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Prepositions of Time and Place
Do you want to improve your language-learning skills with a tool that makes mastering phrases in your target language feel natural and intuitive?
I’m thrilled to announce my new affiliate partnership with Glossika—a cutting-edge language-learning platform. Glossika uses the power of contextual repetition to help you internalize sentence structures and build fluency the way we naturally learn languages. Whether you're tackling prepositions or expanding your vocabulary, Glossika is a fantastic resource for enhancing your studies.
And speaking of prepositions, these tricky little in-between words can confound new speakers of any language.
For example, in Spanish, the difference between “en la tarde,” “de la tarde,” and “hasta la tarde” always eludes me, yet those simple connecting words can change the entire meaning of a phrase or sentence. That's why studying prepositions is just as important as growing your vocabulary.
Luckily, prepositions of time and place tend to follow general patterns in sentence structure across most languages, with key differences depending on language family.
While English and similar languages rely heavily on prepositions placed before nouns, many other languages use postpositions or case markers to convey the same meaning. By understanding the sentence structure of your target language, you can avoid direct translation errors as you learn prepositions.
To practice prepositions in your target language, try...
Learning spatial relationships visually: For example, in English…
-at: a point (e.g., at the door, at the bus stop).
-on: a surface (e.g., on the table, on the wall).
-in: an enclosed space (e.g., in the room, in the box).
Using hand gestures or objects: Demonstrate prepositions physically with objects. For example, think of a cat "in" the box, "on" the table, or "at" the corner.
Pairing verbs with prepositions: review common verb-preposition combinations (e.g., arrive at, sit on, live in).
Recently, an English coaching client and I were working on exercises like these, and it struck me how challenging it can be—even for advanced English speakers—to use simple terms like “in,” “at,” and “on” correctly in different contexts. This may be because, like so many English grammar rules, there are exceptions, and in conversational speech, it’s easy to lose track of their subtle distinctions.
In any case, regularly reviewing when and how to use prepositions of time and place can help you develop an automatic grasp of their proper usage. Here's a worksheet for any English language learners to get you started!
Mastering prepositions may feel like a small part of learning a language, but these subtle connectors have a big impact on clarity and fluency. Review them with consistent practice and tools like Glossika to build confidence in your language skills and enjoy smoother communication in any context.
Speak again soon,
P.S. Here’s what I meant by…
tricky: challenging or difficult to understand, learn, or apply correctly
elude: escape understanding, perception, or grasp
language family: a group of languages that share a common historical origin and exhibit similar linguistic characteristics
case markers: grammatical elements (such as suffixes or prefixes) that indicate the role of a noun or pronoun in a sentence
P.P.S
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