Prepositions Questions and Answers

Q: I shall stay here __________ Sunday.

The preposition is till: I shall stay here till Sunday.Till (or until) marks the end point of a continuing action: the staying goes on up to Sunday and then stops.By Sunday means "not later than Sunday" and suits a single action to be completed (finish it by Sunday), not a continuing stay. For needs a length of time (for a week). Since marks a starting point in the past and goes with the perfect tense, not with shall stay.A quick test: till fits when the action continues up to a point; by fits when it is completed at or before that point.

Q: Choose the correct one from the following sentences.

The correct sentence is My sister has a good appetite for ice creams.The noun appetite takes the preposition for: an appetite for food, for knowledge, for adventure. It expresses a desire or liking for something.Appetite on and appetite to are not idiomatic. Since one of the sentences is correct, "None of the above" is wrong. Similar fixed pairs are liking for, interest in and sufficient for.Learners often attach on or to by analogy with other words, but the preposition that follows a noun is fixed by usage and has to be learnt with it.

Q: Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.This custom has been in vogue __________ time immemorial.

The right word is since: 'This custom has been in vogue since time immemorial.'Since time immemorial is a fixed phrase meaning from a time so long ago that no one remembers it. It goes naturally with the present perfect has been, which describes a state continuing from a past point up to now.For is used with a length of time ('for centuries'), not with a starting point. Till marks an end point, and during marks a span within which something happens, neither of which fits a custom continuing to the present.

Q: There is a wall _____ the garden.

The sentence reads There is a wall around the garden.Around means on every side of something, enclosing it, which is what a garden wall does.On the garden would put the wall on top of the garden's surface, across the garden would mean a wall cutting through it from one side to the other, and into shows movement towards the inside of something, which a fixed wall does not have.

Q: Where did you buy this book _____ ?

The sentence reads Where did you buy this book from?From marks the source or starting point, here the shop or person the book came from. 'Where did you buy it from?' is the natural spoken English question.For would ask about purpose or price, at needs a place after it (at which shop) rather than ending the question with 'where', and along describes movement beside something. None of them fits after 'buy this book' in this question.

Q: Someone has pasted a notice _____ the wall.

The sentence reads Someone has pasted a notice on the wall.On is used for something in contact with and supported by a surface, which is exactly where a pasted notice is.Over the wall suggests above it or covering it, behind the wall would hide the notice from view, and with the wall makes no sense of location. A notice is pasted on a wall.'Paste', 'stick' and 'hang' all take 'on' for a surface: a poster on the wall, a picture on the wall.

Q: Distribute all these sweets _____ the children.

The sentence reads Distribute all these sweets among the children.Among is used when something is shared out in a group of three or more, and 'the children' here is such a group. Between is the usual choice for dividing something between two people or things.Under and over describe position, not sharing, so they cannot follow 'distribute' in this sense.

Q: It is six _____ my watch.

The sentence reads It is six by my watch.By is used to mean 'according to', as in 'by my watch' or 'by my reckoning'. So the sentence says that, according to my watch, it is six o'clock.Near six would be an approximation of time, not a source of it. On and at my watch would describe a position on the watch, not the time it shows, so they do not give the meaning the sentence needs.

Q: We should always be kind _____ animals.

The sentence reads We should always be kind to animals.The adjective kind takes the preposition to when it names who receives the kindness: kind to animals, kind to strangers.'Kind of' is used in 'it was kind of you', and the other choices, on, with and for, are not idiomatic after 'kind' in this sense.Other adjectives of attitude take 'to' in the same way: cruel to, polite to, rude to.

31.

I shall stay here __________ Sunday.

A.by
B.for
C.till
D.since

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

The preposition is till: I shall stay here till Sunday.

Till (or until) marks the end point of a continuing action: the staying goes on up to Sunday and then stops.

By Sunday means "not later than Sunday" and suits a single action to be completed (finish it by Sunday), not a continuing stay. For needs a length of time (for a week). Since marks a starting point in the past and goes with the perfect tense, not with shall stay.

A quick test: till fits when the action continues up to a point; by fits when it is completed at or before that point.

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32.

Choose the correct one from the following sentences.

A.My sister has a good appetite on ice creams.
B.My sister has a good appetite for ice creams.
C.My sister has a good appetite to ice creams.
D.None of the above.

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: B

The correct sentence is My sister has a good appetite for ice creams.

The noun appetite takes the preposition for: an appetite for food, for knowledge, for adventure. It expresses a desire or liking for something.

Appetite on and appetite to are not idiomatic. Since one of the sentences is correct, "None of the above" is wrong. Similar fixed pairs are liking for, interest in and sufficient for.

Learners often attach on or to by analogy with other words, but the preposition that follows a noun is fixed by usage and has to be learnt with it.

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33.

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate preposition.

She has a strong aversion __________ spicy food.

A.to
B.for
C.about
D.against

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2026,

Answer: A

The right preposition is to: 'She has a strong aversion to spicy food.'

Aversion, a strong dislike, is followed by to in standard usage: 'an aversion to noise', 'an aversion to hard work'. The noun follows the pattern of the verb averse ('averse to risk').

For is sometimes heard ('an aversion for') but is less standard. About and against do not combine with aversion; against belongs with words such as prejudice or bias.

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34.

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.

This custom has been in vogue __________ time immemorial.

A.since
B.till
C.for
D.during.

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2026,

Answer: A

The right word is since: 'This custom has been in vogue since time immemorial.'

Since time immemorial is a fixed phrase meaning from a time so long ago that no one remembers it. It goes naturally with the present perfect has been, which describes a state continuing from a past point up to now.

For is used with a length of time ('for centuries'), not with a starting point. Till marks an end point, and during marks a span within which something happens, neither of which fits a custom continuing to the present.

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35.

There is a wall _____ the garden.

A.around
B.on
C.across
D.into

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: A

The sentence reads There is a wall around the garden.

Around means on every side of something, enclosing it, which is what a garden wall does.

On the garden would put the wall on top of the garden's surface, across the garden would mean a wall cutting through it from one side to the other, and into shows movement towards the inside of something, which a fixed wall does not have.

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36.

Where did you buy this book _____ ?

A.for
B.from
C.at
D.along

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: B

The sentence reads Where did you buy this book from?

From marks the source or starting point, here the shop or person the book came from. 'Where did you buy it from?' is the natural spoken English question.

For would ask about purpose or price, at needs a place after it (at which shop) rather than ending the question with 'where', and along describes movement beside something. None of them fits after 'buy this book' in this question.

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37.

Someone has pasted a notice _____ the wall.

A.over
B.behind
C.with
D.on

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: D

The sentence reads Someone has pasted a notice on the wall.

On is used for something in contact with and supported by a surface, which is exactly where a pasted notice is.

Over the wall suggests above it or covering it, behind the wall would hide the notice from view, and with the wall makes no sense of location. A notice is pasted on a wall.

'Paste', 'stick' and 'hang' all take 'on' for a surface: a poster on the wall, a picture on the wall.

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38.

Distribute all these sweets _____ the children.

A.between
B.under
C.among
D.over

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

The sentence reads Distribute all these sweets among the children.

Among is used when something is shared out in a group of three or more, and 'the children' here is such a group. Between is the usual choice for dividing something between two people or things.

Under and over describe position, not sharing, so they cannot follow 'distribute' in this sense.

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39.

It is six _____ my watch.

A.near
B.by
C.on
D.at

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: B

The sentence reads It is six by my watch.

By is used to mean 'according to', as in 'by my watch' or 'by my reckoning'. So the sentence says that, according to my watch, it is six o'clock.

Near six would be an approximation of time, not a source of it. On and at my watch would describe a position on the watch, not the time it shows, so they do not give the meaning the sentence needs.

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40.

We should always be kind _____ animals.

A.on
B.with
C.to
D.for

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

The sentence reads We should always be kind to animals.

The adjective kind takes the preposition to when it names who receives the kindness: kind to animals, kind to strangers.

'Kind of' is used in 'it was kind of you', and the other choices, on, with and for, are not idiomatic after 'kind' in this sense.

Other adjectives of attitude take 'to' in the same way: cruel to, polite to, rude to.

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