13. Before – Earlier than (She arrived before me).
14. After – Later than (He left after the meeting).
15. During – Throughout (They slept during the night).
16. Since – From a past point (I’ve been here since morning).
17. Until – Up to a point (Wait until 8 PM).
18. Till – Up to a point (Stay till evening).
19. Through – Passing within (He walked through the forest).
20. Across – From one side to another (She swam across the river).
21. Into – Entering (He ran into the house).
22. Out of – Exiting (She stepped out of the car).
23. Up – Toward a higher place (They climbed up the hill).
24. Down – Toward a lower place (He slid down the slope).
25. Between – Among two (The secret is between us).
26. Among – Within a group (She shared it among friends).
27. Behind – At the back (The dog is behind the house).
28. In front of – Ahead (He stood in front of the class).
29. Beside – Next to (She sat beside him).
30. Near – Close to (The shop is near the school).
31. Far – At a distance (The village is far from here).
32. Above – Higher than (The picture is above the sofa).
33. Below – Lower than (The fish swam below the surface).
34. Beneath – Under (The treasure lies beneath the sand).
35. Underneath – Directly under (The key is underneath the mat).
36. Beyond – Further than (The hills are beyond the valley).
37. Around – Surrounding (They walked around the park).
38. Along – Following a path (He strolled along the river).
39. Toward – In the direction of (She moved toward the exit).
40. Away – At a distance (He drove away from home).
41. Off – Away from (She jumped off the ledge).
42. Onto – Moving to a surface (He stepped onto the train).
43. Within – Inside the limits (Finish within an hour).
44. Without – Lacking (He left without money).
45. Against – In opposition to (The boat sailed against the current).
46. Past – Beyond a point (She ran past the gate).
47. Except – Excluding (Everyone came except him).
48. Including – Together with (The price is including tax).
49. Inside – Within (The cat is inside the box).
50. Outside – Beyond (They played outside the house).
51. Overhead – Above the head (The stars shone overhead).
52. Underfoot – Under the feet (The ground was wet underfoot).
53. Amid – In the middle of (They stood amid the crowd).
54. Amidst – In the middle of (He walked amidst the chaos).
55. Aboard – On or into (They went aboard the ship).
56. Ashore – To the shore (The sailors came ashore).
57. Alongside – Next to (The car drove alongside the truck).
58. Astride – With a leg on each side (He sat astride the horse).
59. Atop – On top of (The bird landed atop the roof).
60. Belowdecks – Inside the lower part (He worked belowdecks).
61. Despite – In spite of (He succeeded despite the odds).
62. Throughout – All through (Rain fell throughout the day).
63. Upon – On or after (The decision was made upon arrival).
64. Via – By way of (He traveled via Mumbai).
65. Withal – In addition to (She was kind withal).
66. Concerning – About (He asked concerning the plan).
67. Regarding – About (She wrote regarding the issue).
68. Touching – Concerning (He spoke touching the matter).
69. Considering – Taking into account (He did well considering the time).
70. Pending – Until (The decision is pending approval).
71. Per – For each (The cost is $10 per person).
72. Plus – In addition to (The total is 5 plus 3).
73. Minus – Less (The result is 10 minus 4).
74. Times – Multiplied by (Two times three is six).
75. Than – Compared to (She is taller than him).
76. Like – Similar to (He runs like a cheetah).
77. Unlike – Different from (Unlike her, he is quiet).
78. As – In the capacity of (She works as a teacher).
79. But – Except (Everyone came but him).
80. Save – Except (All were present save one).
81. Bar – Except (The room is full bar two seats).
82. Worth – Having a value of (It’s worth $100).
83. Less – Minus (He has less than me).
84. More – In addition (She needs more time).
85. Beyond – Past the limit (The story goes beyond reality).
86. Round – Around (They sat round the table).
87. About – Approximately (It’s about 2 meters).
88. Close to – Near (The park is close to the house).
89. Next to – Beside (She sat next to him).
90. Opposite – Across from (The store is opposite the bank).
91. Across from – Facing (He stood across from her).
92. In between – Between (The book is in between the others).
93. Out of – From within (He came out of the room).
94. Into the bargain – In addition (He helped into the bargain).
95. In lieu of – In place of (She took cash in lieu of goods).
96. On account of – Because of (He left on account of rain).
97. Owing to – Due to (The delay was owing to traffic).
98. Thanks to – Because of (We won thanks to her).
99. Due to – Caused by (The cancellation was due to weather).
100. As per – According to (Do it as per instructions).
101. In accordance with – In agreement with (Act in accordance with rules).
102. In spite of – Despite (He continued in spite of the storm).
103. Regardless of – Without regard to (They went regardless of the risk).
104. Apart from – Besides (Apart from him, all came).
105. As well as – In addition to (She sings as well as dances).
106. In addition to – Besides (He brought food in addition to drinks).

Tips for Using Common Prepositions in Competitive Examinations

Common prepositions are a key focus in SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE exams, tested through grammar, sentence correction, and comprehension tasks. Here are essential tips to master them:

1. Learn Categories: Distinguish time (e.g., “in”), place (e.g., “on”), and direction (e.g., “to”) for SSC grammar.
2. Practice Placement: Use prepositions before nouns (e.g., “at home”) for IELTS writing.
3. Identify in Texts: Spot prepositions in reading passages (e.g., “under”) for GRE comprehension.
4. Avoid Errors: Ensure correct usage (e.g., “in the morning,” not “at the morning”) for TOEFL writing.
5. Match Context: Use appropriate prepositions (e.g., “for” for purpose) for SSC tests.
6. Enhance Speaking: Use prepositions (e.g., “to the park”) in IELTS/TOEFL speaking for clarity.
7. Solve Exercises: Use SSC/TOEFL workbooks with preposition fill-in-the-blanks to build accuracy.
8. Practice Writing: Include varied prepositions (e.g., “with friends”) in GRE essays.
9. Review Regularly: Create lists of examples for daily revision, aiding vocabulary growth.
10. Mock Test Practice: Take SSC/IELTS mock tests to identify weak areas in preposition usage.

Conclusion

Common prepositions are a vital skill for establishing relationships in sentences, essential for excelling in competitive exams like SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE, where they test grammar and writing proficiency. By mastering the 100+ common prepositions examples provided and applying the tips above, students and candidates can confidently tackle exam challenges and enhance their language skills. Consistent practice and a clear understanding of common prepositions will lead to exam success and improved communication abilities.

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