Common Errors in the Use of Englis Prepositions

A preposition connects nouns and pronouns and serves to provide necessary details that tell the reader when, where, or how something occurred.

Common Errors in the Use of English Prepositions

• Incorrect: I recommend you to take a long vacation.
• Correct: I recommend that you take a long vacation.

• Incorrect: Come to here.
• Correct: Come here.

• Incorrect: The sun rises from the East.
• Correct: The sun rises in the East.

• Incorrect: The thief got in from the window.
• Correct: The thief got in through the window.

• Incorrect: Let’s begin from page 10.
• Correct: Let’s begin at ( on ) page 10.

• Incorrect: Are you home tomorrow.
• Correct: Are you at home tomorrow.

• Incorrect: There is a limit in my patience.
• Correct: There is a limit to my patience.

• Incorrect: Is your house insured for fire ?
• Correct: Is your house insured against fire ?

• Incorrect: Keep the right.
• Correct: Keep to the right.

• Incorrect: What a dirty face ! Look at the mirror.
• Correct: What a dirty face ! Look in the mirror.

• Incorrect: This is the key of my room.
• Correct: This is the key to my room.

• Incorrect: It’s a novel of three volumes.
• Correct: It’s a novel in three volumes.

• Incorrect: He is a student of Harvard University.
• Correct: He is a student at Harvard University.

• Incorrect: He had a child of his former wife.
• Correct: He had a child by his former wife.

• Incorrect: I saw it on the newspapers.
•  Correct: I read ( saw ) it in the newspapers.

• Incorrect: Shall we sit in that sofa ?
• Correct: Shall we sit on that sofa ?

• Incorrect: I bought this book with 50 dollars.
• Correct: I bought this book for 50 dollars.

• Incorrect: My father is busy in his business.
• Correct: My father is busy with his business.
• Incorrect: You shouldn’t worry of getting married.
• Correct: You shouldn’t worry about getting married.

Common Errors in the Use of English Prepositions