Knowing what preposition to use can be hard, especially when they come in confusing pairs, where kids easily exchange them for each other. Here are some of the most common preposition pairs that confuse kids:
among / between
around / about
beside / besides
from / of
in / into
like / as
on / onto
Here’s a quick review of each pair and some example sentences.
Among / between
Among means surrounded by, in the company of, or being a member of a larger set. For example:
She was among the first 50 students to enroll in the music program.
Wild mushrooms were hidden among the roots of the tree.
Between means at, into or across the space separating two objects or separating two points in time. For example:
The children snack between lunch and dinner.
The border between the US and Canada is the longest undefended border in the world.
Around / about
Around means located or situated on every side. For example:
We all sat around the table.
The castle was built around a courtyard.
About means either on a subject/concerning, or is used to indicate movement within a particular area. For example:
About 1,000 participated in the Fun Run this weekend.
I am reading a book about flying kites.
Here’s where the use of around and about can get confusing as there are times either of the two prepositions can be used. For example:
We strolled about / around the town square.
The handyman does odd jobs about / around the house.
Beside / Besides
Beside means at the side of or next to. For example:
She sat beside her friend on the bus.
They put the drinks beside the snacks on the table.
Besides means in addition to or apart from. For example:
She’s capable of doing the work and a lot more besides.
She didn’t play with anybody else besides Ava.
From / of
From means the origin of something or someone. For example:
Cathy walked away from school.
The train came from Boston.
Of means possession or a property of something. For example:
What’s the name of that painting?
She’s the daughter of Margie and Dan.
In / into
In means something that is enclosed or surrounded by something else, or period of time during which an event takes place. For example:
They met in 1995.
We live in Chicago.
Into means movement or action with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else. For example:
Bob came into the room.
Into also means an action with the result that someone or something makes physical contact with something else.
She crashed into a parked car.
Like / as
Like means similar to or to draw attention to an action or event. For example:
You’re just like your father. You both love to cook.
Sorry for coming over unannounced like this.
As means to refer to the function or character that someone or something has, or during the time of being. For example:
She had often been sick as a child.
She got a job as a truck driver.
On / onto
On means being physically in contact and supported by a surface, or forming a distinctive or marked part on the surface of something. For example:
The water jug was on the table.
She has a scratch on her arm.
Onto means moving to a location on the surface of something, or moving aboard a vehicle for traveling. For example:
We got onto the train to go see grandma.
They hiked up onto the ridge.
Our grade 4 and grade 5 grammar and writing workbooks cover prepositions. Check them out in our bookstore.
