A preposition is a word that shows how one thing is related to another. It usually tells us where something is, when something happens, or how two things are connected. A preposition comes before a noun or pronoun.

Without prepositions:
The cat sat the table.

With prepositions:
The cat sat on the table. The cat hid under the table. The cat slept near the table.

See how a single small word changes the meaning of the sentence?

Common prepositions:

Type Tells us Prepositions Example
Place where on, in, under, near, behind The ball is under the bed.
Time when at, after, before, during We eat lunch at noon.
Direction which way to, into, from, towards She walked to the market.

Place prepositions in action:

Preposition Meaning Example
on touching the top of something The book is on the desk.
in inside something The pencil is in the box.
under below something The dog is under the chair.
near close to something The school is near my house.
behind at the back of something The garden is behind the house.

Remember: A preposition shows the relation between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. A good trick: if a word can tell where a cat can be in relation to a box (on, in, under, near, behind the box), it is a preposition!

Last modified: Saturday, 24 October 2026, 11:15 AM