Although prepositions are small words, they are very important ones. Test your knowledge of prepositions with this grammar exercise.
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition.
1. I slept ........................... nine o'clock.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Till and until mean the same. Till is used of time, and to is used of place.
2. I commenced work ......................... 1st May.
Wrong!
Like since, from can be used to denote the starting point; however, unlike since, from is used with all the tenses.
3. We walked ........................ the end of the street.
Wrong!
Till is not used of place. It indicates time.
4. The child has been missing ............................ yesterday.
Wrong!
With perfect and perfect continuous tenses, we prefer since and for. Since shows the starting point of something.
5. He traveled seventy miles ......................... two hours.
Wrong!
When 'in' is used before a noun indicating a period of time, it means 'at the end of'.
6. I received this message ....................... 7 o'clock .................. the morning.
Wrong!
We use 'at' before clock times and 'in' before morning and evening.
7. I saw him felling a big tree .................... a hatchet.
Wrong!
With denotes the instrument and by denotes the agent.
8. An old feud existed ................... the two families.
Wrong!
We use between to speak of two people or things; we use among to speak of a group of people or things.
9. ......................... Peter and John, there were three other boys present.
Wrong!
Beside means by the side of; besides means in addition to.
10. He was stabbed .................... a lunatic ................ a dagger.
Wrong!
With denotes the instrument and by denotes the agent.
11. She dislikes being looked .........................
Wrong!
Words like look, stare, shout etc., take the preposition at.
12. Don't throw food ...................... the dog.
Wrong!
Throw at indicates an idea of attack. Throw to is used when there is no idea of attack.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
1. I slept till / until nine o’clock.
2. I commenced work from 1st May.
3. We walked to the end of the street.
4. The child has been missing since yesterday.
5. He traveled seventy miles in two hours.
6. I received this message at 7 o’clock in the morning.
7. I saw him felling a big tree with a hatchet.
8. An old feud existed between the two families.
9. Besides Peter and John, there were three other boys present.
10. He was stabbed by a lunatic with a dagger.
11. She dislikes being looked at.
12. Don’t throw food to the dog.
