10 common preposition mistakes and how to fix them

Prepositions are small but essential words in English that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other parts of a sentence. They often indicate direction, location, time, or the way something is done, acting like connectors to give context and clarity. For example, words like “in,” “on,” “at,” “to,” “for,” “since,” and “about” help us understand where something is happening, when it occurs, or how things relate to each other. In a sentence like “She’s waiting at the bus stop,” the preposition “at” pinpoints her exact location, while in “I’ve lived here since 2010,” “since” marks the starting point of time. Though short and simple, prepositions can be tricky because their use often depends on specific rules or conventions that don’t always translate logically from one language to another. Mastering them is key to sounding natural and precise in English, as they glue the sentence together and make the meaning clear.

Prepositions might seem like small words, but they play a big role in making English sentences clear and accurate. Even fluent speakers can stumble over them, leading to common mistakes that confuse meaning or sound unnatural. This guide highlights five frequent preposition errors—ranging from mix-ups with time and place to tricky verb pairings—and offers simple fixes to help you master their use with confidence.

Using “in” instead of “on” for specific days or dates

• ❌ Mistake: “I’ll meet you in Monday.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “on” for specific days or dates: “I’ll meet you on Monday.”
• Explanation: “In” is used for broader time periods (e.g., “in June” or “in 2025”), while “on” pinpoints a specific day or date.

Confusing “at” and “in” with locations

• ❌ Mistake: “She’s waiting in the bus stop.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “at” for specific points: “She’s waiting at the bus stop.”
• Explanation: “At” is for precise locations (e.g., “at the station”), while “in” is for enclosed spaces (e.g., “in the room”).

Using “for” instead of “since” with time

• ❌ Mistake: “I’ve lived here for 2010.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “since” for a starting point: “I’ve lived here since 2010.”
• Explanation: “For” indicates duration (e.g., “for five years”), while “since” marks the start of a period (e.g., “since yesterday”).

Misusing “to” after “explain”

• ❌ Mistake: “He explained me the problem.”
• ✅ Fix: Drop “to” after “explain”: “He explained the problem to me” or “He explained it to me.”
• Explanation: “Explain” doesn’t take a preposition before the object; the “to” comes before the recipient if included.

Using “on” instead of “about” with topics

• ❌ Mistake: “We talked on the weather.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “about” for discussion topics: “We talked about the weather.”
• Explanation: “On” is used for surfaces or specific occasions (e.g., “on the table” or “on Monday”), while “about” relates to subjects or content.

Using “in” instead of “into” for movement

• ❌ Mistake: “He walked in the room.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “into” to show movement toward the inside: “He walked into the room.”
• Explanation: “In” describes a static position (e.g., “He’s in the room”), while “into” indicates motion from outside to inside.

Using “on” instead of “in” for months or years

• ❌ Mistake: “I was born on July.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “in” for months or years: “I was born in July.”
• Explanation: “On” is for specific days (e.g., “on July 5th”), but “in” applies to broader time periods like months or years (e.g., “in 1990”).

Confusing “beside” and “besides”

• ❌ Mistake: “Beside the food, we need drinks.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “besides” to mean “in addition to”: “Besides the food, we need drinks.”
• Explanation: “Beside” means “next to” (e.g., “She sat beside me”), while “besides” adds something extra and isn’t about physical position.

Using “with” instead of “by” for tools or agents

• ❌ Mistake: “The painting was done with Picasso.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “by” for the doer or creator: “The painting was done by Picasso.”
• Explanation: “With” is for tools or means (e.g., “done with a brush”), while “by” identifies the person or thing performing the action.

Misusing “of” instead of “from” for origin

• ❌ Mistake: “I got this gift of my friend.”
• ✅ Fix: Use “from” to show source or origin: “I got this gift from my friend.”
• Explanation: “Of” indicates possession or belonging (e.g., “a friend of mine”), but “from” is used for where something comes from.

Conclusion

Prepositions might seem minor, but their correct use is a cornerstone of polished English. Mistakes like saying “in Monday” instead of “on Monday” or “explained me” instead of “explained to me” can disrupt clarity and mark a speaker as less fluent. By tackling these five frequent errors—covering time, place, and tricky verb pairings—you can sharpen your skills and avoid the slip-ups that confuse or mislead. With a little attention to their rules, prepositions transform from potential stumbling blocks into reliable bridges, linking your ideas with precision and confidence.