Prepositions || Aptitude (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 17 Feb, 2026

A preposition is a word used before a noun or pronoun to denote a relation with other parts of the sentence.

**Example: The ball is **in the box. Here, "in" is the preposition that shows the relationship between the noun "ball" and the noun "box."

**NOTE: Prepositions are usually placed before nouns and pronouns, but not always.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be classified based on:

prepositions2

Confusing Pairs of Prepositions

Here are some confusing pairs of prepositions:

**Between - Among	**Beside - Besides
**For - Since	**Across - Through
**On - Upon	**On - Over
**In - Into	**In - Within
**By - With	**Before - In front of
**At - In	**In spite of - Despite

Some of the most frequently used prepositions and their differences:

**1. **Between - Among

**Between - Used in reference to the association of two.
**Among - Used in reference to the association of more than two, or usually in a group or collective sense.

2. Beside - Besides

**Beside - Means next to or at the side of.
**Besides - Means in addition to or apart from.

**3. For - Since

For - Denotes period of time.
**Since - Denotes point of time.

**4. Across - Through

**Across - Moving from one side to the other side.
**Through - Moving into one side and out the other side via a medium.

**5. On - Upon - Over

**On - Place in contact.
**Upon - In motion.
**Over **- Motion or position higher but not in physical contact.

**6. In - Into - Within

**In - Locate inside or within.
**Into **- Indicate entry or insertion.
**Within - Inside limits or boundaries (often more formal).

**7. At - In

**At - Used with a relatively smaller place.
**In **- Used with a relatively bigger place.

**8. Time

**Exact time(hour) - at
**Month - in
**Year **- in
**Day **- on
**Date - on

9. **In spite of - Despite

Both mean “although” or “even though.” They are interchangeable, with **despite being slightly more formal.

Phrasal Preposition

Phrasal Prepositions are a group of two or more words that function as a single preposition.

Here are some important phrasal prepositions:

**Phrasal Preposition	**Meaning
According to	As stated by
Because of	Due to
By means of	Through the use of
In addition to	Besides
In case of	If there is
In spite of	Despite
On account of	Because of
With regard to	Concerning
In front of	Ahead of
In accordance with	Following a rule
For the sake of	For the benefit of
In lieu of	Instead of
On behalf of	Representing someone
With reference to	Regarding
By virtue of	Because of authority/right
In place of	As a substitute for
With a view to	With the intention of
In favor of	Supporting
In relation to	Connected with
Owing to	Because of

Tips and Tricks for Using Prepositions Well

Prepositions show time, place, and direction relationships.
Use **at for exact time or place (e.g., at 5 PM, at the door).
Use **in for inside spaces or longer periods (e.g., in July, in the room).
Use **on for surfaces or specific days (e.g., on the table, on Monday).
Prepositions come before nouns or pronouns.
Some verbs combine with prepositions to form special meanings (phrasal verbs).
Avoid ending sentences with prepositions in formal writing.

**Also Check:

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