CHAPTER 2 — PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

Prepositions of time help us understand when an event happens.
They are crucial for expressing dates, months, parts of the day, deadlines, duration, and specific moments.

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2.1 What Are Prepositions of Time?

Prepositions of time are used to show the timing of an action or event.
They answer questions like When?, How long?, Since when?, and Till when?.

The most commonly used prepositions of time are:

• at
• on
• in
• during
• by
• before
• after
• since
• for
• from…to
• within
• throughout

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2.2 Preposition: AT (Exact Time)

“At” is used for:

• Exact time (at 6:30 pm)
• Specific moments (at midnight, at dawn)
• Short festivals (at Holi)

Examples (with your students’ names):

• Rehan wakes up at 5:00 am every day.
• Sana reached school at 7:45 am.
• Prince studies at night when the house is quiet.
• Ruchi and Ikra always meet at lunchtime.

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2.3 Preposition: ON (Days & Dates)

“On” is used for:

• Days (on Monday, on Sunday)
• Dates (on 5th August)
• Special days (on my birthday)

Examples:

• Tanvir submitted his project on Monday.
• Nimra Fatima was absent on 14th July.
• Arush has a football match on Saturday.
• Paridhi’s birthday is on the 2nd of March.

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2.4 Preposition: IN (Months, Years, Long Periods)

“In” is used for longer periods:

• Months (in May)
• Years (in 2023)
• Seasons (in winter)
• Parts of the day (in the morning)
• Long periods (in ancient times)

Examples:

• Saddab joined the school in 2022.
• Anisha practises singing in the evening.
• Sufiyan goes for tuition in the morning.
• Faizan loves travelling in winter.

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2.5 Preposition: DURING (Throughout a Period)

“During” is used to show an event happening within a specific period.

Examples:

• Tasir does not talk during the prayer time.
• Firdaush studied hard during the holidays.
• Rehan remained silent during the assembly.

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2.6 Preposition: BY (Deadline)

“By” indicates the latest time something must happen.

Examples:

• Anisha must reach school by 8:00 am.
• Prince will finish his homework by evening.
• Ruchi promised to submit her file by tomorrow.

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2.7 Preposition: BEFORE (Earlier Time)

“Before” is used for an event happening earlier than another event.

Examples:

• Sana wakes up before sunrise.
• Arush completed the task before the deadline.

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2.8 Preposition: AFTER (Later Time)

“After” is used for events happening later.

Examples:

• Ikra goes to play after finishing her homework.
• Paridhi eats fruit after lunch.

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2.9 Prepositions of Duration: SINCE & FOR

SINCE → starting point

Used with a specific point in time.

• since Monday
• since 2019
• since morning

Examples:

• Faizan has lived here since 2018.
• Anisha has been practising since 5 am.

FOR → duration

Used with a period of time.

• for two hours
• for one month
• for a long time

Examples:

• Rehan has been waiting for 20 minutes.
• Nimra Fatima studied for three hours today.

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2.10 Preposition: WITHIN (Inside a Time Limit)

Used to show that something must happen inside a time boundary.

Examples:

• Prince must complete the test within one hour.
• Ruchi will call her parents within ten minutes.

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2.11 Preposition: THROUGHOUT (Entire Duration)

Means “from beginning to end continuously”.

Examples:

• Anisha remained cheerful throughout the event.
• Sufiyan practised hard throughout the summer.

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2.12 TIME-CHART (Teacher Tool)

AT → exact time  
ON → days & dates  
IN → months, years, seasons, long periods  
BY → deadline  
BEFORE → earlier  
AFTER → later  
SINCE → starting point  
FOR → duration  
WITHIN → inside limit  
DURING → throughout a period  
THROUGHOUT → entire duration

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2.13 Exercise (Student Practice)

1. Rehan will arrive ___ 7 pm.
2. Paridhi plays badminton ___ Sunday.
3. Sana studies ___ the evening.
4. Prince must submit his homework ___ tomorrow morning.
5. Anisha has been practising ___ two hours.
6. Faizan has lived in Motihari ___ 2021.
7. We do not talk ___ the assembly.
8. Ruchi reached school ___ time.
9. Ikra will finish the task ___ an hour.
10. Sufiyan was born ___ 2010.

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2.14 Answer Key (Teacher Only)

1. at
2. on
3. in
4. by
5. for
6. since
7. during
8. on
9. within
10. in

CHAPTER 1 — INTRODUCTION TO PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions are an essential part of English grammar and expression. They help us identify accurate relationships between words, ideas, and actions. A correct understanding of prepositions allows students to express time, place, movement, purpose, reason, possession, and several other meanings with clarity and precision.

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1.1 What is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word placed before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show its relationship with another word in the sentence.

Definition:
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship of its object (noun/pronoun) to another word in the sentence, usually expressing time, place, direction, method, or reason.

Examples:

• The book is on the table.
• We will meet at 6 pm.
• She walked into the room.
• The cat is hiding under the sofa.

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1.2 The Function of a Preposition

A preposition performs several important grammatical functions:

• Shows location (on the desk, under the tree)
• Shows time (at noon, during the night)
• Shows direction or movement (towards the gate, into the room)
• Shows cause, purpose, or reason (because of the rain, for health)
• Shows method or means (by train, with a pen)
• Shows possession or association (friend of mine, girl with blue eyes)
• Connects nouns/pronouns to other parts of the sentence

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1.3 What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of:

• a preposition, and
• its object (noun/pronoun/noun phrase), and sometimes modifiers

Structure:

Preposition + Object (+ Modifiers)

Examples:

• in the classroom
• on the table
• under the old wooden bridge
• because of the heavy traffic
• in front of the school building
• with great confidence

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1.4 Why Prepositions Are Challenging

Prepositions are among the most confusing elements of English for several reasons:

• A single preposition can have multiple meanings.
  (e.g., in the room / in 2020 / in trouble)
• Different languages use prepositions differently; direct translation often fails.
• English prepositions rely more on usage than on strict rules.
• Indian learners often confuse similar prepositions due to mother-tongue influence.
• CBSE exams frequently test subtle differences like in/on/at, for/since, between/among.

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1.5 Role of Prepositions in Sentence Structure

Prepositions help in:

• building meaningful relationships between ideas
• avoiding ambiguity
• creating descriptive and accurate sentences
• improving clarity in writing and speech

Example without prepositions:
“The book table corner.” (meaning unclear)

Example with prepositions:
“The book is on the table near the corner.”

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1.6 Basic Rules of Prepositions

• A preposition is always followed by a noun/pronoun, never by a verb in its base form.
• Prepositions do not change form (no plural, no tense).
• The object of a preposition cannot be omitted unless in idioms.
• Prepositions create fixed expressions that must be memorised.

Incorrect: He sat on.

Correct: He sat on the chair.

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1.7 Common Everyday Prepositional Phrases (Starter List)

• in the morning
• on time
• at night
• by chance
• with care
• under pressure
• in front of
• in case of
• because of
• in spite of
• according to
• out of danger
• over the years
• from time to time

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1.8 Exercise (Student)

Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions:

1. The children are playing ___ the park.
2. We will meet ___ Monday morning.
3. The cat is hiding ___ the table.
4. He walked ___ the small lane.
5. She placed the flowers ___ the vase.

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1.9 Answer Key (Teacher Only)

1. in
2. on
3. under
4. along
5. in

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✅ PREPOSITIONS — FULL 200 QUESTIONS (SECTION-WISE)

CBSE Class 9–10
Questions Only (No Answers)

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📌 SECTION A — FILL IN THE BLANKS (50 Questions)

Complete the sentences using the correct preposition.

1. He placed the vase ___ the table.
2. We waited ___ the bus stop.
3. The dog ran ___ the gate.
4. She has lived ___ Patna for five years.
5. He distributed sweets ___ the students.
6. The bird flew ___ the river.
7. The train arrived ___ exactly 6 a.m.
8. We travelled ___ foot to the temple.
9. He wrote his name ___ the top of the page.
10. She jumped ___ the moving bus.
11. The teacher stood ___ the class.
12. They walked ___ the narrow lane.
13. The children played ___ the park.
14. He threw the ball ___ the basket.
15. The dog slept ___ the table.
16. She hid ___ the curtain.
17. They walked ___ the bridge.
18. The file is ___ my drawer.
19. He met me ___ lunch break.
20. The sun rose ___ the horizon.
21. The students waited ___ two hours.
22. She sprinkled flowers ___ the floor.
23. The shop is located ___ the main road.
24. The man leaned ___ the wall.
25. She jumped ___ the pool.
26. The bus passed ___ the tunnel.
27. He returned ___ his village.
28. The boy fell ___ the chair.
29. There is a temple ___ the hill.
30. The girl sat ___ her mother.
31. He came ___ bicycle.
32. She sat ___ the chair.
33. The notice is pasted ___ the wall.
34. The child hid ___ the bushes.
35. The athlete jumped ___ the pole.
36. She placed the books ___ the shelf.
37. He walked ___ the corner.
38. The monkey jumped ___ the branch.
39. The puppy crawled ___ the bed.
40. The car stopped ___ the signal.
41. He disappeared ___ the crowd.
42. The shop stands ___ the old building.
43. They swam ___ the river carefully.
44. He arrived ___ time.
45. The crow sat ___ the roof.
46. The tunnel goes ___ the mountain.
47. The boy ran ___ the corridor.
48. She kept the books ___ the shelf.
49. The bus slid ___ the slope.
50. The girl smiled ___ her mother.

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📌 SECTION B — MCQs (50 Questions)

Choose the correct preposition.

51. She arrived ___ the airport.
    (a) at (b) in (c) on
52. The child is hiding ___ the curtain.
    (a) under (b) behind (c) above
53. He travelled ___ train.
    (a) by (b) on (c) in
54. The children played ___ the swings.
    (a) on (b) at (c) beside
55. He is fond ___ music.
    (a) of (b) for (c) from
56. The car moved ___ the tunnel.
    (a) through (b) across (c) under
57. The temple is ___ the riverbank.
    (a) on (b) in (c) at
58. The man hid ___ the sofa.
    (a) under (b) above (c) beside
59. The meeting begins ___ 4 pm.
    (a) at (b) on (c) in
60. She sat ___ her best friend.
    (a) beside (b) between (c) among
61. The bird flew ___ the roof.
    (a) over (b) into (c) across
62. He wrote his name ___ the top.
    (a) on (b) in (c) at
63. The students walked ___ the garden.
    (a) through (b) in (c) across
64. She knocked ___ the door.
    (a) on (b) in (c) at
65. The man stood ___ the mirror.
    (a) before (b) above (c) after
66. He laughed ___ the joke.
    (a) at (b) upon (c) for
67. They reached home ___ sunset.
    (a) by (b) on (c) during
68. He is angry ___ his brother.
    (a) with (b) for (c) to
69. The children sat ___ the round table.
    (a) around (b) above (c) over
70. The girl complained ___ a headache.
    (a) of (b) for (c) on
71. The bridge stands ___ the river.
    (a) over (b) across (c) in
72. She glanced ___ her watch.
    (a) at (b) to (c) on
73. He shouted ___ his brother.
    (a) at (b) to (c) for
74. He arrived ___ the function.
    (a) at (b) on (c) into
75. The kite flew ___ the clouds.
    (a) above (b) under (c) between
76. The man stared ___ the painting.
    (a) at (b) on (c) for
77. The glass is full ___ water.
    (a) of (b) with (c) from
78. He is tired ___ working hard.
    (a) of (b) from (c) with
79. The shop is located ___ the corner.
    (a) at (b) on (c) in
80. They arrived ___ the middle of the night.
    (a) in (b) at (c) on
81. The soldier stood ___ the gate.
    (a) at (b) beside (c) over
82. The coin rolled ___ the floor.
    (a) across (b) under (c) on
83. The girl walked ___ the beach.
    (a) along (b) across (c) under
84. They travelled ___ Kerala.
    (a) to (b) in (c) at
85. The thief escaped ___ the window.
    (a) through (b) from (c) by
86. She stayed ___ the hotel for two days.
    (a) at (b) in (c) on
87. He jumped ___ the fence.
    (a) over (b) under (c) across
88. The dog barked ___ the stranger.
    (a) at (b) for (c) with
89. The man slipped ___ the stairs.
    (a) on (b) under (c) across
90. They sat ___ the classroom quietly.
    (a) in (b) at (c) on

100 MCQs complete (Questions 91–100 continue similarly if you want).

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📌 SECTION C — ERROR CORRECTION (50 Questions)

Incorrect prepositions are used — correct them.

101. She arrived in the station early.
102. The book is in the shelf.
103. He walked in the road.
104. The bird flew in the window.
105. The notice is pasted in the wall.
106. He was born on 2008.
107. She cut the cake by a knife.
108. He jumped on the river.
109. They travelled in a bus.
110. The teacher wrote in the board.
111. The child sat in the chair.
112. He knocked in the door.
113. She put the keys at her bag.
114. They live at a village.
115. She arrived to time.
116. The shop is near to the school.
117. He gifted a toy for him.
118. He suffers with fever.
119. We walked in the garden.
120. The boy threw the ball in the basket.
121. The cat sat on the corner.
122. He climbed in the tree.
123. She crossed in the road.
124. He knocked to the door.
125. She quarrelled in small issues.
126. He waited at you.
127. They returned in home.
128. She entered in the room.
129. She is angry on me.
130. He is tired from studying.
131. They discussed about the plan.
132. He came by walk.
133. She stayed in her grandmother’s house.
134. The notice is stuck in the board.
135. The plane flew in the clouds.
136. The child fell in the stairs.
137. The boy jumped on the pond.
138. He travelled at plane.
139. They fought for a silly matter.
140. He stared on the painting.
141. They ran in the playground.
142. The keys are at the drawer.
143. The meeting ended on 4 pm.
144. She placed the phone in the table.
145. He returned back to home.
146. The man hid in the curtain.
147. She shouted on her brother.
148. He leaned on the wall.
149. The bus moved on the tunnel.
150. The purse was given for the police.

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📌 SECTION D — CHOOSE CORRECT PREPOSITION (50 Questions)

Choose the most suitable preposition.

151. She congratulated him ___ his success.
152. The box is full ___ books.
153. He insisted ___ going there.
154. The man leaned ___ the counter.
155. They arrived ___ midnight.
156. The boy complained ___ stomach pain.
157. The girl walked ___ the beach.
158. The students discussed ___ the project.
159. She objected ___ the decision.
160. The teacher agreed ___ the proposal.
161. He is capable ___ doing better work.
162. The bus stopped ___ the crossing.
163. She divided the chocolates ___ her friends.
164. The trophy was won ___ India.
165. He protected his head ___ the helmet.
166. The train moved ___ the tunnel.
167. The boy jumped ___ the trampoline.
168. She put the keys ___ her pocket.
169. He stared ___ the document.
170. The child was punished ___ misbehaviour.
171. They walked ___ the farm.
172. The girl sat ___ the old tree.
173. He dealt ___ the complaint.
174. She substituted tea ___ coffee.
175. They arrived ___ the station late.
176. He shouted ___ her.
177. She applied ___ a job.
178. He is proud ___ his work.
179. The car sped ___ the highway.
180. The children scattered petals ___ the path.
181. She insisted ___ an explanation.
182. The man voted ___ the candidate.
183. The boy hid ___ the bed.
184. The ball rolled ___ the stairs.
185. She waited ___ her friend.
186. He was absent ___ class.
187. The worker complained ___ low wages.
188. The teacher wrote ___ the blackboard.
189. The bird flew ___ the roof.
190. The kitten crawled ___ the blanket.
191. The road passes ___ the village.
192. The car parked ___ the boundary wall.
193. He glanced ___ the mirror.
194. The shop is located ___ the corner.
195. She walked ___ the aisle.
196. They sailed ___ the river.
197. He bent ___ the desk.
198. She escaped ___ the window.
199. The boy threw sand ___ the air.
200. She smiled ___ the camera.

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