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Prepositions: Time & Place
Look at this sample situation:
A conversation between two friends:
Anna: I’ll meet you at the café at 3 p.m.
Ben: Great! I’ll be there on time. Is it near the library?
Anna: Yes, it’s next to the library, opposite the bookstore.
You can see from these examples that prepositions of time (at, on, in, since, for, by, during) tell us when something happens.
Prepositions of place (at, in, on, next to, between, opposite, behind, above, below) tell us where something or someone is.
Prepositions of Time
At: for exact times and fixed expressions
We use at when we talk about a precise moment or a point in time:
I usually get up at 7 a.m.
The meeting starts at noon.
Let’s go for a walk at lunchtime.
Common expressions: at night, at the weekend (British English), at Christmas, at the moment.
On: for days and dates
Use on when something happens on a specific day or date:
I met her on Monday.
We’re having a party on the 5th of December.
They usually go out on Friday evenings.
Common expressions: on my birthday, on New Year’s Day, on time (meaning not late).
In: for longer periods
Use in for months, years, centuries and seasons:
I was born in 2002.
We usually go skiing in winter.
He started his new job in May.
Common expressions: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. Notice that we say at night but in the morning.
Since and For: showing duration
Since refers to the starting point of a period that continues to now. For shows the length of time something has continued:
I’ve lived in Buenos Aires since 2015.
I’ve lived here for ten years.
By: for deadlines
By tells us that something happens no later than a certain time.
Please finish your essay by Friday.
I’ll be home by 8 o’clock.
During: for periods or events
We use during to say when something happens within a longer period of time:
I fell asleep during the film.
I met lots of people during my trip to Spain.
Note: Don’t confuse it with for. We say:
I slept for two hours.
to show the length of time but:
I slept during the flight.
to show when you slept, not a time period.
Prepositions of Place
At: for a specific point or place
Use at when you think of a place as a specific point or a location on a map:
Let’s meet at the station.
She’s waiting at the door.
I saw him at the bus stop.
Common fixed expressions: at home, at school, at the office, at the airport.
In: for enclosed spaces or larger areas
Use in when something or someone is inside an enclosed space or a large area:
There’s milk in the fridge.
I live in London.
They’re sitting in the garden.
Tip: Use in for towns, cities, and countries:
I live in Paris.
He works in Italy.
On: for surfaces and streets
Use on when something is in contact with a surface or along a street:
The picture is on the wall.
Her phone is on the table.
They live on Oxford Street.
Also: on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on TV, on the radio.
Near, Next to, Between, Opposite, Behind, In front of
These describe relative position between two or more things:
Near means close to:
There’s a café near my house.
Next to / Beside means immediately adjacent:
The bank is next to the supermarket.
Between means in the middle of two things:
The school is between the park and the hospital.
Opposite means facing something:
The restaurant is opposite the cinema.
Behind / In front of describe forward and backward position:
The car is behind the house.
The shop is in front of the church.
Above / Below describe higher or lower position:
The mirror is above the fireplace.
The cat is hiding below the bed.
In the FCE exam
Prepositions are very common and you will probably see them or need to use them in most parts of the exam. Here are some examples:
Reading and Use of English
You often find prepositions tested in Part 2 (Open Cloze). They test your knowledge of natural English combinations and fixed expressions:
I haven’t seen her ___ Christmas.
Answer: since
He was told he had to send the documents ___ the end of the week.
Answer: by
Writing
In an essay or a report, you might write:
Tourists usually arrive in July.
The exhibition will open at the museum on Monday.
In reviews prepositions help you describe locations and events:
The café is next to the park and has live music at night.
In articles they may make your writing sound fluent and vivid:
Have you ever had breakfast on a rooftop in the middle of the city?
Speaking
In Part 1 when talking about routines:
I usually get up at 7 a.m. and go to work at 9.
In Part 2 when describing a photo:
In this picture, there’s a man sitting on a bench in the park. Behind him, there’s a big tree.
In Part 3 when comparing situations:
People spend a lot of time in front of screens these days but they still enjoy meeting at cafés.
In Part 4 when discussing experiences:
I’ve been studying English since I was a child.
During my exchange year in London, I learned a lot about British culture.