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PREPOSITION – COMPLETE NOTES FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS
(JKSSB • SSC • Banking • UGC NET • High Court • JKPSC • CTET)
1. What is a Preposition?
The word Preposition means “placed before.”
A preposition is a word used before a noun or pronoun to show its relation with another word in the sentence.
It tells us:
Place → where?
Time → when?Direction → where to?
Cause/Purpose → why?
Manner → how?
Formula:
Preposition + Noun/Pronoun
Examples:
The book is on the table.
He arrived at school.She lives in Kashmir.
I walked through the park.
2. Why Prepositions Are Important in Exams?
Questions appear in:
Error Detection
Fill in the blanksSentence Improvement
Cloze Test
Spotting Errors
Grammar MCQs
Reading Comprehension
Around 2–5 questions in many competitive exams are directly or indirectly based on prepositions.
3. Types of Prepositions
A. Preposition of Time
Shows when something happens.
Important Prepositions:
1. At → Exact Time
Used for:
clock time
noon
midnight
Examples:
Class starts at 9 AM.
I sleep at midnight.
❌ I reached at morning.
✔ I reached in the morning.
2. On → Day/Date
Examples:
Meeting is on Monday.
Independence Day is on 15 August.
3. In → Months/Years/Long Period
Examples:
Born in 2000
Exam in July
Memory Trick:
AT → exact
ON → day/date
IN → longer period
B. Preposition of Place
Shows location.
At → Exact Point
at station
at home
Example:
He is at school.
In → Inside Area
Examples:
in room
in India
On → Surface
Examples:
on wall
on desk
Comparison:
He is at the airport. (point)
He is in the airport. (inside)
The photo is on the wall.
C. Preposition of Direction
Shows movement.
To
Movement toward.
Example:
Go to market.
Into
Movement inside.
Example:
She jumped into river.
Onto
Movement onto surface.
Example:
Cat jumped onto table.
Through
Movement from one side to another.
Example:
Walk through forest.
D. Preposition of Cause
Examples:
died of cancer
cried from pain
punished for cheating
E. Preposition of Manner
Examples:
by train
with honesty
in anger
F. Compound Prepositions
Made of multiple words.
Examples:
because of
according to
instead of
in front of
owing to
Sentence:
Match postponed because of rain.
4. Most Important Prepositions and Rules
1. Between vs Among
Between → Two persons/things
Between Ali and Ahmed
Among → More than two
Among students
2. Since vs For
Since → Starting point
since 2020
For → Duration
for 5 years
Examples:
✔ I have lived here since 2019.
✔ I have lived here for 5 years.
3. By vs With
By → Agent
written by teacher
With → Instrument
cut with knife
4. Beside vs Besides
Beside = next to
Besides = in addition to
Examples:
Sit beside me.
Besides English, I know Urdu.
5. Above vs Over
Above → higher position
Over → covering
Example:
Fan is above me.
Cloth over table.
6. Below vs Under
Below → lower level
Under → covered beneath
7. Across vs Through
Across → from one side
Through → inside movement
8. During vs While
During → noun
While → clause
Examples:
✔ during vacation
✔ while studying
5. Fixed Prepositions (Very Important)
Interested in
Good at
Afraid of
Depend on
Married to
Responsible for
Proud of
Famous for
Angry with person
Angry at thing
Different from
Capable of
Belong to
Apply for
Listen to
Agree with person
Agree to proposal
6. Errors Students Make in Exams
Error 1
❌ Discuss about issue
✔ Discuss issue
Error 2
❌ Return back
✔ Return
Error 3
❌ Order for tea
✔ Order tea
Error 4
❌ Married with
✔ Married to
Error 5
❌ Enter into room
✔ Enter room
Error 6
❌ Prefer than
✔ Prefer to
Error 7
❌ Senior than
✔ Senior to
Error 8
❌ Comprise of
✔ Comprise
7. Advanced Preposition Rules
After:
After + V1 + ing
✔ After completing work
Before:
Before + noun/verb-ing
✔ Before leaving
In spite of:
✔ In spite of rain
❌ Despite of rain
✔ Despite rain
Owing to / Due to
Owing to = because of
Due to = caused by
8. PYQ Pattern Questions (JKSSB / SSC Style)
Q1.
He is good ___ Mathematics.
A. in
B. at
C. on
D. for
Answer: B
Q2.
She has lived here ___ ten years.
A. since
B. for
C. from
D. by
Answer: B
Q3.
The train arrived ___ time.
A. on
B. at
C. in
D. by
Answer: A
Q4.
He insisted ___ going.
A. on
B. at
C. in
D. by
Answer: A
Q5.
The boy jumped ___ the river.
A. onto
B. into
C. at
D. by
Answer: B
9. Practice MCQs
1.
She suffers ___ fever.
A. at
B. from
C. by
D. with
Answer: B
2.
He died ___ an accident.
A. by
B. in
C. from
D. on
Answer: B
3.
They are waiting ___ bus.
A. of
B. for
C. at
D. with
Answer: B
4.
I agree ___ you.
A. with
B. to
C. at
D. in
Answer: A
5.
This machine belongs ___ school.
A. for
B. on
C. to
D. at
Answer: C
10. Exam Booster – One Line Revision
At → exact time/place
On → day/surfaceIn → month/year/place
Since → starting point
For → duration
By → agent
With → instrument
Between → two
Among → many
Into → movement inside
Onto → movement onto surface