Exclusive use of preposition

through

 

1. He's walking through a revolving door. (Click here to see how I make this word. You must put your tongue to your teeth to make the "th" sound.)
2. He's going through the drive-thru to pick up some food.
3. Buses and cars drive through the city.
4. She rode through the forest on her horse.
5. The sun is peeking through the clouds.
6. I ride my bike through this tunnel almost every day.
7. Whales swim through the ocean.
8. He's swimming through the water.
9. They're looking through some albums at a used record shop.

 

within

 

1. If it rains tonight, they'll stay dry within the tent. (within = inside)
2. Within this cake, there's a creamy filling.
3. The last time I bought a dozen eggs, there were a couple of broken eggs within the carton. (dozen = 12)
4. A pitcher keeps the ball within his mitt until he's ready to throw it.
5. After they first met, they got married within six months. (within = inside an amount of time)
6. He usually gets tired of running within ten to fifteen minutes.
7. If you get food from a fast-food restaurant, your order will be ready to go within just a few minutes.

 

with

Harold and Janice went to a movie with each other last night.
He wants to spend the rest of his life with her.
Ali went to a swimming pool yesterday with his son.
Pierre has lived with his wife for over 40 years.
She went on a long bike ride with her father.
Even though they're very busy, they try to eat dinner with each other every night.
He eats his food with chopsticks.
He likes to eat with his hands.
She gets around town with the help of a seeing-eye dog.
I painted a table with these paint brushes.
She went on vacation with her laptop so that she could keep in touch with the people she works with.
I met a woman today with purple hair and a pierced chin.

 

to

He brought his radio to the beach.
They have been married to each other for five years.
He walks to school every day. After school he walks home.
He's listening to the ocean in this shell.
George rode to the town on his horse.
This is the entrance to Rudolph's house.
He needs to write a letter to his aunt, but he doesn't know what to write. (note: the other uses of "to" are in the form of infinitives--not prepositions.) What are infinitives? Click here and then come back.
Last year we took a trip to New York.
Next year we hope to go to Venice.
If you walk all the way to the top of this hill, you are in very good shape.
He needs to bring his cat to the vet.
This student didn't pay attention to the teacher and now he doesn't know what to do.

 

out

1. I usually walk out the door every morning at 7:00 a.m. to go to work.
2. Tina's cat fell out the window, but it's okay.
3. There's a big yard out back. out back = the backyard out front = the front yard
note: There are not very many uses for the preposition "out." It's more often used with "of" -- "out of" -- or the word "out" is used as an adjective or as an adverb, or it's used with gerunds as seen in the example below.
out + (gerund) She's out shopping. She's out grocery shopping. out = outside the house
The word "out" is often used as an adjective: We don't have any more milk. We're all out. out = no more
The lightbulb is out. out = 1. not working; broken; 2. no electrical power.
She likes to go out on the weekends.  She went out last night.  go out = leave the house
The word "out" is used with many different idioms and expressions and can have many different meanings as an adjective or as an adverb. For example, the sentence, "He's out" could mean...  1. He's a baseball player playing offense, and he has to leave the field.  2. He's openly gay (homosexual). Instead of keeping it a secret, he tells people the truth about himself.  3. He's no longer a part of the organization. Someone fired him, told him to leave, or decided not to include him in something.  4. He's not in the office. He's out at lunch, or he's doing some other activity outside the office.

 

on

He has a laptop computer on his desk. His feet are also on his desk.
My friend Pedro lives in an apartment on this street.
She has a ring on her finger.
He has a hat on his head. He also has some sunglasses on his face.
He's not going to be on time.
She's riding on a skateboard.
He's riding on his father's shoulders.
The news is on TV.  She's reporting about a house that is on fire .
These children are running on the beach.
He spilled ketchup on his tie. There will be stain on his shirt and on his tie if he doesn't clean them.

 

of

 

1. Hundreds of people on bikes appeared at the event.
2. There's a box of cereal on the kitchen table. note: It's very hard to hear this preposition, but it's important to know how to use. Many people who speak English as a second language make mistakes with "of."
3. Here's a gallon of milk.
4. I'm going to have a can of soup for lunch.
5. He's tired of doing paperwork.
6. He's sick of his computer.
7. This is an interesting work of art.
8. They're very fond of each other.
9. This block has been treated and safey baited where needed as of 4-25-08 (The city put down rat poison on 4-25-08)
The word "of" is often used with packages of food and drinks. Click on the video, or click here to see it on YouTube.

 

next to

They're sitting next to each other in the movie theater.
The dog is next to the river
The baby giraffe is next to his mother.
The boy is sitting next to his father.
There's a church next to this house.
There's a new building standing next to a very old building.
She's going to sleep next to her baby.
He's sitting next to the window.

 

near

 

1. She's sitting near the pool.
2. The golf ball is very near the cup.
3. They're standing near the fountain.
4. This lake is near the mountains.
5. They're fishing near the lake.
6. They're standing near the bike path.
7. She's near the age of 70.
8. He's not sitting near anyone.
9. She's near her computer.

 

like

 

1. This looks like a very old building. Note: When used as preposition, "like" means "similar to."
2. A racoon looks like a cross between a cat and a dog.
3. He dresses like a gangster.
4. When Vanessa sings, she sounds like Katy Perry.
5. Sue draws pictures like a five-year old child, but she's an adult.
6. He seems like kind of an odd kid.
7. This coffee tastes like crap.

 

into

 

1. Throw the can into the recycling bin.
2. These animals are headed into the water for some relief from the heat.
3. She's diving into the water.
4. This road leads into the mountains.
5. Some heavy fog moved into the city from the ocean.
6. They came into the music store to look for albums and CDs.
7. They're very into new music. They're also very into each other. (When used as an idiom, "into" means "to like." I'm into rock'n'roll. She's into yoga. We're into Indian food.)
8. He looked into the bubbling pot to see what was cooking inside.
9. Around Halloween, many people carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns.
10. As she was walking, she broke through the ice and fell into the freezing water.

"into" is similar to "in" but not exactly the same.

 

instead of

 

1. Instead of sports, he likes academics. or ... He likes academics instead of sports. (instead of = something replaces another thing; something is preferred over another thing.)
2. He chose a military career instead of going to college. or Instead of going to college, he chose a military career. (note: "Instead of" is often followed by a gerund.) What's a gerund?
3. It's better for your health to eat a lot of vegetables instead of a lot of meat.
4. I prefer antique radios instead of new ones.
5. He wants to work for himself instead of working for someone else.
6. They've decided to go to work by bike today instead of by car.
7. We had rain showers today instead of the sunny day predicted by the weatherman.
8. Instead of going out for lunch, he usually eats at his desk, or he skips lunch completely.
9. He likes skateboarding instead of other sports.

 

inside

1. There are six horses living inside the barn.
2. Something is living inside this cave, but he's not sure what it is.
3. There's a lot of junk inside my desk.
4. The inside of their house is really beautiful. ("Inside" in this example is used as a noun.)
5. The medicine is inside the syringe.
6. She doesn't want to work inside the office today because it's so nice outside.
7. Most of the meetings at her company are held inside this conference room.
8. The fire inside this stove is really hot.
9. When the red flag goes up on the mailbox, that means there's mail inside the mailbox.

 

in front of

 

1. They're standing in front of their house.
2. This dragon statue is in front of a temple.
3. The fountain is in front of the building.
4. They sat in front of the TV and watched a movie last night.
5. He's sitting in front of his computer.
6. A dolphin leapt out of the water right in front of us.
7. Sometimes It's not polite to laugh in front of other people, especially when they're trying to do something serious.
8. He tries not to smoke in front of his kids because he doesn't want them to pick up the habit.
9. This dog is walking in front of its owner.
10. The teacher is standing in front of the class.

 

in

They're both sitting in a hot tub.
This candy comes in many different flavors.
He's interested in staying healthy, so he exercises regularly.
Is the doctor in this afternoon? (in = available to see patients.)
She has a cigar in her hand. This picture is not in color. It's in black and white.
His company has been in business for more than 20 years.
This zebra lives in a zoo. The zoo is located in San Diego.
They're in love with each other.
She works in an office. She's in a very good position with the company.

 

from

Aza and her friends moved to the United States from Russia.
This flag is from Turkey.
A: Do you know where pineapples come from? B: No, I don't. Where? A: They come from tropical areas, like Hawaii.
Sweat is dripping from his forehead.
They're looking down on the city from an observation deck.
My friend, Vanessa, got this fresh bread from the bakery. We had it for lunch.
He's a mean dude. He comes from a bad family.
This picture is from a trip I took to Chicago. It's a large metal sculpture by Picasso.
The cars are leaving from the ferry. They came to this island from the mainland.

 

for

 

1. She's posing for a picture.
2. Window boxes are great for growing flowers.
3. Brocolli is good for you.
4. He's making some food for his friends.
5. He works for a bank. He needs to wear a suit for his job.
6. This anteater is looking for some food.
7. He's looking for a bathroom.
8. You need to get some oil for your car.
9. He's buying some cotton candy for his son.

 

except

1. He likes to play all sports except soccer. (except = but not. He doesn't like to play soccer.)
2. Except for when it snows, they spend a lot of time outdoors. Note: This example uses "except" as a conjunction.
3. Normally, I eat healthy food except for donuts.
4. Except for his keyboarding skills, he's pretty good at using a computer.
5. I remembered to bring everything today except my keys. I forgot them at home.
6. The mail is picked up from this mailbox every day except Sunday.
7. He gets along with everyone except his wife. (He doesn't get along with his wife.)
8. She gets along with everyone except her husband. (She doesn't get along with her husband.)
9. This soup tastes good except it needs salt. (The soup doesn't have any salt in it.) *This example uses "except" as a conjunction. A clause, "it needs salt" follows "except."

 

during

 

1. She's at work during the day.
2. There were a couple of people talking during the movie.
3. He was a soldier during World War II.
4. He plays a lot of golf during the summer.
5. They get together during the day for tea.
6. He tries to take a nap during the afternoon.
7. During the day, she goes to school.
8. She likes to spend time outside during the summer.
9. He worked on his computer during the flight.

 

down

 

1. She's walking down the steps. (note: the word "steps" is preferred over "stairs" in this case because the location is outside.)
2. They're canoeing down the river.
3. The train is coming down the track.
4. Water is flowing down the side of a cliff. (This is a waterfall.)
5. She's sliding down the railing on her skateboard.
6. Don't let your money go down the drain. (down the drain: water goes down the drain, but when it's money, that means you are wasting your money or you are not spending it wisely.)
7. The buffalo is lying down in the dirt.
8. These children are lying down in the snow.
9. He's upside down.
10. So is he. This monkey is hanging upside down.

 

despite

 

1. Many people never try making their own bread despite the simplicity of the bread-making process.
2. Despite the low-cost of commuting by train versus commuting by car, many Americans still choose to drive a car to work.
3. Tony is going to use an axe to cut down a tree in his backyard despite a lack of experience with axes.
4. Despite a weather forecast of heavy rain, Dave and Belinda decided to go camping.
5. Beekeeping is an interesting and important occupation despite the dangers of getting stung by bees.
6. Despite the feelings of his coworkers, Robert turns the radio up a little too loud when he's at his desk.
7. I woke up late this morning despite setting my alarm clock for 5:30 a.m.

 

by

 

1. She's sitting by her computer and talking on the phone. (by = next to)
2. These beautiful buildings are by the water. Would you like to live or work by a river or a lake?
3. These office buildings are by a park.
4. They're sitting by each other and watching a movie.
5. You can learn English by going online. (by = method. When "by" means method or way, it's usually followed by a gerund.) What's a gerund?
6. You can split wood by using an axe.
7. He's a loan shark. By making loans at high interest rates, he has become very rich. However, he's not a good person to do business with.
8. He's a surfer. He rides on ocean waves by using a surfboad.
9. You can get around this city very easily by bus. (by = method of transportation: ...by bus, ....by train, .....by car, .....by taxi, .....by plane, etc.)
10. The fastest way to get around this city is by subway.
11. He needs to get to his meeting by 5:30. (by = before)
12. These buildings used to stand side-by-side until they fell down. (side-by-side = together)

 

but

1. He teaches nothing but music all day long.
2. All but one person left the movie theater.
3. He left the house this morning wearing nothing but a hat and shoes. (The police soon arrested him.)
4. He takes nothing but cash for the work that he does. (He only takes cash.)
5. You should stay away from that guy. He's nothing but trouble.
6. She does everyone's job but her own. She needs to do her own work before she helps others.
7. All but one country on the planet share a continent with other countries. Only Australia is by itself.
8. Before someone testifies in a court of law or a hearing, the person is asked, "Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

 

beyond

 

1. The sun is going down beyond the horizon. (beyond: past; after)
2. Most small children don't go on baby swings beyond the age of two or three.
3. Golf is a great game for people beyond the age of 65.
4. If you go beyond these signs, you might crash into another car.
5. Beyond this pasture, there's a river and some small mountains.
6. If they can't get beyond their differences, they might split up.
7. He can't play very much on the guitar beyond a few simple chords.
8. Do you think life exists beyond our planet?
9. Human beings can go beyond the planet Earth to explore new places.

 

beside

 

1. They're standing beside each other. They're standing next to each other. (beside = next to) * Beside" is not the same as "besides." Be careful not to confuse these two words.
2. The opera house in Sydney is beside the ocean.
3. The cathedral is beside the river.
4. The bacon is beside the eggs.
5. He sat beside the window and waited for the truck to come.
6. In many cities, modern buildings are right beside older buildings.
7. He's standing beside the computer.
8. Do you want to sit beside the water and have lunch?

 

This young mother wanted to have her picture taken while sitting between her daughters.
Which flag is flying between the American and the Canadian flags?
The man sitting between the other two men feels uncomfortable because there's not much room on the bench for all three of them.
The bridge beween these two bluffs provides a safe crossing.
The relationship between a doctor and a patient is confidential.
There's a very narrow walkway between these two buildings.
The fight between these two men resulted in the death of one of them.
This dog is sticking his nose between the bars on the window.
There are many differences between these two men, but they're still good friends.
A handshake is often used to indicate an agreement between two people.
A plate sits between a knife and a fork. (Although the fork usually goes on the left and the knife usually goes on the right.

 

behind in

1. He fell behind in his rent, so his landlord told him to leave. (fall behind in: to be late in making payments or the completion of work)
2. He's behind in some of his classes, so his parents found a tutor to help him. (When a person is "behind in" a class, he or she is having trouble completing or understanding the work that is assigned.)
3. He's behind in his yardwork.
4. The jockey doesn't want to fall behind in the race.
5. Woodrow Wilson probably would have fallen behind in the election results in 1916 if he hadn't been against U.S. involvment in World War I. He changed his mind in 1917 after Germany attacked U.S. ships.

below

 

1. This man is standing below the transmission tower.
2. This building is very tall. There are many buildings below it that are shorter.
3. Below the ground, the subway carries people around the city.
4. Her head is above the water. The rest of her body is below the water.
5. The airplane is flying above the clouds. Below the clouds, it's raining.
6. These fish are far below the surface of the water.
7. When the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and there's snow on the ground, you can make a snowman.
8. In boxing, it's against the rules to hit your opponent below the belt. (below the belt = below the waist)
9. She works below the assistant manager. He's not her supervisor, but he tells her what to do.