Real questions: TNPSC previous year questions (Group 2 2022 and Group 2 2024 as marked in the PYQ bank; Group 2/2A 2025 official tentative key). Practice questions: ArivArk Academy.
The basics
What is a preposition? PRE (before) + POSITION (place). A preposition comes before a noun or a pronoun and shows how that noun is related to the other words in the sentence: The book is on the table. (on shows where the book is.)
Time: at, on, in, since, for, by
| Preposition | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | an exact time | The class starts at nine o'clock. at noon, at night |
| on | days and dates | We met on Monday. on 15 August |
| in | months, years, seasons, long periods | He was born in 1960. in May, in summer |
| since | a starting point (with have / has / had) | I have lived here since Monday. |
| for | a length of time | I have lived here for three days. |
| by | not later than (a deadline) | Submit the form by Monday. |
Place: at, on, in, into, between, among, beside, besides
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | a point | He is at the bus stop. |
| on | a surface | The book is on the table. |
| in | inside a space (no movement) | The keys are in my bag. |
| into | movement to the inside | He put the keys into my bag. |
| between | two people or things | Divide the cake between Ravi and Mala. |
| among | more than two | Share the sweets among the students. |
| beside | next to | She sat beside me. |
| besides | in addition to | Besides English, he knows French. |
| behind | at the back of | The Moon shines bright behind the clouds. |
| over | covering, above and on | She poured the sauce over the pasta. |
Movement and other uses
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| across | from one side to the other side | We walked across the road. a bridge across the river |
| through | inside something, from one end to the other end | She walked through the dark forest. |
| along | following a line | They walked along the river. |
| towards | in the direction of | She came towards me. |
| by / with | by = the doer or the way; with = the tool | The letter was written by Ravi with a pen. |
| upon | a formal word for on | Miranda hung upon her father (held on to him tightly). |
Fixed prepositions: no rule, remember them
| Word + preposition | Example | Word + preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| good at | She is good at maths. | afraid of | He is afraid of dogs. |
| interested in | I am interested in music. | depend on | It depends on the weather. |
| prefer ... to | I prefer tea to coffee. | differ from | This book differs from that one. |
| agree with (a person) | I agree with you. | agree to (a plan) | We agree to the plan. |
| fond of | She is fond of music. | married to | He is married to a doctor. |
| insist on | He insisted on paying. | congratulate on | I congratulate you on your success. |
| superior to | This cloth is superior to that. | senior to | She is senior to me. |
| proud of | We are proud of our team. | aware of | Are you aware of the rule? |
Common mistakes
1. "discuss about". Discuss takes no preposition. Say: We discuss a topic. Never: We discuss about a topic.
2. "since two years". Since needs a starting point (since 2024, since Monday). For a length of time, use for: I have lived here for two years.
3. "prefer ... than". After prefer, use to: I prefer tea to coffee.
4. between for many. Between is for two; among is for more than two: Divide the cake among the three children.
5. in / into. In shows a place (The cat is in the box); into shows movement to the inside (The cat jumped into the box).
6. "enter into the room", "reach to the station". Enter and reach take no preposition: He entered the room. We reached the station.
7. beside / besides. Beside = next to; besides = in addition to.
One simple trick: at for a point, on for a surface, in for inside, into for movement, between for two, among for many.
TNPSC PYQs: all 8 preposition questions
The Government built a bridge ____ the river.
Answer: (C) Across. A bridge goes from one bank of the river to the other bank: across. Along would mean following the river.
He was born ____ 1960.
Answer: (A) In. With a year, use in (in 1960, in May). On is for days and dates; at for an exact time; since needs a perfect tense.
Miranda hung ____ her father saying, "Why are you so ungentle"?
Answer: (A) upon. Hang upon means to hold on to someone tightly; upon is the formal form of on, used in this story.
The Moon shines bright ____ the clouds.
Answer: (C) Behind. The Moon is at the back of the clouds: behind. (Official key.)
She poured the sauce ____ the pasta.
Answer: (D) over. The sauce comes down and covers the top of the pasta: over. (Official key.)
He had been ____ a difficult experience.
Answer: (C) through. To go through an experience is to live through it from start to end. Thorough (complete) is an adjective, not a preposition. (Official key.)
When she came ____ me shouting, I retreated behind my desk.
Answer: (C) towards. She moved in my direction: towards. (Official key.)
The question from the video
I will have finished this essay ____ Friday.
Answer: (D) by (PYQ bank). By means "not later than". The future perfect (will have finished) talks about a deadline, so by Friday. On Friday would mean the work happens on that day.
Practice MCQs
Why? Short explanations
1 (B) An exact time takes at.
2 (A) A date takes on.
3 (C) A month takes in.
4 (C) Last Sunday is a starting point: since.
5 (B) Ten years is a length of time: for.
6 (A) Movement to the inside: into.
7 (D) Two people: between.
8 (C) In addition to Tamil: besides.
9 (D) A knife is the tool: with.
10 (D) The doer in a passive sentence: by.
11 (D) Fixed pair: fond of.
12 (D) Fixed pair: married to (never married with).
13 (C) Fixed pair: insist on.
14 (A) From one side to the other side: across.
15 (B) Discuss takes no preposition.
