If prepositions make your head spin, you’re not alone. The good news is, you can learn them—and even master them—with some simple tricks. This guide is here to help you do just that, minus the boring textbook feel. This fun, beginner-friendly guide gives you clear tips to master English prepositions without getting confused.

Let’s break it down.

What Are Prepositions, Anyway?

Prepositions are small words that show the relationship between two things. They tell you where, when, how, or why something is happening.

Some of the most common ones include:

in
on
at
to
from
by
with
about

Example:
“I’m at the station with my friend waiting for a train to Jakarta.”

That one sentence has four prepositions. Crazy, right?

Tip #1: Master Prepositions of Place with Visual Tricks

Let’s start with place prepositions—they show where something is.

At = a point
“I’m at the door.”
On = a surface
“The book is on the table.”
In = inside something
“The phone is in the bag.”

Visual Trick:
Imagine a box.

If something is in the box, it’s inside.
If it’s on the box, it’s sitting on top.
If you’re at the box, you’re standing next to it.

Once you start seeing the logic, it’s easier to remember.

Tip #2: Learn Prepositions of Time in Three Levels

Time prepositions can be confusing too. Let’s break it into levels—from general to specific.

In = general time
- “In the morning”
- “In April”
- “In 2025”
On = specific days/dates
- “On Monday”
- “On Christmas Day”
- “On July 3rd”
At = very specific moments
- “At 7:00 AM”
- “At midnight”
- “At lunchtime”

Easy Rule:
Use in for the big stuff, on for the mid-size stuff, and at for the pinpoint.

Tip #3: Group Similar Prepositions Together

Learning one preposition at a time can feel slow. Instead, group them based on meaning or usage.

Group: Movement

to (direction): I’m going to school.
into (entering): She walked into the room.
onto (moving to a surface): He jumped onto the table.

Group: Position

under (below): The ball is under the bed.
over (above): The plane flew over the city.
next to (beside): She sat next to her brother.

When you group similar ones, you’ll spot patterns faster—and remember more.

Tip #4: Don’t Translate Prepositions Word for Word

Here’s the trap many learners fall into: translating prepositions from their first language.

In English, we say:

“Good at singing”
“Interested in art”
“Afraid of spiders”

But these combinations might be totally different in other languages. That’s why it’s better to learn them as chunks, not word-for-word.

Better Way: Memorize the full phrase, not just the preposition.

Example:

Don’t just remember “interested” — remember “interested in.”
Don’t just learn “afraid” — remember “afraid of.”

Tip #5: Use Preposition Collocations

Some prepositions naturally go with certain verbs or adjectives. These are called collocations.

Here are a few useful ones:

Verb/Adjective	Preposition	Example
depend	on	It depends on the weather.
apologize	for	I apologize for the delay.
good	at	She’s good at painting.
listen	to	Please listen to me.
afraid	of	He’s afraid of heights.

Practice Tip:
Make flashcards or a list of common collocations you hear in everyday life. Repeat them out loud. It sticks.

Tip #6: Watch for Preposition Mistakes (and Laugh at Them)

Sometimes the best way to remember a rule… is to break it. Here are common (and funny) mistakes that actually help you learn.

❌ “I live on Jakarta.”
✅ “I live in Jakarta.”
❌ “She’s good in singing.”
✅ “She’s good at singing.”
❌ “Let’s meet in 5 o’clock.”
✅ “Let’s meet at 5 o’clock.”

The funnier the mistake, the easier to remember the fix.

Tip #7: Speak First, Perfect Later

Many learners wait to get it perfect before speaking. But here’s the truth: you learn faster when you use prepositions, not just study them.

So even if you make mistakes, keep talking. Over time, your brain will adjust and self-correct.

Try this:

Describe your room using “in,” “on,” and “under.”
Tell a friend where you’ll be “at,” “on,” or “in.”
Make mini-stories using 3–5 prepositions at a time.

Make speaking your playground—not a test.

Tip #8: Play Games With Prepositions

Bored of grammar drills? Let’s change that.

Here are fun games to try:

Preposition Scavenger Hunt:
Name five things in your room, five things on your desk, five things under your bed. Fastest wins!
Preposition Story Chain:
One person starts: “There’s a cat on the roof.”
Next: “And a dog under the tree.”
Keep going till someone repeats or gets stuck.
Fill in the Gap Challenges:
“I was born ___ 2002.”
“He’s afraid ___ the dark.”
Make it a quiz with friends.

Games make learning stick without it feeling like study.

Tip #9: Listen Like a Detective

If you want to speak naturally, listen naturally.

Next time you watch a movie or YouTube video, don’t just focus on the story. Start paying attention to how people use prepositions.

Keep an ear out for phrases like:

“She’s on the phone.”
“We’ll meet at the station.”
“They’re in trouble.”

Try this:

Pause and repeat the full sentence.
Write it down.
Say it out loud.

Soon, you’ll start to “feel” when a preposition sounds right—without even trying.

Tip #10: Learn from Your Mistakes, Not Fear Them

You’ll mess up sometimes. Everyone does. The key is to catch your mistake and correct it.

That’s how progress happens.

Don’t worry if you say “on the bus” when you meant “in the car.” Celebrate the fact that you’re speaking English!

Keep a little notebook or phone note with your common preposition mistakes. Every time you fix one, you’re improving.

Bonus: 10 Must-Know Preposition Phrases to Sound Fluent

Want to sound more natural? Memorize these handy expressions:

In time
On time
At the moment
In a hurry
On purpose
At risk
By chance
From time to time
With care
About to (do something)

Use them in your daily conversations and your fluency will jump fast.

How to Practice Daily (Even If You’re Busy)

1 minute: Describe where your stuff is using “in,” “on,” and “under.”
5 minutes: Watch a short video and write down all the prepositions.
10 minutes: Do a preposition quiz online or from your coursebook.
15 minutes: Record yourself telling a story using at least 10 prepositions.

Small steps every day = big results.

Need a Place to Practice All This?

If you’re serious about mastering English, IELCis here to help you do more than just memorize grammar rules.

Why choose IELC?

Real teachers who guide you with care
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Whether you’re learning for school, career, or just for fun, IELC makes English feel natural. You’ll learn it, speak it, and love it.

At IELC, we teach English the right way

Our goal is to get you speaking in English with fluency and confidence as fast as possible. We want to give you the skills you need to fulfill your potential!

Our experienced teachers will guide you along every step of the learning process to ensure that you are not wasting your time, money, and energy on useless language exercises & wrong methods.

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