Difference in Prepositions

II MOP, M Scheme, IV Semester
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Fill in the blank with correct preposition chosen from those given in brackets:

1. He lives …………. 19 Tower Road. (at, on)

2. We Will be gone ………… two days.(for, since)

3. Tom and his friend will divide the money ………….themselves. (among, between)

4. They will be returning ………. November. (in, on)

5. I have known him …………three years. (for, since)

6. Many foods ……….. milk contain calcium. (beside, besides)

7. I will arrive …………six o' clock. (at, in)

8. He has been gone ………… Friday. (for, since)

9. The store is located ……….. North Street. (at, on)

10. She is leaving ………….. five minutes.(at, in)

11. Bridget, Leslie and Sarah will discuss the matter ………. themselves. (between, among)

12. I have known her ……… last year. (for, since)

13. We expect them ………. Wednesday. (in, on)

14. The cat was sitting ………. the stove. (beside, besides)

15. The play begins ……….. seven thirty. (at, on)

16. We waited ………….. fifteen minutes. (for, since)

17. Columbus crossed the Atlantic ………. 1492.(in, at)

18. There are many possibilities ……….. the one I have mentioned.(beside, besides)

19. She will call us ………. half an hour. (at, in)

20. His birthday is …………. the 8^th of January. (in, on)

Answers with Explanations:

1. on ( “at” refers to a specific point in a place or a small place within a big place, “on” is used to refer to something which is on the surface, “in” is used to indicate a large place or an enclosed place, or a place in general)

Other examples: at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore, works at Infosys, works in a company,  at bustand,  walking on the road, moving on the street, on the table,  at the end of the road, in a box, in the room

2. for (“for” is used to refer to a period or duration of time and “since” is used to denote a specific moment in time)

Other Examples: for two weeks, for 5 months, for 2 years, since yesterday, since last year, since 2015

3. between (“between” refers to a position between two objects, persons or places but “among” means “surrounded by more than two persons, objects or places”)

4. in (use at for a particular time, on for days, date and in for duration, morning,  months, years, seasons, centuries)

Other Examples: at 5 o’ clock, at 6 p.m, at sun rise, at dinner, on Sunday, on Moday, on 5^th January, on my birthday, in March, in August, in the summer, in the morning,  in the winter, in the 19^th century, in 2017, in 1892)

5. for (please, refer to second answer)

6. besides (beside = near, besides= in addition to)

7. at  (see 4^th  answer)

8. since (from a particular time in the past)

9. at (a specific place is mentioned)

10. in (duration of time, not a specific time)

11. among (see 3rd answer)

12. since (from a specific time in the past)

13. on (see the fourth answer)

14. beside (beside = near, besides= in addition to)

15. at (a particular time)

16. for (see 2^nd answer)

17. in (see the fourth answer)

18. besides (beside = near, besides= in addition to)

19. in (duration of time, mentioned in general, not a specific time)

20. on (see the fourth answer)