Grade 7 English TRAVEL – GRAMMAR IN USE:SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS Notes
English — GRAMMAR IN USE: SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS
Topic: Travel (for age 12, Kenya)
Prepositions are small words that tell us more about place, time or movement. In travel, prepositions help us say where we go, how we travel, and where we arrive or wait.
Common simple prepositions for travel:
- in — inside a place or city (in Nairobi, in the car)
- on — on top of or inside public transport (on the bus, on the plane, on a matatu)
- at — a point or place (at the bus stop, at the airport)
- to — movement towards a place (go to Mombasa)
- from — starting point (from Kisumu)
- by — means of travel (by taxi, by boda boda, by train)
- with — someone you travel together with (with my family)
- near / next to / behind / between / under / over — position words (the bus stop is next to the market)
Quick rules (easy):
- Use "in" for cities and enclosed places: I live in Nakuru. We are in the taxi.
- Use "at" for points and places like stations, stops, airports: Wait at the bus stop. She is at the airport.
- Use "on" for public transport you can stand or walk inside: I am on the bus / on the matatu / on the train.
- "By" + transport: We travelled by bus / by plane / by boda boda.
- "To" shows movement: He is going to Eldoret.
- Arrive in vs arrive at: arrive in + city (arrive in Mombasa), arrive at + place/point (arrive at the airport).
- Get on / get off for bus, train, plane. Get in / get out for cars, taxis.
✈️
🚌
🚗
🛣️
(Plane, bus/matatu, car/taxi, road)
Examples from Kenyan travel:
- I am at the bus stop near the market.
- We travelled by matatu to Nairobi.
- She is on the bus to Mombasa.
- He will arrive in Kisumu tomorrow.
- The teacher waited at the airport and then got on the plane.
- Get in the car. We are going to Eldoret.
- The boda boda dropped us off at the market next to the school.
Common mistakes and tips
- Do not say "on Nairobi" — say "in Nairobi".
- Say "arrive in Mombasa" (city) but "arrive at the airport" (place/point).
- Say "on the bus" but "in the car".
Practice: Fill in the blanks
- We travel ___ matatu every morning. (by / on / in)
- She is waiting ___ the bus stop. (at / in / on)
- The family arrived ___ Mombasa yesterday. (in / at / on)
- He got ___ the plane in time. (on / in / at)
- They go ___ school ___ foot. (to / by / in) (on / by / with)
- I left my bag ___ the car. (in / on / at)
- We travelled ___ Nairobi ___ Eldoret. (to / from / in) (to / from / in)
- The bus stopped ___ the market, ___ the school. (next to / under / behind) (between / near / on)
- She came ___ Kisumu ___ a train. (to / from / by)
- Remember to get ___ the bus when we reach the station. (on / off / in)
Multiple choice: Choose the best preposition
- We waited ___ the airport. (a) in (b) at (c) on
- He travelled ___ boda boda. (a) by (b) in (c) on
- She lives ___ Nakuru. (a) at (b) on (c) in
- They got ___ the bus and sat down. (a) in (b) on (c) at
Answers
- by
- at
- in
- on
- to, on (We go to school on foot.)
- in
- from, to (We travelled from Nairobi to Eldoret.)
- next to, near (The bus stopped next to the market, near the school.)
- from, by (She came from Kisumu by a train.)
- off
MCQ: 1(b), 2(a), 3(c), 4(b)
Quick practice tip
When you speak, think: "Is it a city (use in)?" "Is it a point like a stop or airport (use at)?" "Is it a public transport I can stand on (use on)?" This helps you choose the right preposition fast.
Created for Kenyan learners (age 12) — focus: simple prepositions used in travel situations.