Prepositions indicate relationships between words or ideas. Most prepositions deal with location and are easy to learn.

above inside beside near up before* with into between like despite

below outside beyond nearby down after* without out (of) among as in spite of

over around behind by toward during within off except than beneath

under through in front of next to along (side) since* until* upon but* about underneath


*These can also be used as conjunctions.

Some prepositions, however, have more than one meaning and can be very confusing.

in to

on from

at for

of

Generally, in, on and at indicate location. See also: Prepositions of Location

To and from imply movement toward or away from something. However, to can also function as part of an infinitive. See also: Infinitives.

To and for can introduce indirect objects. See also: Indirect Objects

For and since can also indicate duration. See also: Present Perfect Progessive

Of is used in partitives (all of, some of . . .) and other expressions. See also: Quantifiers

Many prepositions are also used in expressions. See also: Grammar: Preposition Collocations with "Be"; Verb and Preposition Collocations