Prepositions: Online Exercises and Worksheet (for ESL/EFL Students)

Study Prepositions Online with these Free Exercises

ESL Level: Intermediate - Advanced

Preposition Worksheet Download: Prepositions-Worksheet.doc

Description: Preposition exercises in fill-in-the-blank-format. Answers are available online (see below). Answers are not in the downloadable worksheet, but should be obvious to a native English speaker.

preposition exercises online

A preposition is a short word such as in/from/by that is used to connect words in English.

  • Prepositions are used with time: I arrived at 9:30 on Tuesday.
  • Prepositions are used with place: I put the book on the shelf.

Certain adjectives and verbs are also combined with specific prepositions. This pairing of words is called collocation.

  • Prepositions used with adjectives: afraid of, surprised by, interested in
  • Prepositions used with verbs: go to, arrive at, think about

Try the below practice exercises for beginner to advanced students.

Note that answers that do not need a preposition can be left blank.

Exercise #1 - Prepositions of Place

Look at the picture and then complete the sentences below.

A room full of prepositions.

  1. The pillows are the bed.
  2. There is a sheet the pillows.
  3. There is a painting the wall.
  4. There is a lamp the bed.
  5. There is a chair the corner of the room.
  6. There is a foot stool  the chair.
  7. The chair is  the fireplace and the bed.
  8. There is a window the chair.
  9. Wood is burning the fireplace.

  

Exercise #2 - Prepositions of Time & Other Collocations

  1. I get up seven the morning weekdays. I go to work tram.
  2. I take care my son. My son is similar me. He's quite different my wife.
  3. China has agreed participate the global economic forum.
  4. My wife spent the milk money cigarettes.
  5. There has been a slight decrease gas prices lately.
  6. In the beginning, Lillian was not accustomed working in such a big company.

  

 

Exercise #3 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. My favorite Chinese philosopher is Chuang-tzu. Most Westerners have never heard him.
  2. John's wife accused him cheating. She thinks he is bored her.
  3. My boss told me to finish the report 5 pm. After that, I could go vacation.
  4. Kate apologized her son's poor behavior.
  5. If you've got a problem, then do something it!
  6. Everyone the HR department was surprised the news.

 

Exercise #4 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. Paul is very good telling jokes. He reminds me his father.
  2. I'm not familiar this neighborhood.
  3. If I had to choose going to heaven or hell, I'd choose heaven.
  4. Hosni Mubarak was power in Egypt for 30 years.
  5. I am allergic cats.
  6. He is responsible our branch in China.

  

Exercise #5 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. Alan is a fan Manchester United.
  2. NATO stands the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
  3. Roger's company specializes the management of young musicians.
  4. I will go vacation next month.
  5. The cake was cut four pieces.
  6. Bratislava is not big Budapest.

  

Exercise #6 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. Ken has to finish the project 4 pm tonight.
  2. The movie was inspired a book written 50 years ago.
  3. I was able to return the product because it was still warranty.
  4. The little boy hit his friend a stick.
  5. I plan to work I am 65 years old.
  6. I wasn't able to focus my work because of the loud construction outside my window.

  

Exercise #7 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. This commercial was designed to appeal women in their twenties and thirties.
  2. I don't know his reason ending the relationship.
  3. Although Carol graduated Harvard with a degree in political science, nowadays she doesn't care politics.
  4. I am very proud my son's accomplishments.
  5. Laura can't concentrate her job because she is stressed out about her marriage.
  6. I don't care baseball. I never watch it.

  

Exercise #8 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. We are looking for someone who is skilled giving presentations.
  2. I have a question to ask related your education.
  3. I have a view Prague Castle from my apartment.
  4. The company president didn't want to comment the scandal.
  5. You remind me my cousin.
  6. After graduation, Joan will apply some local companies a job as a graphic designer.

  

Exercise #9 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. The negative campaign did damage our company's reputation.
  2. These boots were sale last week.
  3. The United Nations has supplied the rebels weapons.
  4. I have too many problems to deal
  5. This product should appeal girls in their teens.
  6. I've never heard Lyle Whitfield. Who is he?

  

Exercise #10 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. I was surprised the size of her nose.
  2. Grace is her forties. She spends all her money luxury goods.
  3. Greg is involved organized crime.
  4. By the time the police found out the crime, the thief was already in Mexico.
  5. There's always a risk an earthquake in Japan. It's difficult to concentrate your work, when you know there could be a disaster any minute.
  6. Parents worry the health and safety of their children.

  

Exercise #11 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. My sister is often angry  me. I don't know why she's always upset. It depends  her mood, I guess. I hope I'm not similar  her.
  2.  Roger is dedicated  his job. He stays and works  8 p.m. every evening. Last week, he asked his boss  a raise*, and he got it. (* a raise is an increase in salary)
  3. Peter is addicted  gambling. His wife insists that he quit, but he doesn't care  her opinion. He's looking forward  this weekend; he's going to the casino. While he's away, his wife will have to take care  their children.  I feel sorry  her.

  

Exercise #12 - Prepositions Collocations (includes Phrasal Verbs)

  1. Carol's father is very strict. He prohibits her having a boyfriend she graduates from high school. She spends most of her time in the library, surrounded books. Once, her father accused her doing drugs because she didn't come home time. He checked her schoolbag drugs. Instead of drugs, he found her diary and read it. This made Carol angry, so she punched him the face.
  2. Tina studied the University of Ottawa for one year, but she later graduated Harvard. the time she was 28 years old, she was already a doctor. Tina is snobby. She looks down people who don't have a university degree.

  

Exercise #13 - Preposition Collocations (includes Phrasal Verbs)

  1. I need to take care my little brother. He is discriminated at school because he has red hair. Yesterday, a bully punched him. However, my brother didn't tell the bully.
  2. The doctor elaborated the patient's condition. It turns out that the rash was actually brought by food he ate while in Malaysia.
  3. I graduated university a month ago. I studied Oxford. Last week, I had an interview a programming position Google. They noticed on my CV that I had very little experience, but they promised not to hold that me. The interview went well, but I'm not sure I'll be hired. I was tired, so I had a hard time paying attention the interviewer. Also, I'm a woman, and there are few women my field. However, I am hopeful that my gender won't prevent me having a successful career.

  

Exercise #14 - Prepositions Collocations

  1. Greg went a trip yesterday to Montreal. He has a Pontiac Trans-Am, which is similar the car David Hasselhoff drove in the TV show Knight Rider. On the way there, he was driving his car a speed of 130 km per hour. There was a sharp turn, and his car slid the icy road and into some trees. His life was stake. A large tree was right in front of him. He nearly ran it, but at the last second, he regained control and pulled his car back on the road.
  2. Later he realized his tires were bad shape. He needed to invest some new ones. So he went to a car shop that specializes high performance tires. The end
  3. I hope these exercises weren't a waste time. Are you better using prepositions now? I hope so. If not, do them again!

  

Exercise #15 - Prepositions in Questions

  1. What time did you sleep  this morning?
  2. the time you finished high school, had you decided what job you wanted to do in the future?
  3. What do you spend too much money  ?
  4. Have you ever heard  Sidney Crosby?
  5. What tasks would you like to complete  the end of the week?
  6. If you had to choose  living in China or the U.S., which would you choose?
  7. What are you not very good  ?
  8. What was the last thing that you were surprised  ?
  9. Let's talk about retirement. In your opinion,  what age should people work?
  10. Where do you plan to go  your next holiday?
  11. What do you have a view  from your home?
  12. Was life better when you were   your teens?
  13. What does NASA stand  ?
  14. Does pop music appeal  you?
  15. Are you related  anyone famous?

  

 

That's the end. If you find any mistakes in the preposition exercises, please leave a comment below.

- Preposition exercises and worksheet copyright Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com

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59 comments on “Prepositions: Online Exercises and Worksheet (for ESL/EFL Students)

  1. swati rawat (Posted on 8-10-2012 at 07:20) Reply

    wow, thank you as you help me in knowing about preposition.

    1. poornima (Posted on 9-17-2015 at 09:29) Reply

      Yes yesterday was my english test on prepositions . Most of the questions came from these . I was able to do all the questions .

      1. Saw Ku Day Htoo (Posted on 7-19-2021 at 18:41) Reply

        What a good exercise

    2. ahmed (Posted on 7-21-2021 at 17:52) Reply

      you can do it

      1. Moon child (Posted on 12-7-2023 at 05:27) Reply

        Yess we can do it!!! What did you think of the exercise? I think it’s great since my English exam is tomorrow. I am prepared sooo well. :D

  2. John (Posted on 10-6-2012 at 16:35) Reply

    A very lovely worksheet

  3. Rachel (Posted on 10-16-2012 at 22:18) Reply

    I’m an ESL teacher. These are wonderful exercises. They will challenge my advanced students. Thank you.

  4. Sherin George (Posted on 11-15-2012 at 13:52) Reply

    it was an outstanding worksheet . i learned a lot from it

  5. tooba (Posted on 12-2-2012 at 18:05) Reply

    it is wonderful worksheet

  6. Seena (Posted on 1-12-2013 at 10:04) Reply

    It is not bad.There are many interesting exercises in this website.I liked it.

  7. pavan kumar (Posted on 1-13-2013 at 10:48) Reply

    wow excellent job sir..i can practice more with these exercises..it is more helpful to me.

  8. babar rasheed (Posted on 2-16-2013 at 06:31) Reply

    this link is very helpful par us to increase over english

  9. reva (Posted on 2-27-2013 at 14:07) Reply

    very nice questions for practice…….it wud be grt…had the questions been a little harder….overall….such exercises are difficult to find….keep it up!

  10. Anonymous (Posted on 7-24-2013 at 14:36) Reply

    thanks for such content..it helps me a lot
    and i think it will be helpful to all those who read it.
    i aapreciate your work..
    thank you.

  11. elly (Posted on 9-3-2013 at 09:18) Reply

    this is very helpful to students specially to those who are having difficulties
    understanding preposition, thanks a million. Great job!

  12. VINAY (Posted on 9-16-2013 at 09:21) Reply

    exellent worksheet !! verry useful :)

  13. Laiha Anas (Posted on 9-16-2013 at 09:55) Reply

    I liked doing it and it was fun doing this worksheet of Prepositions. It also helped me practice for my exams and I hope there are more worksheets in these websites. So, i am very happy to do this worksheet of Prepositions.

  14. Naina (Posted on 9-22-2013 at 07:03) Reply

    A very nice way of practising prepositions!!

  15. rose (Posted on 10-17-2013 at 04:38) Reply

    Thanks for teaching me preposition and knowing more about it.

  16. Sunil (Posted on 10-25-2013 at 10:57) Reply

    Very helpful exercise in Preposition !

  17. MUKTA GUPTA (Posted on 12-9-2013 at 07:43) Reply

    it was a nice experience. it has gained about the knowledge of prepositions

  18. jam (Posted on 12-23-2013 at 01:40) Reply

    very helpful worksheets, thank you.

  19. John Dark (Posted on 1-19-2014 at 02:02) Reply

    It is really cool test. I have learned a lot from it.

  20. Anonymous (Posted on 1-20-2014 at 08:20) Reply

    it helps me a lot as a student….. Improve my grammar and I see to myself that I am not that bad in English subject….. Thanks it’s awesome… I wish you keep on posting of your worksheets….. LOVELOTS… :)

  21. Sharad Menon (Posted on 1-22-2014 at 06:57) Reply

    I got 90 out of 100 marks in my test after completing this exercise.

  22. Abhishek (Posted on 3-8-2014 at 15:28) Reply

    Very informative and good execises to brush up ur preposition skills.

  23. vibhumishra007 (Posted on 4-6-2014 at 23:08) Reply

    nice notes…. very useful worksheets

    1. priyanshi (Posted on 10-19-2015 at 11:47) Reply

      Awesome worksheet for practicing grammar.
      Thanks for helping to enhance out englih .
      THANKYOU :D

  24. John Condon (Posted on 5-1-2014 at 22:42) Reply

    This is a really excellent piece of work. Thank you for putting it on your web-site!

    1. Moon child (Posted on 12-7-2023 at 05:28) Reply

      I READ YOUR NAME WRONG NOOO

  25. manal (Posted on 5-27-2014 at 13:23) Reply

    thnx for these worksheets, i'm fully prepared for my exams

  26. aja (Posted on 7-25-2014 at 09:40) Reply

    very good!there must be free lesson for poor students

  27. Kumar sanjay, Sr.SO(A)/ECR/MGS (Posted on 8-6-2014 at 02:20) Reply

    Very important lesson. It is pearl to LDCE Exams, Thanks a lot

  28. Vaishnavi Pramod (Posted on 9-30-2014 at 12:54) Reply

    I really didn’t know prepositions properly but now I am really much cleared with it!!!

  29. Jefry (Posted on 10-30-2014 at 21:15) Reply

    Its a good media and things to help me to give an exercise to students and to increasing my experience

  30. Anonymous (Posted on 1-24-2015 at 01:32) Reply

    These exercises are really helpful to me. Such systematic style is appriciable.

  31. angad (Posted on 3-1-2015 at 09:11) Reply

    what is so great in it,because there has given answers of these wonderful worksheet’s.

  32. Lucifer (Posted on 3-3-2015 at 07:39) Reply

    I Like this.
    It has improved my grammar a lot.
    Especially in prepositions.

  33. palak (Posted on 4-8-2015 at 07:07) Reply

    great worksheet!!!

  34. Joana (Posted on 5-31-2015 at 12:59) Reply

    Thank you SO MUCH! I was really looking for some good prepositions exercises.

  35. Anonymous (Posted on 9-18-2015 at 06:11) Reply

    THANK YOU MR. MATTHEW BARTON (AUTHOR) FOR MAKING SUCH A USEFUL SITE REALLY HELPFUL AND INTERESTING.

  36. muskan (Posted on 10-25-2015 at 07:38) Reply

    Really good worksheet
    Helped me a lot to understand prepositions

  37. Asuka (Posted on 8-22-2017 at 11:56) Reply

    Thank you for providing this worksheet ,I had a very good time and a little challenge .I enjoyed the course .

  38. Satwika (Posted on 2-21-2018 at 12:00) Reply

    The Best for any test…thanks englishcurrent :))))

  39. we don't know (Posted on 5-15-2018 at 05:18) Reply

    Hello people, i do sis in se englisch leson vary helpful and pretty
    you see us bye :)

  40. Nilgun Canıkoglu (Posted on 11-12-2018 at 17:32) Reply

    Exercise 11
    Number 3, The sentence is wrong on the third lıne ”His wife insists that he quit, ( the verb ” quit” must take the ” s” in the affirmative

  41. Nilgun Canıkoglu (Posted on 11-13-2018 at 15:30) Reply

    Hello

    Thanks for your kind reply

  42. John Tang (Posted on 5-3-2021 at 07:12) Reply

    It is very good and I hope I can get 100 marks in my preposition test!!! USEFUL!!

  43. SKH (Posted on 3-27-2022 at 23:32) Reply

    wow, this is test is superb

  44. ANUP MUKHERJEE (Posted on 12-31-2022 at 05:38) Reply

    Wao it amazing I really appreciate the creators for this wonderful exercise

  45. arunkavin (Posted on 6-23-2023 at 04:39) Reply

    it’s useful to us. but the sentence to identify is so difficult.

  46. Anonymous (Posted on 9-15-2023 at 11:15) Reply

    Grammar is important in English AND everywhere! So this was very helpful. Thank you so much! And for Helping me and all the other students who also found this useful.

  47. Someone who Loves God (Posted on 9-15-2023 at 11:15) Reply

    Grammar is important in English AND everywhere! So this was very helpful. Thank you so much! And for Helping me and all the other students who also found this useful.

  48. davood farzi (Posted on 10-4-2023 at 09:00) Reply

    this quiz was so difficult, but I hope that I did best job

  49. Omar Ali (Posted on 11-15-2023 at 11:27) Reply

    I have done just the first one and I will do more

  50. sree (Posted on 11-22-2023 at 04:21) Reply

    I thoroughly enjoyed this. Not just for ESL students, this worksheet could prove helpful to all English learners.

  51. J. Marson-Bayat (Posted on 1-8-2024 at 06:38) Reply

    As a languages teacher (retired) I should like to point out that ’till’ is an equally acceptable answer for Questions 1 and 9 in Exercise 15 – ‘until’ of course obeys the spelling rule that a suffix has only a single ‘l’, hence the difference in spelling. In addition, for Question 10, ‘for’ should also be an acceptable answer, as ‘planning to go [somewhere] for a holiday’ is a common usage in British English. However, those I’m currently helping with their English found your exercises very helpful, so many thanks for all your hard work.

    1. mb Post author (Posted on 1-8-2024 at 08:40) Reply

      Thanks J. I’ve added your suggestions as alternative answers.

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