Preposition Examples

1. at an earlier time

• Stan arrived at work before his boss.
  
  
• The show start 15 minutes before noon.
  
  
• Call me before you leave your house.

2. in front of

• Turn west before the school.
  
  
• He stood before me in the line.
  
  
• The teacher stood before the class. 

1. losing in a competition

• Tommy finished behind Billy in the race.
  
  
• My team was behind at halftime.
  
  
• Mr. Jones is behind Mr. Smith in the voting polls.

2. at the back of something; opposite of "in front"

• My sister snuck up behind me and scared me.
  
  
• I hid behind the tree.
  
  
• The criminal is behind bars. (in jail)

1. in a lower place; under; less than

• The ice cream shop is one floor below the clothing store.
  
  
• It was ten degrees below zero last night.
  
  
• A vice-president is below the president.
  
  (The vice-president does not have as much power as the president.)
  

1. not good enough; less than

• He thinks cleaning the house is beneath him.
  
  (He thinks he is too important to clean the house.)
  
  
  
• I'm not going to take that job because it is beneath me.
  
  (I deserve a better job.)

2. lower than; under; below

• We had class beneath the big oak tree.
  
  
• My name is beneath yours on the bus list. 
  
  
• He was hiding beneath the rock.

1. next to

• Please stand beside your parents.
  
  
• We live beside the park.
  
  
• Who is standing beside you in this picture? 

1. other than or in addition to; except; but

• Can you cook anything besides pizza?
  
  
• Nobody is finished besides (except) me.
  
  
• Besides being expensive, that dress is perfect!

1. in the middle of

• Janet said she would be home between 6:00 and 6:30.
  
  
• The bride walked between the aisles.
  
  
• Did you cut down the tree between the two houses?

2. used to show two or more people or things

• I can't choose between the red car and the blue car.
  
  
• She does not have any time to date between work and her children.
  
  
• Please keep this secret between us.
  
  (Do not tell anyone else the information.)

1. other than; except; besides

• Mom said I could buy anything but candy with my Christmas money.
  
  
• Nobody is home but me.
  
  
• I don't like any girls but my sister.

1. near; close to; beside

• The dog should walk by you.
  
  
• We live by the zoo.
  
  
• We were talking by the fence.
  
  
  

2. used to show someone (or something) performs an action

• The law was vetoed by the President of the United States.
  
  
• She was stung by a bee.
  
  
• That book was written by John Smith.