Prepositions in English: About, After, Between, Among, Behind, Beside, Inside & Outside – Easy Rules, Hindi Meaning & Examples”

 

Key Prepositions in English: Meaning, Rules & Examples: (Introduction)

Prepositions form the backbone of English grammar. They help us connect words, show relationships, and express time, place, movement, and reason. In everyday communication, some prepositions appear more frequently than others.
This blog explains nine essential prepositions—about, after, between, among, amongst, behind, beside, inside, outside—using simple language, rules, and plenty of examples.
Whether you are a school student, competitive exam aspirant, teacher, or English learner, this guide will help you understand and use these prepositions correctly.

Why These Prepositions Are Important?

These prepositions are used in daily conversations, essays, letters, and examinations. Students often confuse their meanings and usage. With proper rules and examples, you will gain accuracy and confidence in writing as well as speaking.

1. Preposition: ABOUT = concerning or regarding

Rule 1: ABOUT shows relation to a subject or topic.

Examples:

1. She told me about her new job. 

2. This book is about Indian culture.

3. They were discussing about the project.

4. I know nothing about the matter.

Rule 2: ABOUT is used to express approximation.

Examples:

1. He is about 40 years old.

2. The train will arrive in about ten minutes.

3. It costs about 500 rupees.

4. There were about 100 people in the hall.

Rule 3: ABOUT shows movement in various directions.

Examples:

1. Children were running about the playground.

2. Papers were lying about the room.

3. The cat wandered about the house.

4. People were scattered about the street.

2. Preposition: AFTER = later than

Rule 1: AFTER indicates time.

Examples:

1. He arrived after 5 PM.

2. We will meet after lunch.

3. She came home after school.

4. The rain stopped after an hour.

Rule 2: AFTER indicates sequence of events.

Examples:

1. After finishing homework, he went to play.

2. After the meeting, we left the office.

3. After winning the match, the team celebrated.

4. After reading the letter, she smiled.

Rule 3: AFTER expresses “following someone/something.”

Examples:

1. The dog ran after its owner.

2. He is named after his grandfather.

3. The police ran after the thief.

4. The children went after the ice-cream seller.

3. Preposition: BETWEEN = in the space separating two people or things

Rule 1: BETWEEN is used for two persons or things.

Examples:

1. The ball is between the two chairs.

2. She sat between her parents.

3. Distribute this between Ram and Mohan.

4. A river flows between the two villages.

Rule 2: BETWEEN for differentiation.

Examples:

1. Difference between good and bad.

2. Choose between tea and coffee.

3. Conflict between right and wrong.

4. A match between India and Australia.

Rule 3: BETWEEN used for time range (two limits).

Examples:

1. The shop opens between 9 and 10 AM.

2. The bus runs between Delhi and Jaipur.

3. Classes will be held between Monday and Thursday.

4. The event is scheduled between 15–20 March.

4. Preposition: AMONG = in the middle of many

Rule 1: AMONG is used for more than two people/things.

Examples:

1. She is popular among students.

2. He distributed food among the poor.

3. The teacher walked among the children.

4. There was confusion among the players.

Rule 2: AMONG expresses membership of a group.

Examples:

1. India is among the largest countries.

2. He was standing among his friends.

3. She is among the top performers.

4. This book is among my favourites.

Rule 3: AMONG expresses sharing.

Examples:

1. Divide the money among the children.

2. The prizes were distributed among the winners.

3. They shared secrets among themselves.

4. The food was shared among all guests.

5. Preposition: AMONGST = more formal than among but meaning same as among

Rule 1: Used like AMONG but in formal English.

Examples:

1. He lived amongst scholars.

2. She walked amongst the trees.

3. The truth was hidden amongst lies.

4. He sat amongst strangers.

Rule 2: AMONGST adds poetic or literary tone.

Examples:

1. The cottage stood amongst hills.

2. A flower bloomed amongst thorns.

3. She felt lonely amongst the crowd.

4. Peace was lost amongst chaos.

Rule 3: Emphasises close mixing with a group.

Examples:

1. He worked amongst dedicated workers.

2. The leader moved amongst his people.

3. She stayed amongst her relatives.

4. The message spread amongst villagers.

6. Preposition: BEHIND = at the back of

Rule 1: BEHIND for position.

Examples:

1. The dog is behind the door.

2. The school stands behind the market.

3. She hid behind a tree.

4. The car is parked behind the house.

Rule 2: BEHIND for time delay.

Examples:

1. He is behind schedule.

2. The project is running behind time.

3. She is behind in her homework.

4. They are behind the deadline.

Rule 3: BEHIND for cause or support.

Examples:

1. Her parents are behind her success.

2. Hard work is behind his achievement.

3. There is a reason behind his anger.

4. A strong team is behind every victory.

7. Preposition: BESIDE = next to

(Meaning: next to — बगल में)

Rule 1: BESIDE for physical closeness.

Examples:

1. She sat beside me.

2. A lamp is placed beside the bed.

3. He was standing beside his friend.

4. The park is beside the river.

Rule 2: BESIDE meaning “apart from.”

Examples:

1. Beside teaching, he writes books.

2. Beside English, she studies French.

3. Beside money, he wants respect.

4. Beside this issue, everything is fine.

Rule 3: BESIDE used to show comparison of inferiority.

Examples:

1. He is nothing beside his father.

2. My work is small beside yours.

3. Her achievement looks minor beside theirs.

4. This book is simple beside that one.

8. Preposition: INSIDE = within

(Meaning: within — अंदर)

Rule 1: INSIDE for location.

Examples:

1. The keys are inside the drawer.

2. She is waiting inside the room.

3. Water is stored inside the tank.

4. There is a garden inside the campus.

Rule 2: INSIDE for movement inward.

Examples:

1. Come inside quickly.

2. He went inside the building.

3. The bird flew inside the cage.

4. She walked inside the hall.

Rule 3: INSIDE to express inner quality or feeling.

Examples:

1. She is strong inside.

2. He is broken inside.

3. A fire burns inside him.

4. Peace lies inside the mind.

9. Preposition: OUTSIDE  = not inside

(Meaning: not inside — बाहर)

Rule 1: OUTSIDE for location.

Examples:

1. The children are playing outside.

2. He is standing outside the gate.

3. Leave your shoes outside the room.

4. The car is parked outside.

Rule 2: OUTSIDE for movement outward.

Examples:

1. Go outside and wait.

2. The dog ran outside the house.

3. The smoke went outside the chimney.

4. She stepped outside to get fresh air.

Rule 3: OUTSIDE for limits or boundaries.

Examples:

1. This topic is outside the syllabus.

2. The decision is outside my control.

3. This work is outside his ability.

4. The matter lies outside our authority.

Combined Table of All Prepositions :

Preposition	Meaning	Common Example
About	concerning	He told me about the plan.
After	later than	Meet me after class.
Between	in space of two	The road runs between the fields.
Among	in group of many	She was among friends.
Amongst	formal of among	He lived amongst scholars.
Behind	at the back of	The garden is behind the house.
Beside	next to	She sat beside him.
Inside	within	The books are inside the bag.
Outside	not inside	They waited outside the room.

Practice Exercise (For Students):

Choose the correct preposition from the bracket.

1. She was sitting ______ her parents. (between / among)

2. The dog is hiding ______ the sofa. (behind / beside)

3. He went ______ the room. (inside / about)

4. There were many people ______ the market. (among / between)

5. The meeting will begin ______ lunch. (after / about)

6. Put your shoes ______ the door. (outside / inside)

7. He knows nothing ______ the matter. (about / behind)

8. A park is located ______ our school. (beside / after)

9. The secret was hidden ______ the lies. (amongst / between)

10. We finished the work ______ 5 PM. (after / inside)

FAQs:

Q1. What is the difference between Between and Among?

Between is used for two, while Among is used for more than two.

Q2. Is “amongst” correct in modern English?

Yes, amongst is correct but more formal and old-fashioned. “Among” is more common.

Q3. Can we use “about” before a noun?

Yes. Example: He spoke about the problem.

Q4. Are “inside” and “outside” used only for places?

Mostly yes, but they can also express abstract meanings (e.g., “peace lies inside you”).

Conclusion :

Prepositions are small words, yet they play a large role in expressing relationship, movement, time, and position. The prepositions about, after, between, among, amongst, behind, beside, inside, and outside appear frequently in written and spoken English.
With clear rules, explanations, and multiple examples, learners can avoid common errors and use these prepositions confidently. Remember—mastery comes through regular reading, writing, and practice.
Use the exercises above and try forming your own sentences. The more you practice, the more natural your use of prepositions will become strong.