Prepositions Questions and Answers

Answer: B

The preposition is within: We shall finish the work within a week.

Within means "before the end of" a period: the work will be completed at some time during the coming week, no later.

In a week usually means "after a week from now" or "taking a week", not "before a week is over", and after a week sets the finish later still. On is used with days and dates, not with a length of time.

So within a week answers "by when?" (any time up to seven days), while in a week answers "how soon?" or "how long?", which is why it is the near miss.

Answer: C

The preposition is since: It has been raining since morning.

With the present perfect continuous (has been raining), since marks the starting point of an action that is still going on: since morning, since Monday, since 2015.

For is used with a length of time instead (for two hours, for three days), and morning is a point of reference, not a duration. In and on do not combine with the present perfect continuous to show when something began.

The same contrast appears in since 2015 (starting point) and for ten years (length of time), both with the perfect tense.

Answer: B

The preposition is for: He died for his country.

Die for means to give one's life for a cause or for the sake of someone: soldiers die for their country. That is the meaning the sentence needs.

Other prepositions go with die in different senses: die of a disease, die from a wound, die by the sword. Die over and die after his country make no sense.

Choosing the preposition here depends on the meaning, not on grammar alone: He died of malaria gives the cause, He died for his country gives the cause he gave his life to.

Answer: A

The word is about: The train is about to start.

Be about to + verb means that something will happen very soon, in the immediate future: the train is on the point of starting.

Over, for and before do not form this expression; the train is over to start or for to start is ungrammatical.

The expression is always followed by the base form of the verb with to: We are about to leave. The film was about to begin.

Answer: A

The preposition is after: They ran after the thief.

Run after means to chase or pursue someone in order to catch them, which is what people do to a thief.

Behind would only describe their position, running at the back of him, without the sense of chasing. Run about means to move here and there, and run for means to hurry to reach something (run for the bus) or to stand for an office.

Phrasal verbs with run change meaning with the particle: run into (meet by chance), run out of (have no more), run over (knock down with a vehicle).

Answer: B

The preposition is at: We started at ten minutes to four.

Ten minutes to four (3.50) is an exact clock time, and an exact point of time takes at, as in at 5 p.m. or at noon.

By ten minutes to four would mean "no later than", which does not fit a simple statement of when they started. To and in are not used before a clock time.

The same pattern applies to all clock times: at half past six, at a quarter to nine, at 7.30.

Answer: C

The preposition is for: Della sold her hair for twenty dollars.

After verbs of buying and selling, for introduces the price: sold it for twenty dollars, bought a book for fifty rupees. (In O. Henry's story The Gift of the Magi, Della sells her hair to buy a Christmas present for her husband.)

Of, with and in cannot introduce a price. In may name the currency in general (paid in dollars), but not a sum.

The same preposition is used for exchange in general: He sold his scooter for Rs 20,000. She exchanged her old phone for a new one.

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.

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.

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.