S3/ENGINEER-GRAMMAR-2A-PREPOSITION :
Direction-Time
Preposition
A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to
show direction, time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to introduce an object. Some
examples of prepositions are words like "in," "at," "on," "of," and "to."
Prepositions of Direction
To refer to a direction, use the prepositions "to," "in," "into," "on," and "onto."
She drove to the store.
Don’t ring the doorbell. Come right in(to) the house.
Drive on(to) the grass and park the car there.
Exercise : Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to)
Complete the following sentences with the correct preposition:
to, toward, on, onto, in, or into.
Some sentences may have more than one possible correct answer.
Remember that a few verbs of motion take only "on" rather than "onto."
1. Anna has returned ______ her home town.
2. The dog jumped ______ the lake.
3. Are the boys still swimming ______ the pool?
4. Thomas fell ______ the floor.
5. The plane landed ______ the runway.
6. We drove _____ the river for an hour but turned north before we reached it.
7. The kids climbed ______ the monkey bars.
8. Joanna got ______ Fred's car.
9. The baby spilled his cereal ______ the floor.
10. We cried to the man on the ladder, "Hang ______!"
11. I went ______ the gym.
12. Matthew and Michelle moved the table ______ the dining room.
13. Allan left your keys ______ the table.
14. Dr. Karper apologized for interrupting us and told us to carry ______ with our discussion.
15. I walk ______ the amusement park.
16. Pat drove Mike ______ the airport.
17. Glenn almost fell ______ the river.
18. The waitress noticed that there was no more Diet Pepsi ______ Marty's glass.
19. Lee and Sarah took the bus that was heading ______ the university.
20. Mary Sue jumped ______ the stage and danced.
Answer : Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to)
Correct prepositions are in italics.
1. Anna has returned to her home town.
2. The dog jumped in / into the lake.
3. Are the boys still swimming in the pool?
4. Thomas fell on / onto the floor.
5. The plane landed on the runway.
6. We drove toward the river for an hour but turned north before we reached it.
7. The kids climbed on / onto the monkey bars.
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S3/ENGINEER-GRAMMAR-2A-PREPOSITION :
Direction-Time
8. Joanna got in / into Fred's car.
9. The baby spilled his cereal on the floor.
10. We cried to the man on the ladder, "Hang on!"
11. I went to the gym.
12. Matthew and Michelle moved the table into the dining room.
13. Allan left your keys on the table.
14. Dr. Karper apologized for interrupting us and told us to carry on with our discussion.
15. I walk to the amusement park.
16. Pat drove Mike to the airport.
17. Glenn almost fell in / into the river.
18. The waitress noticed that there was no more Diet Pepsi in Marty's glass.
19. Lee and Sarah took the bus that was heading toward the university.
20. Mary Sue jumped on / onto the stage and danced.
Prepositions of Time
To refer to one point in time, use the prepositions "in," "at," and "on."
Use "in" with parts of the day (not specific times), months, years, and seasons.
He reads in the evening.
The weather is cold in December.
She was born in 1996.
We rake leaves in the fall.
Use "at" with the time of day. Also use "at" with noon, night, and midnight.
I go to work at 8:00.
He eats lunch at noon.
She often goes for a walk at night.
They go to bed at midnight.
Use "on" with days.
I work on Saturdays.
He does laundry on Wednesdays.
To refer to extended time, use the prepositions "since," "for," "by," "during," "from…to,"
"from…until," "with," and "within."
I have lived in Minneapolis since 2005. (I moved there in 2005 and still live there.)
He will be in Toronto for 3 weeks. (He will spend 3 weeks in Toronto.)
She will finish her homework by 6:00. (She will finish her homework sometime
between now and 6:00.)
He works part time during the summer. (For the period of time throughout the
summer.)
I will collect data from January to June. (Starting in January and ending in June.)
They are in school from August until May. (Starting in August and ending in May.)
She will graduate within 2 years. (Not longer than 2 years.)
Preposition of Time Exercises
Exercise 1 – Use ‘on’, ‘in’ or ‘at’
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S3/ENGINEER-GRAMMAR-2A-PREPOSITION :
Direction-Time
Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions of time.
1. The parent-teacher meeting is ___ 10 A.M.
2. I do not have any classes ___ Sunday.
3. This year it started to snow ___ November.
4. Yasmin’s birthday is ___ 31st December.
5. The stars twinkle brightly ___ night.
6. I’ll meet you ___ Thursday.
7. The principal is not present __ the moment.
8. My mother will come back ___ minutes.
9. Dimple will visit her grandmother ___ March.
10. ___ 1857 the Sepoy Mutiny took place.
11. Yash’s uncle passed away ___ Monday.
12. __ the winter, we prefer staying indoors.
13. ___ Sunday, they’ll talk about the Pyramids on the National Geographic channel.
14. My uncle will arrive ___ the dinner time.
15. Tina had learnt to speak French ___ 6 weeks.
Answers .
1. The parent-teacher meeting is at 10 A.M.
2. I do not have any classes on Sunday.
3. This year it started to snow in November.
4. Yasmin’s birthday is on 31st December.
5. The stars twinkle brightly at night.
6. I’ll meet you on Thursday.
7. The principal is not present at the moment.
8. My mother will come back in minutes.
9. Dimple will visit her grandmother in March.
10. In 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny took place.
11. Yash’s uncle passed away on Monday.
12. In the winter, we prefer staying indoors.
13. On Sunday, they’ll talk about the Pyramids on the National Geographic channel.
14. My uncle will arrive at dinner time.
15. Tina had learnt to speak French in 6 weeks.
Exercise 2 – Underline the preposition of time
Read the sentences and identify the preposition of time.
1. My grandparents got married on 31st December 1957.
2. I will meet you at 6 o’clock on Sunday.
3. On a Christmas evening, we met in Amsterdam.
4. The train will leave at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning.
5. My vacation ends on Tuesday.
6. On 25th January, at 6:30 p.m., my niece was born.
7. Migratory birds fly to warmer places in the winter.
8. On my birthday, my mom bakes my favourite cookies.
9. “At 12 o’clock, the magic will start to fade,” said the fairy godmother.
10. In the summer you should keep water bowls for birds.
Answers for Exercise 2
1. My grandparents got married on 31st December 1957.
2. I will meet you at 6 o’clock on Sunday.
3. On a Christmas evening, we met in Amsterdam.
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S3/ENGINEER-GRAMMAR-2A-PREPOSITION :
Direction-Time
4. The train will leave at 5 A.M. on Sunday morning.
5. My vacation ends on Tuesday.
6. On 25th January, at 6:30 P.M., my niece was born.
7. Migratory birds fly to warmer places in the winter.
8. On my birthday, my mom bakes my favourite cookies.
9. “At 12 o’clock, the magic will start to fade,” said the fairy godmother.
10. In the summer, you should keep water bowls for birds.
