5+ Golden Rules for Prepositions in English Grammar with Examples

Mastering English grammar can feel like solving a tricky puzzle, and prepositions are often the tiny but mighty pieces that confuse learners the most. Should you say on the bus or in the bus? Is it at night or in the night? Don’t worry—once you know the golden rules, prepositions become simple and even fun to use. In this blog, we’ll walk you through 5+ golden rules of prepositions with clear examples that will make your sentences shine with confidence.

What are Prepositions and Examples?

Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to the rest of a sentence and show the relationship between them. They usually tell us about direction, place, time, cause, manner, or means.

Think of them as “connecting words” that help sentences make sense.

Examples:

• Direction: She walked into the room.
• Place/Position: The book is on the table.
• Time: We will meet at 6 PM.
• Cause/Reason: He was late because of traffic.
• Means/Instrument: She came by train.

In short, prepositions are small words, but they play a big role in making our sentences clear and meaningful.

Also Read: Uncover 8 Types of Prepositions with Examples

6 Rules for Prepositions that Apply Everywhere

There are 6 simple and easy-to-learn rules that will help you ace the grammatical section of various competitive exams. Here are the 6 rules for prepositions:

• Rule 1- Prepositions must have an object
• Rule 2- Must be placed before
• Rule 3- The Pronoun following the Preposition should be the object form
• Rule 4- Prepositions form
• Rule 5- Do not confuse the preposition ‘to’ with the infinitive ‘to’
• Rule 6- A Verb cannot be an object of a preposition

Also Read: How to Use the Preposition of To?

How to Use Prepositions in a Sentence?

Examples are a great way to understand the essence of the topic. It helps you understand the usage, types, and differences. Here is a detailed description of the rules for prepositions with examples:

Prepositions must have an object

Prepositions must have an object. Without an object, the preposition is merely an adverb. A preposition always has an object whereas an adverb never has an object. Let’s understand it better with the help of some examples:

• He is in the kitchen

(The preposition “in” has an object the kitchen)

• Please come in

(It is an adverb, since “in” has no object)

• There was a table before me 

(The preposition “before” has to object to me)

• Vicky had never seen it before 

(Adverb “before” has no object)

• They will catch up after the movie

(Preposition “after” has an object “movie”)

• Aarav called soon after 

(Adverb “after” has no object)

Also Read: Compound Prepositions

Preposition means place before

This rule states that generally, the Preposition comes before its object but not always. A preposition comes before a noun or a pronoun. Let’s understand this rule for prepositions with some examples:

• She put the things in the box

(“In” has an object box, and is placed before “box”)

You can not end a sentence with a preposition, which is a prevalent myth of English grammar. But the truth is, you can make a sentence with a preposition. For example:-

• Who did you talk to? 

(Preposition “to” related to the pronoun “who”)

A pronoun following a Preposition should be in the object form.

The noun or pronoun following a preposition forms a prepositional object. If a pronoun is following a preposition, it should be in the objective form ( me, her, them) and not the subjective form (I, she, they, etc.). Look at the examples below:

• The gift is from Ravi and Ruchita.

• The secret is between you and me.

Also, Read about Preposition Over Here!

Preposition Form

Prepositions particularly have no form. Most of the prepositions are one-word only, but there are some two to three-word prepositions known as complex prepositions.  Let’s take the help of examples to understand the concept with clarity:

• One-word prepositions like before, on, into

• Complex Prepositions like according to, despite, on account of, but for

Do not confuse the preposition ‘to’ with the infinitive ‘to’

“To” is used as a Preposition (like to me, to India)  as well and “to” is an infinitive participle too (to eat, to dance, to sing, etc.). Be aware and don’t mix the two different things. Here are a few examples for more clarity:

To as a Preposition

• I am used to painting
• I look forward to seeing you (Don’t use see you)

To as an Infinitive Participle

• I used to live in America
• They love to sing

Also Read: Articles and Preposition

The verb cannot be an object of a preposition

This is the Golden Rule of Preposition. Sometimes it happens that words that look like verbs are followed by prepositions “to” but a verb can never be an object of a preposition. Confusing right? Let’s understand it with an example:

• I like to sing
• These guitars are for singing

In the examples above, “sing” and “singing” are not verbs. In the first example, to sing is part of the infinitive and it occurs when a verb is used as a noun, adverb, or adjective. Here, to sing is not an action that is being performed, but what a person likes doing. 

In the second example, singing is a ‘gerund’ which is a noun, though it is formed out of a verb. Her singing is the thing to which the guitars are related. No one in this sentence is singing.

Also Check: Pictures for Preposition

Check Out Other Important Reads on Prepositions

Prepositions Class 8 Exercises	25 Fixed Prepositions List
Prepositions for Class 4	Preposition of Directions
Use of ‘For’ Preposition	Use of At, On, In Preposition
Preposition & Prepositional Phrases	Prepositions of Place
Time Prepositions	Use of Prepositions

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog provides you with a comprehensive guide on the Rules for prepositions. Gearing up for English proficiency exams like IELTS or TOEFL? Sign up for a demo session with our Leverage Live experts and we will help you plan the right exam strategy and equip you with the best study materials, resources and mentorship you need to achieve your target score!