Prepositions might be small, but they’re the glue that holds English sentences together. This list gives you about 75 of the most common English prepositions — the ones you’ll actually hear in conversations and see in everyday writing.
Each entry in the interactive table shows you the preposition, a clear meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy-to-read US IPA so you can pronounce it correctly. There’s even a play button to hear the word out loud — because your ears need practice too.
Let’s make prepositions less mysterious and a lot more useful—tiny words, big job! Scroll to the bottom of the article to get the free printable english prepositions vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable english prepositions flashcards for quick review.
Lists are great, but you really learn prepositions when you use them in phrases. Our free chunk-based English lessons teach you language you can speak right away — check out the intro and then jump into Lesson 1 for a friendly start.
Quick Quiz
Feeling confident? Scroll down and take the quick quiz to see how many prepositions you already know — you might surprise yourself.
Browse the Full List
| Word | IPA | Meaning | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aboard | /əˈbɔrd/ | on or into a ship, train, or plane | We went aboard the ferry before sunrise. | |
| about | /əˈbaʊt/ | on the subject of | Tell me about your family. | |
| above | /əˈbʌv/ | in a higher place than | The clock is above the door. | |
| according | /əˈkɔrdɪŋ/ | as stated by someone or something | According to Mom, dinner is ready. | |
| According to | /əˈkɔrdɪŋ tu/ | As stated by | According to the weather forecast it will rain. | |
| across | /əˈkrɔs/ | from one side to the other | She walked across the street carefully. | |
| After | /ˈæftər/ | Later than | I will see you after school. | |
| Against | /əˈgɛnst/ | Opposing or disagreeing with | I am against this idea. | |
| Along | /əˈlɔŋ/ | Moving in a constant direction on | We walked along the river. | |
| amid | /əˈmɪd/ | in the middle of something | The team stayed calm amid the noise. | |
| amidst | /əˈmɪdst/ | in the middle of something | He found her amidst the crowd. | |
| among | /əˈmʌŋ/ | in the middle of a group | He sat among his friends. | |
| anti | /ˈænti/ | against or opposed to | The group is anti the new policy. | |
| Around | /əˈraʊnd/ | On every side of | We sat around the table. | |
| as | /æz/ | in the role or function of | She worked as a nurse for ten years. | |
| astride | /əˈstraɪd/ | with one leg on each side of | The child sat astride the pony. | |
| at | /æt/ | in a place | I am at home. | |
| bar | /bɑr/ | except for | Everyone bar Tom arrived on time. | |
| Before | /bɪˈfɔr/ | Earlier than | Wash your hands before dinner. | |
| behind | /bɪˈhaɪnd/ | at the back of something | The boy is behind the tree. | |
| Below | /bɪˈloʊ/ | In a lower position | The temperature is below zero. | |
| Beneath | /bɪˈniːθ/ | In or to a lower position | They found the treasure beneath the sand. | |
| Beside | /bɪˈsaɪd/ | Next to | Sit beside me. | |
| between | /bɪˈtwin/ | in the middle of two things | The ball is between the chairs. | |
| Beyond | /bɪˈjɔːnd/ | Further away in the distance | The mountains lie beyond the river. |
Free English Prepositions Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards
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