Preposition Notes, Quizzes & Revision

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a small word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence. It tells about place, time, movement or direction, and other relationships.

Common types and examples (Kenyan contexts)

• Place: in, on, at, under, between, near, next to
  Examples:

  • I live in Nairobi.
  • The mangoes are on the table.
  • The bank is next to the post office.
  • Our classroom is on the third floor.
• Time: at, on, in, before, after, during
  Examples:

  • School starts at 8 a.m.
  • We travel to Mombasa in December.
  • He arrived before noon.
• Movement / Direction: to, from, into, out of, through, towards
  Examples:

  • They travelled to Kisumu by matatu.
  • The children ran into the classroom.
  • Walk towards the market, then turn left.

Simple rules to remember

• Prepositions usually come before a noun or pronoun: "at school", "in the market".
• Use in for large areas or months/years (in Kenya, in 2025), on for surfaces or days (on the table, on Monday), at for specific points (at the gate, at 7 o'clock).
• After verbs of movement use to or into when showing direction: "go to Nairobi", "jump into the river".
• Some expressions are fixed (collocations): interested in, good at, afraid of. Learn them as phrases.

Visual reminder

Quick practice (for age_replace learners)

1. Fill in the blanks with one preposition: (in / on / at / to / from)
   1. We will meet ___ the school gate.
   2. She went ___ Mombasa last week.
   3. The cat is sitting ___ the roof.
   4. Bananas are sold ___ the market.
2. Choose the correct preposition:
   1. I was born ___ July. (in / on)
   2. He lives ___ Nakuru. (in / at)
3. Rewrite using a preposition of movement:
   1. The boy entered the shop. -> The boy walked ___ the shop.

Tips for teachers and learners (Kenyan classrooms)

• Use local examples (markets, matatus, towns, landmarks) to make prepositions meaningful.
• Give short role-plays: "Meet me at the bus stop", "Put the books on the shelf".
• Practise with pictures: ask learners to describe where objects are using prepositions.
• Highlight common mistakes (e.g., "in the Monday" → correct: "on Monday").