Language and Grammar, continued

  • 1 TRY OUT LANGUAGE

  • 2 LEARN GRAMMAR

  • 3 APPLY ON YOUR OWN

Use Prepositions

Prepositions are words that help show location, direction, and time.

Prepositions That Show Location

Illustration: a series of diagrams and a red dot to show prepositions used for location

  • • Use location prepositions to tell where someone is.

    EXAMPLESRachel lives on East Street in the city.

Prepositions That Show Direction

Illustration: a series of diagrams and a red dot to show prepositions used for direction

  • • Use direction prepositions to tell where someone goes.

    EXAMPLESThe police drove into her neighborhood. They went up the stairs to her front door.

Prepositions That Show Time

  • • Use prepositions of time to tell when something happens.

    EXAMPLESRachel called at 9 p.m. The police arrived in five minutes.
    They stayed until 10 p.m. After 10 p.m., Rachel went to bed. She fell asleep before 11 p.m.

Practice Together

Say each sentence with the correct preposition.

  • 1. Just (at/on) midnight, the rain started.

  • 2. (After/until) an hour, it began to pour. It rained hard.

  • 3. When the thunder started, the cat ran (into/over) the bedroom.

Try It!

Read each sentence. Write the correct preposition on a card. Then say the sentence with the correct preposition.

  • 4. Water dripped (down/up) the window.

  • 5. The cat hid (above/under) the bed.

  • 6. The rain continued (before/until) 6 a.m.