Preposition: Definition, Rules, Kinds and 150+ Examples for Indian Students

Preposition: Definition, Uses, Rules and 150+ Examples (For Indian Students)

English Grammar में Prepositions छोटे शब्द होते हैं, लेकिन इनकी power बहुत बड़ी होती है। वे किसी noun या pronoun और वाक्य के बाकी हिस्से के बीच relation, place, time, direction, purpose आदि बताते हैं। UP Board, CBSE, ICSE और competitive exams (SSC, BANK, TET, UPPSC) में preposition के rules से सीधे questions आते हैं।

इस ब्लॉग में आप सीखेंगे:

• Preposition की definition (simple और exam-friendly)

• Kinds of Prepositions with clear rules

• Important rules and common mistakes (specially Indian students के लिए)

• 150+ examples from daily life and exam style

• Practice exercise with answers

• FAQs for exams

Language simple, teacher-friendly और board-oriented रखी गई है ताकि आप इसे notes या class material की तरह use कर सकें।                                                          

What is a Preposition? (Definition)

A preposition is a word that shows the relation of a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence.

It tells us where, when, how, in what direction, in what relation something happens.

Examples:

• The book is on the table.

• She walked into the room.

• He will come after lunch.

• The cat is under the chair.

• We will meet at 6 PM.

इन sentences में on, into, after, under, at prepositions हैं, जो noun/pronoun (table, room, lunch, chair, 6 PM) का relation बताते हैं।

Characteristics of Prepositions

1. Preposition is followed by a Noun, Pronoun or Gerund

   • He is good at English.

   • She is interested in reading. (reading = gerund)

2. A preposition never stands alone

   • गलत: He sat on.

   • सही: He sat on the chair.

3. It shows relation of place, time, direction, cause, manner, possession, etc.

   • Place: She lives in Delhi.

   • Time: I will call you after dinner.

   • Direction: They are going to school.

   • Cause: He died of cancer.

Kinds of Prepositions (with Rules and Examples)

1. Prepositions of Place

ये बताते हैं कि कोई चीज़ कहाँ है।

Common words: in, on, at, under, over, above, below, behind, between, among, near, beside, inside, outside

Examples:

• The pen is on the table.

• She lives in Lucknow.

• They are waiting at the gate.

• The cat is under the bed.

• The picture is above the sofa.

• He sat between his friends.

• She stood among the students.

Important mini-rule (place):

• in – बड़े जगह / area (city, country, room) → He lives in Agra.

• on – surface → The keys are on the table.

• at – specific point → Meet me at the station.

2. Prepositions of Time

ये बताते हैं कि कब कोई action होता है।

Common words: at, in, on, during, before, after, till, until, from, since, for

Basic rules:

• at – exact time / small time point

  • at 6 PM, at noon, at night

• on – days and dates

  • on Monday, on 15th August

• in – months, years, long period

  • in January, in 2025, in the morning

Examples:

• We will meet at 7 PM.

• She was born on 10th May.

• He came here in 2020.

• I read books in the evening.

• Wait here till 9 o’clock.

Since vs For (very important for exams):

• since + starting point (since 2010, since morning)

• for + period of time (for two hours, for three days)

3. Prepositions of Direction or Movement

ये बताते हैं कि movement किस direction में है।

Common words: to, into, onto, toward, through, across, along, up, down, from

Examples:

• She is going to school.

• He jumped into the river.

• The ball rolled down the hill.

• They walked along the road.

• We drove through the tunnel.

• He came from Delhi.

Small rule: in vs into

• in → position (no movement) → The boy is in the room.

• into → movement from outside to inside → The boy ran into the room.

4. Prepositions of Agent or Instrument

Agent: कौन action कर रहा है
Instrument: किस चीज़ से काम किया गया

Common words: by, with

Examples:

• The poem was written by Tagore. (agent)

• The snake was killed by the hunter.

• He cut the apple with a knife. (instrument)

• She wrote the letter with a pen.

5. Prepositions of Reason or Purpose

ये cause या purpose बताते हैं।

Common words: for, because of, due to, from

Examples:

• He was punished for his mistake.

• The match was cancelled because of rain.

• The flight was delayed due to fog.

• She died from a serious illness.

6. Prepositions of Condition

Common words: with, without

Examples:

• You cannot succeed without hard work.

• We cannot start without the teacher.

• He came with his mother.

7. Prepositions of Comparison

Common words: like, as

Examples:

• She sings like a nightingale.

• He works as a teacher.

Note:
like = similar to (के जैसा)
as = in the role of (के रूप में)

8. Compound Prepositions

ये simple preposition से बने होते हैं।

Examples: into, inside, within, without, upon, across, behind, before, between, around

• She went into the room.

• The keys are inside the drawer.

• You must finish the work within an hour.

• He stood behind the door.

9. Phrasal (Group) Prepositions

एक से ज़्यादा शब्द मिलकर एक preposition का काम करते हैं।

Common examples:
because of, in front of, instead of, on behalf of, according to, in spite of, due to, by means of

Examples:

• They waited in front of the gate.

• According to the teacher, he is brilliant.

• He came instead of his brother.

• The match was cancelled because of heavy rain.

• She passed in spite of many problems.

Very Important Prepositions with Uses and Examples

1. Preposition: at

Uses: small places, exact time, small points, events

• She will meet me at 5 PM.

• They are waiting at the bus stop.

• He laughed at the joke.

• We arrived at the airport.

• She is good at dancing.

2. Preposition: in

Uses: big places, periods, inside something

• They live in New York.

• I was born in 1990.

• She is in the kitchen.

• He will finish the work in an hour.

• There is water in the bottle.

3. Preposition: on

Uses: surfaces, days, dates

• The book is on the table.

• She will come on Monday.

• He wrote on the paper.

• They met on 14th February.

• The picture hangs on the wall.

4. Preposition: for

Uses: duration, purpose, benefit

• I waited for two hours.

• This gift is for you.

• They left for London.

• She works for a big company.

• He exercises for good health.

5. Preposition: to

Uses: direction, destination, comparison

• She is going to school.

• He gave the book to me.

• We moved to another house.

• She prefers tea to coffee.

• He came to help us.

6. Preposition: from

Uses: origin, starting point

• She came from Delhi.

• This gift is from my friend.

• He ran from the house.

• Water flows from the river.

• I learned a lot from you.

7. Preposition: with

Uses: togetherness, instrument, manner

• He is playing with his friends.

• Cut the vegetable with a knife.

• She spoke with confidence.

• I agree with you.

• He came with his parents.

8. Preposition: about

Uses: topic, subject

• We talked about the exam.

• This book is about grammar.

• He is worried about his job.

• She asked about you.

• They complained about the service.

9. Preposition: after

Uses: time, sequence

• We will go after lunch.

• She arrived after me.

• He slept after finishing the work.

• I will call you after class.

• Life goes on after failure.

10. Preposition: before

Uses: time, sequence

• She left before sunrise.

• Finish the work before evening.

• He reached before me.

• Think before you speak.

• We must rest before the match.

Common Preposition Mistakes by Indian Students (Very Important)

1. Discuss about (गलत)
   सही: discuss + object

   • गलत: We discussed about the problem.

   • सही: We discussed the problem.

2. Order for / request for (extra preposition)

   • गलत: He ordered for tea.

   • सही: He ordered tea.

3. Return back (back extra है)

   • गलत: She returned back home.

   • सही: She returned home.

4. More preferable than (wrong)

   • सही: She prefers tea to coffee.

   • सही: Tea is preferable to coffee.

5. Marry with (गलत)

   • सही: He married her. / She married him.

6. Help to (extra preposition)

   • गलत: He helped to me.

   • सही: He helped me.

7. Agree to / with का difference

   • agree with a person → I agree with you.

   • agree to a proposal/plan → I agree to your proposal.

ये rules exams में बार-बार पूछे जाते हैं। अपने notes में इन्हें अलग से लिख लें।

Practice Exercise on Prepositions (Exam Style)

A. Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions.

1. He is interested _______ music.

2. We will reach the station _______ 6 PM.

3. She was born _______ 2008.

4. He is good _______ Mathematics.

5. The cat is hiding _______ the table.

6. They are going _______ the market.

7. She has been living here _______ 2015.

8. Please wait _______ I come back.

9. This gift is _______ my mother.

10. They walked _______ the river bank.

11. He arrived _______ Monday morning.

12. The pen is _______ the drawer.

13. Don’t laugh _______ poor people.

14. We divided the mangoes _______ the two boys.

15. The teacher is angry _______ his students.

FAQs on Prepositions (For Exams)

Q1. What is the simplest definition of a preposition?
A preposition is a word that shows the relation of a noun or pronoun with another word in the sentence.

Q2. How many prepositions are commonly used in English?
English में 100+ prepositions हैं, लेकिन लगभग 50–60 prepositions सबसे ज़्यादा use होते हैं, जैसे in, on, at, to, for, from, with, about, before, after आदि।

Q3. Can a preposition come at the end of a sentence?
Yes. Modern English में ये acceptable है, विशेषकर questions और relative clauses में।

• This is the person I was talking about.

• What are you looking for?

Q4. What is a phrasal preposition?
जब दो या दो से ज़्यादा words मिलकर एक preposition का काम करते हैं, उसे phrasal (group) preposition कहते हैं।

• according to, in front of, because of, in spite of, on behalf of

Q5. Which preposition is most confusing for Indian students?
अधिकतर students को in, on, at, since, for, to, with, of confusing लगते हैं। Regular practice और real-life examples से confusion दूर हो जाता है।

 Conclusion:

Prepositions are essential in forming clear, logical, and meaningful sentences. They help us express place, time, movement, reason, and relationships in English. By learning the most commonly used prepositions with practical examples, any learner—student, teacher, or competitive aspirant—can improve writing and speaking skills.

My blog covers definitions, types, rules, and 150+ real-life examples in a simple and teacher-friendly language. Keep practising sentences daily to master prepositions naturally.