Key Notes Prepositions - English Grammar Basic - Class 10 PDF Download

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that usually come before a noun or pronoun to show the relationship of that noun or pronoun with another word in the sentence. They indicate relationships of time, place, direction, instrument, cause, possession, agency and manner. Using the correct preposition is important because a wrong choice can change the meaning of a sentence. Common prepositions are on, in, at, by, for, with, from, to, about, between, under, over.

Types of Prepositions

• Prepositions of Time: Show when something happens. Examples: since, before, by, at, on, in. For example: The tradition has been followed since time immemorial. We are leaving for Delhi on the morning of the tenth of July. I'll complete the work by 2 p.m.
• Prepositions of Place: Show where something is. Examples: in, on, at, outside, between, among, under, above. For example: A hangout cafe is just outside the building. The hotel is on your right. He lives among the hills.
• Prepositions of Direction / Movement: Show movement or the path of movement. Examples: to, towards, into, across, through, over. For example: We need to move across the city to reach there.
• Prepositional Phrases: Two or more words that together act as a single preposition. Examples: on account of, instead of, in spite of, by means of, owing to, by dint of, in accordance with. For example: The match was cancelled on account of the rain.

Note: Prepositions also appear in short phrases such as from here, before now, for good, in short, about to go, where the preposition governs the remaining phrase. Prepositions can govern phrases and clauses, for example: I shall go to the place from where you have come.

Various Functions of Prepositions

• Prepositions for Time: Indicate the temporal relationship between nouns in a sentence. For example: We are leaving for Delhi on the morning of the tenth of July. I'll complete the work by 2 p.m.
• Prepositions for Place: Describe the spatial orientation of one thing or person relative to another. For example: The hotel is on your right. The river flows under the bridge. He lives among the hills.
• Use of Prepositions after Adjectives: Many adjectives require a specific preposition immediately after them. For example: He is qualified for the post. She is fond of cooking. He is not interested in the job. He is angry with me.
• Use of Prepositions for Tools, Agency, Description, etc.: Prepositions can express the instrument used, the agent or a descriptive link. For example: I have no money with me. Cut the apple into two with a knife. Call the boy in blue. He is an honour to the profession.
• Use of Prepositions after Verbs: Certain verbs are followed by fixed prepositions. For example: She climbed up the stairs. His eyes blazed with anger. The dog is walking down the stairs. He objected to my proposal.
• Use of Prepositions after Nouns: Nouns often take prepositions to show relation or description. For example: Have you got the details about the game? He covered his face with a mask. Everyone admires her strength of character.

Common Rules and Simple Tips

Some helpful general rules make choosing prepositions easier. These are not exhaustive but are useful for learners.

• Time: Use in for months, years and long periods (in July, in 2025, in the morning), use on for days and specific dates (on Monday, on 14 July), and use at for precise times and festivals when treated as a point (at 7 p.m., at noon, at Christmas).
• Place: Use in for enclosed spaces or areas (in the room, in the city), use on for surfaces (on the table, on the wall) and use at for points or specific addresses (at the bus stop, at 221B Baker Street).
• Direction: Use to to indicate arrival at a destination (go to school). Use towards to indicate movement in the direction of something, without necessarily reaching it (walk towards the gate).
• Instruments and Agency: Use with to show instruments (write with a pen) and by to show agent in passive sentences (was written by her).
• Prepositional Collocations: Many verbs, adjectives and nouns have fixed prepositions that must be memorised (interested in, good at, rely on, afraid of).

Common Errors to Avoid

• Do not use two prepositions unnecessarily: say arrived at, not arrived to at.
• Avoid choosing in/on/at at random; think whether the context is an enclosed space, a surface, or a point.
• Learn common verb + preposition combinations (phrasal verbs) rather than guessing: for example, look after, give up, look forward to.
• Remember prepositional phrases act as a single unit: treat in spite of, because of, on account of as fixed expressions.

Additional Examples for Practice

Read these sentences and note the function of each preposition.

• She placed the vase on the table. (Place: surface)
• They moved here in 2018. (Time: year)
• Walk towards the school and then turn left. (Direction)
• The book was written by a famous author. (Agent)
• He is afraid of dogs. (Adjective + preposition)
• The match was postponed because of rain. (Prepositional phrase: cause)

Summary

Prepositions are small but powerful words that link nouns or pronouns to other parts of a sentence and show relationships of time, place, direction, cause, manner, instrument and more. Learn common prepositions, memorise frequent verb/adjective/noun collocations, and practise with sentences to develop a natural sense for the correct choice of preposition.