We know that preposition is one of the parts of speech that we should really master. Some common preposition mistakes may look so short or irrelevant, however, they could be a major problem if used incorrectly.

Let us take for example the prepositions In and On. These two are common preposition mistakes that have been used interchangeably in a sentence. Like in this sentence, ” I left the key on the table.” and ” I left the key in the table.” We could agree that both sound correct, but one of them is not.  The preposition In is used for nouns that are inside of something else while on is used for nouns that are on the flat surface.

This is why it is important to know how to use prepositions in order to avoid mistakes and so be able to communicate correctly and meaningfully.

So, we listed 5 common preposition mistakes you should learn and apply in your daily life.

 

In and into

The prepositions “in” and “into” are common preposition mistakes people make. Well,  we cannot deny the fact that these two share a  similar concept; a thing being put in something else.

To avoid confusion of these two prepositions, let’s define them one by one. Generally speaking, into is placing something going inside of something else; from outside going to the inside. The place to be put into can either be a concrete or an abstract noun.  Meanwhile, the preposition “in” means that the thing is already inside of something else.

Example:

Please get the cookie out of its box and put it into the jar.

The ballpen is already in the bag.

From and to

We use “from” to indicate the point at which ones journey, movement, or where ones action starts. It also refers ones origin.

We use”to” to indicate some kind of transfer that is happening or to describe something being moved from one place to another. “To” expresses direction.

Example:

The people brought water from a brook and water the dying tree.

He will go to the mall after his meeting.

Between and among

We may have been taught that “between” is to talk about two items only and among is for 3 or more. Well, this concept is true however not all the time. Almost every rule, has an exemption.

The more accurate difference is this; between is used when you are naming certain or specific distinct, individual items. It can be two or more.  While, among is used for something that is not part of a group, or it is not specifically named. It must be 3 or more things.

Example:

This conversation is between you and me.

A peace treaty was formed between Germany, the United States of America, and France. (three SPECIFIC countries)

She was among of the many athletes who competed for the World Cup.

Since and for

These prepositions are often confused because they both deal with time. Nevertheless, “since” is used when you refer to something back at the beginning or from its existence. Whereas, “for” referrers to a certain period of time and it could also refer to the duration of something.

Examples:

The boy was standing there since morning.

I’ve waited at that station for five hours.

 

 Under and below

The two prepositions, “below” and “under”, have the same definitions which are lower than. Nonetheless, “below” is preferred when one thing is not directly under another and may go beyond or underneath.

On the other hand, under is something that is at a lower level than another or something else and that the other thing is directly above it.

Example:

The kitten is hiding under the big old cabinet.

The pencil rolled off the desk and fell to the floor below.

For more blogs, read Learn English with Nouns and Master it Like a Pro