Correct uses of Preposition

 PREPOSITION:

 1. Preposition of location/ places:

(a) For enclosed area/ boundary, IN is used. It shows the point of rest/ place where something is already there.

• In the river.
• In the bag.
• In the room.
• In the well.

(b) For surface area, ON is used. It shows the link with the object.

• On the table.
• On the floor.
• On the roof.
• On the ground.

(c) For a definite point of place/ part of a place, AT is used.

• At school.
• At college.
• At office.
• At the door.

NOTE:

             ''IN is used before countries, continents, larger towns while AT is used before smaller towns/ areas"

• I live at trust colony in Bahawal Pur.
• Allama Iqbal was born in Sialkot.
• He was born at Lahore in Pakistan.

2. Preposition of time:

(a) Point time:

  (i) AT --- used for clock time/ part of the day/ calendar events.

• At sunset
• At noon
• At night
• At sunrise
• At dinner time
• At Eid
• At Christmas

EXCEPTION:

• In the room
• In the afternoon
• In the evening
• On eid day
• On easter day

 (ii) ON --- used for days/ dates.

• Pakistan came into being on 14 August 1947.

NOTE:        

             If Day + Month + Year sequence is used then On used.

 Similarly IF.....

              Day + Month = On

              Day + year = On

              Month = In

              Year = In

              Month + Year = In

  (iii) IN --- used for long time/ month/ year/ season/ centuries.

• In the past
• In the present
• In the future

(b) Length time:

  (i) Since ⟶ When ⟶ Ans, time ⟶ Counting

  (ii) For ⟶ When ⟶ Ans ⟶ Counting

  (iii) From ⟶ Other than perfect tense

• I shall join college since/ for/ from next month.

  (iv) From ___ to (time)  

• Ali works in this office from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.

  (v) During ⟶ Throughout length of the day

• During the day, Ali keeps sleeping.

  (vi) In is used for earlier than scheduled time while on is used for scheduled/ exact time.

3. Preposition of direction:

 (a) Movement to the enclosed area:

  In is used for no movement while into is used for movement.

• The frog is in the well.
• The frog jumped in/ into the well.

 (b) Movement to surface:

 To is used for direction to the destination while towards/ toward is used to indicate the only direction.

• Ali is walking towards/ to the library to read some books.
• Ali is walking to/ towards the library.

4. Preposition of SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP:

 (a) Limits (within, along/ around, around)

 Within is used for the specified range. Along/ round is used for from one end to other. Around means circular/ angular.

• Mark your choice within the circle.
• Ali is walking along the road.
• Draw a circle round your answer.

 (b) Relative movement:

   (i) Across: (used for, from one side to another)

• Ali walked across the road.
• Kips' building is across the road.

   (ii) Through: (by way of/ by means of/ from beginning to end)

• He went through the gate.
• He applied through proper channel.
• He slept through the lesson.
• He jumped through the window.

   (iii) From: (original position)

• Ali came from Multan.
• Creton is from another planet.

 (c) Relative position:

   (i) Under vs over:

Beneath/ underneath/ under is used when something is covered by another thing.

• The cat is under the table.
• Ali is wearing a red shirt under the sweater.

Over is used when something is on the top of something.

• The sun is over the head.

   (ii) Below vs above:

 Below is used when something is in a lower position.

• Her hair reached below her knee.

Above is used when something is at a higher level.

• Write your name above the line.
• That city is situated above sea level.