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.
1I slept ............... nine o'clock.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Till" and "until" both mean up to a stated time.
2I worked there ............... 1st May to 30th June.
Wrong!
"From" shows the starting point of the work period, used with "to" for the end point.
3We walked ............... the end of the street.
Wrong!
"To" shows movement toward a destination or endpoint.
4The child has been missing ............... yesterday.
Wrong!
"Since" shows when a continuing situation began with the present perfect.
5He traveled seventy miles ............... two hours.
Wrong!
"In" shows the amount of time needed to complete the journey.
6I received this message ............... 7 o'clock in the morning.
Wrong!
"At" is used before an exact clock time.
7I saw him felling a big tree ............... a hatchet.
Wrong!
"With" shows the instrument used to cut down the tree.
8An old feud existed ............... the two families.
Wrong!
"Between" is used for a relationship involving two families.
9............... Peter and John, there were three other boys present.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Besides" and "In addition to" mean including others as well as Peter and John.
10He was stabbed by a lunatic ............... a dagger.
Wrong!
"With" shows the weapon used in the stabbing.
11She dislikes being looked ...............
Wrong!
"At" is the required preposition after "look" in this passive structure.
12Throw the ball ............... the dog so that he can catch it.
Wrong!
"To" means the ball is sent toward the dog as the receiver, for him to catch; "throw at" means trying to hit someone or something, and "on" is not used in this sense.
Answers
- I slept till / until nine o’clock.
- I worked there from 1st May to 30th June.
- We walked to the end of the street.
- The child has been missing since yesterday.
- He traveled seventy miles in two hours.
- I received this message at 7 o’clock in the morning.
- I saw him felling a big tree with a hatchet.
- An old feud existed between the two families.
- Besides / In addition to Peter and John, there were three other boys present.
- He was stabbed by a lunatic with a dagger.
- She dislikes being looked at.
- Throw the ball to the dog so that he can catch it.