Preposition Worksheet for Class 7: Mastering Position and Relationship

Understanding prepositions is crucial for building a strong foundation in English grammar. Prepositions are the unsung heroes that link nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words in a sentence, clarifying relationships and spatial arrangements.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to prepositions, specifically tailored for Class 7 students. By exploring definitions, types, usage rules, and common mistakes, you’ll gain the confidence to use prepositions effectively in your writing and speaking.

Get ready to dive into the world of prepositions and enhance your English skills!

This guide is designed for students in Class 7, English language learners, and anyone seeking to improve their understanding of prepositions. We will cover everything from basic definitions to advanced usage, ensuring a thorough grasp of this essential grammatical concept.

Table of Contents

1. Definition of Prepositions
2. Structural Breakdown of Prepositional Phrases
3. Types of Prepositions
   • Prepositions of Time
   • Prepositions of Place
   • Prepositions of Movement
   • Prepositions of Direction
   • Prepositions of Agent
   • Prepositions of Instrument
4. Examples of Prepositions
5. Usage Rules for Prepositions
6. Common Mistakes with Prepositions
7. Practice Exercises
8. Advanced Topics: Complex Prepositions
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
10. Conclusion

Definition of Prepositions

A preposition is a word that connects a noun, pronoun, or phrase to another word in a sentence. It indicates the relationship between these elements, often expressing location, time, direction, or manner. Prepositions typically come before the noun or pronoun they govern, forming a prepositional phrase. Understanding prepositions is essential for constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.

Prepositions are crucial for conveying precise meaning. Consider the difference between “The book is on the table” and “The book is under the table.” The prepositions “on” and “under” completely change the location of the book. Without prepositions, sentences would lack crucial context and clarity.

Prepositions can be single words (e.g., in, on, at, to, from) or multi-word phrases (e.g., in front of, according to, because of). These multi-word prepositions are also known as complex prepositions or phrasal prepositions. We will delve deeper into these complex prepositions later in this article.

Structural Breakdown of Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition followed by its object. The object is usually a noun or pronoun, but it can also be a gerund (a verb acting as a noun). The entire prepositional phrase functions as an adjective or an adverb, modifying another word in the sentence.

The basic structure of a prepositional phrase is: Preposition + (Optional Modifiers) + Object. The modifiers can be adjectives or adverbs that further describe the object. For example, in the phrase “in the old house,” “the” and “old” are modifiers describing the noun “house.”

Let’s break down some examples:

• On the table: “on” is the preposition, “the table” is the object.
• In the garden: “in” is the preposition, “the garden” is the object.
• After dinner: “after” is the preposition, “dinner” is the object.
• With great care: “with” is the preposition, “great care” is the object (with “great” modifying “care”).

Prepositional phrases can add detail and depth to your writing, making it more descriptive and engaging. They provide context and clarify relationships between different elements within a sentence.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be categorized based on the type of relationship they express. The most common categories include:

Prepositions of Time

These prepositions indicate when something happens. Common examples include at, on, in, before, after, during, since, until, from, to.

At is used for specific times: at 5 o’clock, at noon, at midnight.

On is used for days and dates: on Monday, on July 4th, on my birthday.

In is used for months, years, seasons, and general periods of time: in January, in 2023, in the summer, in the morning.

Before and After indicate order in time: before dinner, after the movie.

Prepositions of Place

These prepositions indicate where something is located. Common examples include at, on, in, above, below, under, beside, between, near, behind, in front of, next to.

At is used for specific locations or points: at the park, at the corner, at the door.

On is used for surfaces: on the table, on the wall, on the floor.

In is used for enclosed spaces or areas: in the box, in the room, in the city.

Above and Below indicate vertical position: above the clouds, below the surface.

Prepositions of Movement

These prepositions indicate how something moves. Common examples include to, from, through, across, along, around, over, under, into, out of.

To indicates direction towards a destination: go to the store, travel to Europe.

From indicates the starting point of movement: come from school, return from vacation.

Through indicates movement within a space: walk through the forest, drive through the tunnel.

Across indicates movement from one side to the other: swim across the river, walk across the street.

Prepositions of Direction

These prepositions indicate the direction in which something is moving or oriented. While similar to prepositions of movement, they often emphasize the directional aspect more strongly. Examples include: toward(s), onto, off, up, down.

Toward(s) indicates movement in the direction of something: walk towards the light, head towards the mountains.

Onto indicates movement onto a surface: jump onto the stage, climb onto the roof.

Off indicates movement away from a surface: fall off the chair, take off the hat.

Up and Down indicate vertical direction: climb up the stairs, walk down the hill.

Prepositions of Agent

These prepositions indicate who or what performs an action. The most common preposition of agent is by.

By indicates the agent performing the action: The book was written by Jane Austen, The cake was baked by my mother.

Prepositions of Instrument

These prepositions indicate the tool or means by which an action is performed. The most common prepositions of instrument are with and by.

With indicates the instrument used: Cut the bread with a knife, Write with a pen.

By can also indicate the method or means: Travel by train, Communicate by email.

Examples of Prepositions

To solidify your understanding, let’s look at various examples of prepositions in sentences, categorized by type.

The following tables provide extensive examples of prepositions categorized by time, place, movement, direction, agent, and instrument. Each table contains numerous examples to illustrate the diverse usage of prepositions in different contexts.

Examples of Prepositions of Time

This table illustrates how prepositions of time are used to specify when events occur.

Sentence	Preposition of Time
I will meet you at 3 PM.	at
The concert is on Friday.	on
She was born in 1998.	in
We will arrive before noon.	before
He left after the party.	after
They studied during the summer.	during
She has lived here since 2010.	since
I will wait until tomorrow.	until
The store is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.	from, to
He works throughout the day.	throughout
The event will take place over two days.	over
Around midnight, everyone left.	around
The meeting is scheduled for next week.	for
By the time we arrived, the show had started.	by
He stayed past midnight.	past
She finished the project within a week.	within
The class is held every Monday.	every
In the past, things were different.	in
He will call you in an hour.	in
She plans to travel by next year.	by
He finished the race in record time.	in
The deadline is on the 15th.	on
She will be there at the latest.	at
We’ll see you before long.	before
After a while, he understood.	after

Examples of Prepositions of Place

This table illustrates how prepositions of place are used to specify locations.

Sentence	Preposition of Place
The book is on the shelf.	on
The cat is under the table.	under
The picture is above the fireplace.	above
The keys are in the drawer.	in
She is standing at the door.	at
The park is near my house.	near
The bank is across from the school.	across from
The store is next to the bakery.	next to
The garden is behind the house.	behind
The children are playing in front of the building.	in front of
The dog is beside the sofa.	beside
The two houses are between the trees.	between
The city is located along the coast.	along
He lives in a small town.	in
The bird flew over the house.	over
She walked around the lake.	around
The shop is on the corner.	on
The restaurant is in the city center.	in
He is waiting at the bus stop.	at
The museum is close to the station.	close to
The cat jumped off the counter.	off
The plane flew over the mountains.	over
The submarine is below the surface.	below
The secret is hidden deep within the cave.	deep within
The climbers were on top of the mountain.	on top of

Examples of Prepositions of Movement and Direction

This table illustrates how prepositions of movement and direction are used to describe motion.

Sentence	Preposition of Movement/Direction
He is going to the store.	to
She came from school.	from
They walked through the forest.	through
The car drove across the bridge.	across
He ran along the beach.	along
The ball rolled down the hill.	down
She climbed up the stairs.	up
The cat jumped onto the roof.	onto
He fell off the ladder.	off
The river flows into the sea.	into
She took the book out of the bag.	out of
The plane flew over the city.	over
He walked around the park.	around
They are driving towards the mountains.	towards
The ship sailed towards the horizon.	towards
The children ran across the playground.	across
The train traveled through the tunnel.	through
The cat jumped off the table.	off
The bird flew out of the cage.	out of
He climbed over the fence.	over
She walked along the riverbank.	along
The ball bounced down the steps.	down
The plane ascended up into the sky.	up
He stepped onto the platform.	onto
The water flowed into the valley.	into

Examples of Prepositions of Agent and Instrument

This table illustrates how prepositions of agent and instrument are used to indicate who or what performs an action.

Sentence	Preposition of Agent/Instrument
The letter was written by her.	by
The picture was painted by a famous artist.	by
He cut the paper with scissors.	with
She wrote the note with a pen.	with
The door was opened by the wind.	by
The song was sung by the choir.	by
The cake was decorated with frosting.	with
The hole was dug with a shovel.	with
The problem was solved by the team.	by
The house was built by the workers.	by
He fixed the car with a wrench.	with
She cleaned the floor with a mop.	with
The food was cooked by the chef.	by
The message was sent by email.	by
The project was completed by the students.	by
The garden was watered with a hose.	with
The document was signed by the manager.	by
The sculpture was created by the artist.	by
He unlocked the door with a key.	with
She stirred the soup with a spoon.	with

Usage Rules for Prepositions

Using prepositions correctly can be challenging because their usage often depends on context and idiomatic expressions. Here are some general rules and guidelines:

1. Prepositions are usually followed by a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition). For example: in the house, to him, with her.
2. Prepositions often come before the noun or pronoun they govern. However, in some cases, they can come at the end of a sentence, especially in questions or relative clauses. For example: Who are you talking to?
3. Some prepositions have multiple meanings and uses. For example, “at” can indicate time (at 5 o’clock) or place (at the park).
4. Certain verbs and adjectives are often followed by specific prepositions. These combinations are called prepositional verbs or adjectives. For example: depend on, afraid of, interested in.
5. Avoid ending sentences with prepositions unless it sounds natural and avoids awkward phrasing. While it was once considered strictly incorrect, ending sentences with prepositions is now widely accepted in informal English. However, in formal writing, it’s often better to rephrase the sentence.

Understanding prepositional verbs and adjectives is crucial for accurate usage. These combinations often have idiomatic meanings that differ from the individual words.

For example, “look after” means “take care of.”

Be mindful of the context when choosing a preposition. The same preposition can have different meanings depending on the situation. For instance, “in” can indicate location (in the room) or time (in January).

Common Mistakes with Prepositions

Prepositions are a common source of errors for English learners. Here are some frequent mistakes and how to correct them:

• Incorrect: I am agree with you.
  Correct: I agree with you. (The verb “agree” doesn’t need “am” before it.)
• Incorrect: He is good in math.
  Correct: He is good at math. (The correct preposition is “at.”)
• Incorrect: She is interested on music.
  Correct: She is interested in music. (The correct preposition is “in.”)
• Incorrect: They depend of their parents.
  Correct: They depend on their parents. (The correct preposition is “on.”)
• Incorrect: The book is different than the movie.
  Correct: The book is different from the movie. (The correct preposition is “from.”)

Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition in phrasal verbs. For example, confusing “look at” with “look for” can change the meaning of the sentence entirely.

“Look at” means to observe, while “look for” means to search.

Pay close attention to the prepositions used with specific verbs and adjectives. Creating a list of these combinations can be a helpful study tool.

Practice using these combinations in sentences to reinforce your understanding.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of prepositions with these exercises. Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition.

Exercise 1: Prepositions of Time

Choose the correct preposition of time for each sentence.

Question	Answer
1. I will see you ______ Monday.	on
2. The meeting is ______ 2 PM.	at
3. She was born ______ July.	in
4. We arrived ______ the movie started.	before
5. He left ______ the party ended.	after
6. They studied ______ the summer.	during
7. She has lived here ______ 2015.	since
8. I will wait ______ tomorrow.	until
9. The store is open ______ 9 AM ______ 5 PM.	from, to
10. He works ______ the day.	throughout

Exercise 2: Prepositions of Place

Choose the correct preposition of place for each sentence.

Question	Answer
1. The book is ______ the table.	on
2. The cat is ______ the chair.	under
3. The picture is ______ the sofa.	above
4. The keys are ______ the box.	in
5. She is standing ______ the door.	at
6. The park is ______ my house.	near
7. The bank is ______ the school.	across from
8. The store is ______ the bakery.	next to
9. The garden is ______ the house.	behind
10. The children are playing ______ the building.	in front of

Exercise 3: Prepositions of Movement

Choose the correct preposition of movement for each sentence.

Question	Answer
1. He is going ______ the store.	to
2. She came ______ school.	from
3. They walked ______ the forest.	through
4. The car drove ______ the bridge.	across
5. He ran ______ the beach.	along
6. The ball rolled ______ the hill.	down
7. She climbed ______ the stairs.	up
8. The cat jumped ______ the roof.	onto
9. He fell ______ the ladder.	off
10. The river flows ______ the sea.	into

Exercise 4: Mixed Prepositions

Choose the correct preposition for each sentence.

Question	Answer
1. The book was written ______ J.K. Rowling.	by
2. He cut the bread ______ a knife.	with
3. I am interested ______ learning English.	in
4. She is afraid ______ spiders.	of
5. They are waiting ______ the bus.	for
6. The meeting is ______ Tuesday.	on
7. He lives ______ London.	in
8. The cat is sitting ______ the window.	by
9. She is looking ______ her keys.	for
10. The plane flew ______ the clouds.	over

Advanced Topics: Complex Prepositions

Complex prepositions (also known as phrasal prepositions) are multi-word phrases that function as single prepositions. They add nuance and precision to your writing. Common examples include: in front of, in spite of, according to, because of, due to, on account of, in addition to, with regard to.

Using complex prepositions correctly can elevate your writing style. They often provide more formal and sophisticated alternatives to single-word prepositions.

For example, instead of saying “because of the rain,” you could say “on account of the rain.”

Here are some examples of complex prepositions in sentences:

• In front of the house, there is a garden.
• In spite of the rain, we went for a walk.
• According to the report, the economy is improving.
• Because of the traffic, we were late.
• Due to unforeseen circumstances, the event was canceled.
• On account of his illness, he couldn’t attend the meeting.
• In addition to English, she speaks Spanish.
• With regard to your request, we will consider it.

Understanding the meaning and usage of complex prepositions is essential for advanced English proficiency. Pay attention to how these phrases are used in various contexts to expand your vocabulary and improve your writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about prepositions:

1. What is the difference between a preposition and an adverb?

   A preposition always has an object (a noun or pronoun), while an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. For example, in “He ran around the house,” “around” is a preposition because it’s followed by the noun “house.” In “He ran around,” “around” is an adverb because it modifies the verb “ran” without an object.

2. Can a preposition come at the end of a sentence?

   Yes, it can, especially in informal English. This often happens in questions or relative clauses. For example: “Who are you talking to?” However, in formal writing, it’s often better to rephrase the sentence to avoid ending with a preposition.

3. How can I improve my understanding of prepositions?

   Practice, practice, practice! Read widely to see how prepositions are used in context. Make a list of common prepositional phrases and combinations. Do exercises and quizzes to test your knowledge. Pay attention to the prepositions used by native speakers.

4. What are some common mistakes with prepositions?

   Common mistakes include using the wrong preposition with a specific verb or adjective (e.g., “depend of” instead of “depend on”), using the wrong preposition of time or place (e.g., “in Monday” instead of “on Monday”), and ending sentences with prepositions in formal writing.

5. Are there any rules for choosing between ‘in,’ ‘on,’ and ‘at’ for time and place?

   Yes, there are general guidelines. “At” is used for specific times (at 3 PM) and specific locations (at the park). “On” is used for days and dates (on Monday) and surfaces (on the table). “In” is used for months, years, seasons, and general periods of time (in January) and enclosed spaces or areas (in the room).

6. What are complex prepositions and how are they used?

   Complex prepositions are multi-word phrases that function as single prepositions, such as “in front of,” “because of,” and “in spite of.” They are used to add nuance and precision to your writing, often providing more formal alternatives to single-word prepositions. For example: “In spite of the rain, we went for a walk.”

7. How do I know which preposition to use with a particular verb or adjective?

   Unfortunately, there’s no simple rule. Many prepositional combinations are idiomatic and must be memorized. A good strategy is to keep a running list of verb + preposition and adjective + preposition combinations you encounter, and practice using them in context. Dictionaries and grammar resources can also provide guidance.

8. Why are prepositions so difficult for English learners?

   Prepositions can be challenging because their usage is often idiomatic and context-dependent. The same preposition can have multiple meanings, and the correct choice often depends on subtle nuances of meaning. Additionally, prepositional usage varies across languages, leading to potential interference from a learner’s native language.

Conclusion

Mastering prepositions is an essential step in becoming a proficient English speaker and writer. By understanding their definitions, types, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your communication.

Remember to practice regularly, pay attention to context, and consult grammar resources when in doubt. With dedication and effort, you can conquer the challenges of prepositions and unlock a new level of fluency in English.

Continue practicing the exercises provided and seek out additional resources to further enhance your knowledge. Focus on identifying prepositions in real-world contexts, such as books, articles, and conversations.

The more you immerse yourself in the language, the more natural and intuitive your preposition usage will become. Keep learning and keep practicing!