Prepositions of Time, Place & Movement
in, on, at, by, to, for — small words that cause big errors. Plus the "dependent prepositions" that follow specific verbs and adjectives.
Use in for long periods (in July), on for specific days or dates (on Monday), and at for exact times or points (at 7pm). Some verbs and adjectives lock in one fixed preposition — like depend ON or good AT — that you must memorise as a unit rather than translate. Even 1 wrong preposition, like "depend of" instead of "depend on," stands out instantly to a CELPIP marker.
- How do I remember which preposition to use for time?
- Think of a ladder from big to small: use in for long periods (in 2024, in the morning), on for specific days and dates (on Monday, on July 5th), and at for exact times (at 7pm, at noon).
- What are dependent prepositions and why do they matter for CELPIP?
- Dependent prepositions are fixed pairings like depend on, good at, interested in, and responsible for that must be memorised as a unit since they aren't logical. Errors like "depend of the weather" instead of "depend on the weather" are frequent and instantly noticeable to markers.
- Should I translate prepositions from my first language?
- No — the lesson advises against translating prepositions from your first language and instead recommends learning them as part of the phrase, such as storing "responsible for" as one chunk rather than two separate words.
- 1.Time: at for clock times (at 6pm), on for days/dates (on Monday), in for months/years/periods (in July, in the morning).
- 2.Place: at for points (at the door), on for surfaces (on the table), in for enclosed spaces (in the room).
- 3.Many verbs/adjectives need a fixed preposition: depend ON, good AT, interested IN, responsible FOR.
- 4.Do not translate prepositions from your first language — learn them as part of the phrase.
Time: in / on / at
A simple ladder from big to small:
- in — long periods: in 2024, in July, in the morning, in winter.
- on — specific days and dates: on Monday, on July 5th, on my birthday.
- at — exact times and points: at 7pm, at noon, at night.
"The exam is on Saturday at 9am in the morning."
Place: in / on / at
- in — enclosed or three-dimensional space: in the box, in Toronto, in the car.
- on — a surface or line: on the wall, on the bus, on the second floor.
- at — a specific point or place: at the bus stop, at home, at the meeting.
Dependent prepositions
Many words simply require a particular preposition. These are not logical — they must be memorised as a unit:
- depend on, listen to, look at, wait for, apply for
- good at, interested in, afraid of, responsible for, similar to, married to
✓ "It depends on the weather." ✗ "It depends of the weather." (a very common error)
CELPIP application
Preposition slips ("in Monday", "depend of") are frequent and instantly noticeable. When you learn a new verb or adjective, learn its preposition with it — for example, store "responsible for" as one chunk, not two words.
Check yourself
A quick self-check on this lesson — pick an answer, then see the explanation. Not graded.
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