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Prepositions are the “connectors” of the English language, showing the relationship between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. Below is a comprehensive guide to 35 specific rules for using common prepositions, followed by speaking questions to put them into practice.

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35 Specific Rules for Common Prepositions

Prepositions of Time

1. At (Clock Time): Use at for specific times (at 5:00 PM).
2. On (Days/Dates): Use on for specific days and dates (on Monday, on July 4th).
3. In (Periods of Time): Use in for months, years, decades, and seasons (in summer).
4. At (Night/Weekends): Use at for “night” and “the weekend” (at night).
5. In (Parts of the Day): Use in for “the morning/afternoon/evening.”
6. Since (Starting Point): Use since for a specific point in time in the past (since 2010).
7. For (Duration): Use for to show a length of time (for three hours).
8. By (Deadlines): Use by to mean “no later than” (by Friday).
9. Within: Use within to show something happening inside a time limit (within ten minutes).

Prepositions of Place & Direction

10. At (Specific Point): Use at for a specific address or point (at the entrance).
11. On (Surfaces): Use on for something resting on a surface (on the table).
12. In (Enclosed Space): Use in for a space with physical or virtual boundaries (in a room, in a car).
13. To (Destination): Use to for movement toward a place (go to school).
14. Into (Movement Inside): Use into when moving from the outside to the inside (walk into the building).
15. Onto (Movement to Surface): Use onto for movement to a surface (climb onto the roof).
16. Between (Two): Use between when referring to two distinct items.
17. Among (Group): Use among when referring to three or more items or a crowd.
18. Above (No Contact): Use above for something higher than another thing without touching.
19. Over (Movement/Coverage): Use over for movement across something or covering it.
20. Under: Use under for something directly below another thing.
21. Through: Use through for movement within a 3D space (through the tunnel).
22. Across: Use across for movement from one side of a 2D surface to another (across the street).

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Prepositions with Transport & Media

23. On (Public/Large Transport): Use on for buses, trains, planes, and bikes.
24. In (Small/Private Transport): Use in for cars and taxis.
25. On (Digital Media): Use on for things on a screen (on TV, on the internet, on an app).
26. By (Method of Travel): Use by to describe the general mode (by car, by air).

Special Idiomatic Rules

27. Dependent Preposition (Interested): Use in with “interested” (interested in art).
28. Dependent Preposition (Good/Bad): Use at with “good” or “bad” (good at math).
29. Dependent Preposition (Afraid): Use of with “afraid” (afraid of heights).
30. Dependent Preposition (Depend): Use on with “depend” (it depends on the weather).
31. For (Purpose): Use for to express a reason or purpose (go for a walk).
32. About (Subject): Use about for the topic of a book or conversation.
33. With (Tools): Use with for the instrument used to do something (write with a pen).
34. Of (Possession/Origin): Use of to show belonging (the lid of the jar).
35. From (Origin): Use from to show where someone or something started (from Japan).

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30 English Speaking Questions for Practice

1. What time do you usually wake up at?
2. Do you have anything special planned on your next birthday?
3. What is your favorite thing to do in the winter?
4. Do you prefer working in the morning or at night?
5. How long have you been living in your current city?
6. Have you been studying English since you were a child?
7. Could you stay silent for an entire hour?
8. What is a goal you want to achieve by the end of this year?
9. Can you learn a new skill within a month?
10. Where exactly are we meeting? Is it at the café or inside it?
11. What do you keep on your nightstand?
12. What is the most interesting thing you have in your bag right now?
13. If you could fly to any country tomorrow, where would you go?
14. When you walk into a room full of strangers, how do you feel?
15. If a cat jumped onto your laptop right now, what would you do?
16. Who is sitting between you and the door?
17. Do you enjoy being among a large crowd at a concert?
18. Is there a shelf above your television?
19. Have you ever traveled over a very long bridge?
20. What is hidden under your bed?
21. Would you rather hike through a forest or walk across a desert?
22. Do you prefer to watch movies on a big screen or on a phone?
23. Do you usually travel to work by bus or in a car?
24. What subjects were you most interested in during high school?
25. What is one hobby that you are surprisingly good at?
26. Are you afraid of spiders or snakes?
27. Does your mood depend on the amount of sunlight outside?
28. What do you usually do for fun on the weekends?
29. What was the last book you read about?
30. Where is your family originally from?