Commonly Confused Prepositions

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition.

1. There were ……………. ten students in the class.

under
below
Either could be used here
We use under to mean less than or younger than.

2. Parts of the country are ……………. sea level.

below
under
Either could be used here
We use below in measurements of temperature and height.

3. The climbers stopped a few hundred meters ……………. the top of the
mountain.
below
under
Either could be used here
We use below when one thing is not directly under another thing.

4. Who is that child sitting ……………. your mother?

beside
besides
Either could be used here
Beside means at the side of or next to.

5. He can play all the musical instruments ……………. the violin.

except
beside

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 Commonly Confused Prepositions

besides
Except subtracts; besides adds.

6. He has a number of criminals ……………. his friends.

between
among
in
Among can mean included in.

7. The office was closed ……………. the whole of May.

during
in
since
We use during to talk about the whole of the period.

8. I met him ……………. my stay in Germany.

during
in
Either could be used here
We use during to say that something happens between the beginning and end of an
event/activity.

9. I stayed in bed all day ……………. going to work.

instead
instead of
Either could be used here
Instead is not used alone as a preposition. We use the two words instead of.

10. We arrived ……………. to get good seats.

in time

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 Commonly Confused Prepositions

on time
at time
In time means before the last moment.

11. The trains are never …………….

in time
on time
at time
If something is on time, it is neither late nor early.

12. The movie is quite exciting …………….

at the end
in the end
on the end
At the end means at the point where something stops.

PLAY AGAIN !
Answers
1. There were under ten students in the class.
2. Parts of the country are below sea level.
3. The climbers stopped a few hundred meters below the top of the mountain.
4. Who is that child sitting beside your mother?
5. He can play all the musical instruments except the violin.
6. He has a number of criminals among his friends.
7. The office was closed during the whole of May.
8. I met him during my stay in Germany.
9. I stayed in bed all day instead of going to work.
10. We arrived in time to get good seats.
11. The trains are never on time.
12. The movie is quite exciting at the end.

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