Purdue University North Central Writing Center Handout

Prepositions of Time and Place

One point in time--      on (with days--may be omitted informally);

                                    at (with noon, night, midnight; with the time of day);

                                    in (with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with                                          seasons)

Extended time--           since, for (sometimes omitted informally), by, from-to, from-                                       until, during, (with)in.

Supply the required prepositions of time.

1.     They are getting married __________ Friday __________ six o’clock ___________ the evening.

2.     Exactly __________ midnight we were awakened by the shrill sound of the air raid sirens.

3.     The reception will be __________ Sunday _________ four ___________ the afternoon.

4.     Spring begins ___________ March 21, summer ___________ June 21, ____________ Sept. 22, and winter ___________ December 22.

5.     The last time I saw him was ________________________ the spring of 1996.

6.     The event took place _________________ August.

7.     He came to this country ________________ August 5, 1968.

8.     She left for Spain ______________ 1978.

9.     Daffodils usually bloom _______________ late March.

10.  World War II lasted _________________ 1939 _______________ 1945.

11.  They say that _______________ the spring a young man’s fancy fondly turns to thoughts of love.

12.  He has not felt well _______________ a long time, ever _____________ his accident.

13.  She has been away from __________________________ two weeks.

14.  They never go out ___________________ night _________________ the week.

15.  _________________ the storm, all the lights were out ______________ several hours.

16.  We will be ready to leave ___________________ an hour from now.

17.  We will have finished all the work ______________ the time you get here.

18.  He has been away from home _______________ January 12.

19.  __________________ tomorrow, the worst of the storm should be over.

20.  Recently he has been having trouble getting to sleep ____________________ night.

21.  The temperature is below zero.  ________________ a few hours the pond should be frozen over.

Prepositions of Place

The point itself-- in, inside (for something contained), on (the surface), at (a general                                        vicinity).

Higher than a point-- over (generally), above (directly).

Lower than a point-- under (generally), underneath (close under), beneath, below (directly).

Neighboring the point-- near, by, next to, between, among, opposite.

Supply the required preposition of place.

1.     I’ll meet ________________  the Statler Hotel.

2.     If you want to reach that shelf you’d better stand _________________ a chair.

3.     You will find some stamps ___________________ the middle drawer of the desk.

4.     We are still living _______________ 450 Bedford Avenue.

5.     This apartment is 10D; 11D is the apartment directly _________________ us.

6.     __________________ the box were the earrings she thought she had lost.

7.     Some of the most expensive stores _______________ New York are ___________ Fifth Avenue.

8.     ______________ the front page of a newspaper are the most important stories of the day.

9.     Play _______________ the house.  It is too cold outside.

10.  When you are sitting ____________ the table for dinner, don’t put your elbows ___________ the table.

11.  There is no one _____________________ the world who can help me now.

12.  The boy hid the money __________________ a rock _________________ the garden.

13.  A subterranean river runs ____________________ the ground.

14.  The tax office is _____________________ the second floor.

15.  A submarine operates __________________ the surface of the water.

16.  We will wait for you ___________________ the lobby of the hotel.

17.  He saw a dollar bill lying __________________ the sidewalk.

18.  Turn left __________________ the next intersection.

19.  The pupils were busy writing some exercises _________________ their desks.

^20.        They arrived __________________ the United States last week.¹

^21.        The plane arrived _________________ the airport two hours late.¹

¹ Arrive in is used for a larger geographical area such as a country.  Arrive at is used for a smaller area such as a building, a station, an airport.  With cities or towns, arrive in is far more common than arrive at.