200 commonly used Prepositions as per British English. Importance of Learning Prepositions in British English.

200 commonly used Prepositions as per British English

Importance of Learning Prepositions in British English

Prepositions are small but powerful words in the English language. They show the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence. In British English, proper usage of prepositions is essential for clear, natural, and grammatically correct communication.

One key reason to learn prepositions well is that their usage often differs between British and American English. For example, British English prefers “at the weekend” rather than the American “on the weekend,” or “in hospital” instead of “in the hospital.” These subtle differences can cause confusion if not understood properly. Therefore, mastering prepositions in the British context helps learners speak and write more accurately and appropriately in UK settings.

Moreover, prepositions often have idiomatic uses in British English, such as “keen on,” “good at,” or “interested in.” These phrases are commonly used in both formal and informal conversations, and misusing them can make speech sound awkward or incorrect. Knowing which preposition fits naturally with certain words is critical for fluency.

In addition, prepositions play a vital role in academic and professional writing in British English. Whether you’re writing reports, essays, or emails, the correct use of prepositions affects clarity and professionalism. Mistakes in preposition usage may distract the reader or even alter the intended meaning.

200 Prepositions

Here are 200 commonly used Prepositions as per British English with pronunciation, meaning, and examples of usage.

200 British English Prepositions

Sr. No.PrepositionPronunciationMeaningExample
1Aboard/əˈbɔːd/On or into a ship, aircraft, or other vehicleHe climbed aboard the boat.
2About/əˈbaʊt/On the subject of; relating toWe talked about politics.
3Above/əˈbʌv/At a higher level or layer thanThe painting hangs above the fireplace.
4Across/əˈkrɒs/From one side to the otherThey walked across the street.
5After/ˈɑːftə/Following in time or placeShe arrived after the meeting started.
6Against/əˈɡɛnst/In opposition toHe leaned against the wall.
7Along/əˈlɒŋ/Moving in a constant direction onThey strolled along the beach.
8Amid/əˈmɪd/Surrounded byAmid the confusion, she remained calm.
9Among/əˈmʌŋ/Surrounded by; in the company ofHe was among friends.
10Around/əˈraʊnd/Situated on every sideShe looked around the room.
1Aboard/əˈbɔːd/On or into a ship, aircraft, or other vehicleHe climbed aboard the boat.
2About/əˈbaʊt/On the subject of; relating toWe talked about politics.
3Above/əˈbʌv/At a higher level or layer thanThe painting hangs above the fireplace.
4Across/əˈkrɒs/From one side to the otherThey walked across the street.
5After/ˈɑːftə/Following in time or placeShe arrived after the meeting started.
6Against/əˈɡɛnst/In opposition toHe leaned against the wall.
7Along/əˈlɒŋ/Moving in a constant direction onThey strolled along the beach.
8Amid/əˈmɪd/Surrounded byAmid the confusion, she remained calm.
9Among/əˈmʌŋ/Surrounded by; in the company ofHe was among friends.
10Around/əˈraʊnd/Situated on every sideShe looked around the room.
11As/æz/Used to describe function or characterHe worked as a waiter.
12As far as/æz fɑːr æz/To the extent or degree ofAs far as I know, he is coming.
13As of/æz ɒv/Starting from a particular timeAs of next week, he will be manager.
14As per/æz pɜː/According toAs per the rules, he was disqualified.
15As well as/æz wɛl æz/In addition toShe sings as well as dances.
16Aside from/əˈsaɪd frəm/Apart from; except forAside from English, she speaks French.
17At/æt/Used to indicate a location or timeHe is at home.
18At odds with/æt ɒdz wɪð/In disagreement withHe was at odds with his manager.
19At the back of/æt ðə bæk ɒv/BehindThe garage is at the back of the house.
20At the bottom of/æt ðə ˈbɒtəm ɒv/At a lower placeHis office is at the bottom of the building.
21At the side of/æt ðə saɪd ɒv/Next to; besideHe stood at the side of the stage.
22At the top of/æt ðə tɒp ɒv/At a higher placeHe stood at the top of the mountain.
23Athwart/əˈθwɔːt/Across; from side to sideThe boat lay athwart the current.
24Barring/ˈbɑːrɪŋ/Except forBarring rain, the picnic will go ahead.
25Because of/bɪˈkɒz ɒv/Due toThey cancelled the trip because of the weather.
26Before/bɪˈfɔː/Earlier thanShe arrived before noon.
27Behind/bɪˈhaɪnd/At the back ofHe hid behind the door.
28Below/bɪˈləʊ/Lower thanThe temperature is below freezing.
29Beneath/bɪˈniːθ/UnderneathThe valley lay beneath the hills.
30Beside/bɪˈsaɪd/Next toHe sat beside me.
31Besides/bɪˈsaɪdz/In addition toBesides English, he speaks Spanish.
32Between/bɪˈtwiːn/In the space separating two thingsShe sat between her friends.
33Beyond/bɪˈjɒnd/Further away thanThe road continues beyond the village.
34But for/bʌt fɔː/Except for; withoutBut for your help, I couldn’t have done it.
35By/baɪ/Close to; through the means ofHe sat by the window.
36By dint of/baɪ dɪnt ɒv/By means ofHe succeeded by dint of hard work.
37By means of/baɪ miːnz ɒv/Using; with the help ofThe solution was reached by means of negotiation.
38By reason of/baɪ ˈriːzən ɒv/Because ofHe was excused by reason of illness.
39By virtue of/baɪ ˈvɜːtʃuː ɒv/Because of; owing toHe got the job by virtue of his experience.
40By way of/baɪ weɪ ɒv/As a route or methodWe stopped at Oxford by way of Reading.
41Circa/ˈsɜːkə/Approximately (especially dates)The castle was built circa 1300.
42Close to/kləʊs tuː/NearShe lives close to the station.
43Concerning/kənˈsɜːnɪŋ/About; regardingA letter concerning your application arrived.
44Considering/kənˈsɪdərɪŋ/Taking into accountConsidering the weather, we stayed indoors.
45Contrary to/ˈkɒntrəri tuː/Opposite toContrary to expectations, he arrived early.
46Despite/dɪˈspaɪt/Although; even thoughDespite the rain, we went out.
47Down/daʊn/From a higher to a lower pointHe fell down the stairs.
48Due to/djuː tuː/Because ofThe delay was due to traffic.
49During/ˈdjʊərɪŋ/Throughout a periodHe slept during the flight.
50Except/ɪkˈsɛpt/Not includingEveryone went except John.
51Except for/ɪkˈsɛpt fɔː/ExcludingExcept for John, everyone came.
52Excluding/ɪkˈskluːdɪŋ/Not includingExcluding taxes, the cost is lower.
53Failing/ˈfeɪlɪŋ/In default ofFailing payment, we will take action.
54Following/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/After; as a result ofFollowing the meeting, we had lunch.
55For/fɔː/Indicating purpose or recipientThis gift is for you.
56From/frɒm/Indicating source or originHe came from Italy.
57Given/ˈɡɪvən/Taking into accountGiven his age, he did well.
58In/ɪn/Inside a space or placeThe keys are in the drawer.
59In accordance with/ɪn əˈkɔːdəns wɪð/In agreement withIn accordance with the rules, he resigned.
60In addition to/ɪn əˈdɪʃən tuː/As well asIn addition to tea, they served coffee.
61In between/ɪn bɪˈtwiːn/Between two thingsThe keys fell in between the seats.
62In case of/ɪn keɪs ɒv/If something happensIn case of fire, call 999.
63In face of/ɪn feɪs ɒv/DespiteIn face of difficulties, he succeeded.
64In favour of/ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv/SupportingI am in favour of the new law.
65In front of/ɪn frʌnt ɒv/Before or ahead ofHe stood in front of the door.
66In lieu of/ɪn ljuː ɒv/Instead ofHe accepted money in lieu of gifts.
67In place of/ɪn pleɪs ɒv/Instead ofUse vinegar in place of lemon.
68In reference to/ɪn ˈrɛfərəns tuː/About; regardingIn reference to your letter, we agree.
69In regard to/ɪn rɪˈɡɑːd tuː/ConcerningIn regard to your proposal, we approve.
70In respect of/ɪn rɪˈspɛkt ɒv/With reference toPayment was made in respect of services rendered.
71In spite of/ɪn spaɪt ɒv/DespiteIn spite of the rain, we went out.
72In view of/ɪn vjuː ɒv/Because ofIn view of the facts, we decided differently.
73Inside/ˈɪnsaɪd/WithinThe ball is inside the box.
74Instead of/ɪnˈstɛd ɒv/In place ofInstead of tea, she had coffee.
75Into/ˈɪntuː/Movement towards the insideHe jumped into the pool.
76Less/lɛs/WithoutLess tax, his salary is lower.
77Like/laɪk/Similar toHe runs like a cheetah.
78Minus/ˈmaɪnəs/Less; reduced byTen minus two is eight.
79Near/nɪə/Close toShe lives near the station.
80Next to/nɛkst tuː/BesideSit next to me.
81Notwithstanding/ˌnɒtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/DespiteNotwithstanding the rain, the match continued.
82Of/ɒv/Belonging to; relating toThe leg of the table is broken.
83Off/ɒf/Away fromHe jumped off the wall.
84On/ɒn/Positioned above and in contact withThe book is on the table.
85On account of/ɒn əˈkaʊnt ɒv/Because ofThe flight was delayed on account of fog.
86On behalf of/ɒn bɪˈhɑːf ɒv/RepresentingI speak on behalf of the team.
87On board/ɒn bɔːd/Aboard a ship, plane, etc.There are 300 passengers on board.
88On top of/ɒn tɒp ɒv/On the highest part ofPut the box on top of the wardrobe.
89Onto/ˈɒntuː/Moving to a position onThe cat jumped onto the bed.
90Opposite/ˈɒpəzɪt/Facing; across fromThe shop is opposite the station.
91Out/aʊt/Away from insideHe went out the door.
92Out of/aʊt ɒv/From the inside ofShe ran out of the building.
93Outside/ˈaʊtsaɪd/Beyond; not insideHe waited outside the house.
94Over/ˈəʊvə/Above; higher thanPlanes flew over the city.
95Owing to/ˈəʊɪŋ tuː/Because ofOwing to illness, he missed school.
96Past/pɑːst/Beyond in place or timeHe drove past the church.
97Pending/ˈpɛndɪŋ/Awaiting; untilPending approval, the event is on hold.
98Per/pɜː/For each60 miles per hour.
99Prior to/ˈpraɪə tuː/BeforePrior to leaving, he called.
100Pro/prəʊ/For; in favour ofHe spoke pro environmental reforms.
101Regarding/rɪˈɡɑːdɪŋ/Concerning; aboutI wrote to you regarding the meeting.
102Regardless of/rɪˈɡɑːdləs ɒv/DespiteRegardless of cost, he bought it.
103Round/raʊnd/Around; on every side ofThe road goes round the lake.
104Save/seɪv/ExceptAll save one survived.
105Saving/ˈseɪvɪŋ/Except forSaving the weather, the trip was great.
106Since/sɪns/From a past time until nowHe has been here since Monday.
107Than/ðæn/Used to compareShe is taller than him.
108Thanks to/θæŋks tuː/Because ofThanks to you, I succeeded.
109Through/θruː/From one side to anotherHe walked through the tunnel.
110Throughout/θruːˈaʊt/In every part ofIt rained throughout the day.
111Till/tɪl/UntilWait till tomorrow.
112To/tuː/In the direction ofGive it to him.
113Together with/təˈɡɛðə wɪð/In addition toTogether with his brother, he built the house.
114Toward/təˈwɔːd/In the direction ofShe ran toward him.
115Towards/təˈwɔːdz/In the direction of (British spelling)He moved towards the exit.
116Under/ˈʌndə/BeneathThe cat hid under the table.
117Underneath/ˌʌndəˈniːθ/Directly beneathThe coin is underneath the sofa.
118Unlike/ʌnˈlaɪk/Different fromUnlike his brother, he is quiet.
119Until/ʌnˈtɪl/Up to the time ofStay until I return.
120Unto/ˈʌntuː/To (archaic usage)He gave unto them his blessings.
121Up/ʌp/From lower to higherHe climbed up the ladder.
122Upon/əˈpɒn/On (formal)Once upon a time, there was a king.
123Versus/ˈvɜːsəs/AgainstThe final match: England versus France.
124Via/ˈvaɪə/By way ofWe travelled via Paris.
125With/wɪð/Accompanied byShe came with her friend.
126Within/wɪˈðɪn/Inside the limits ofStay within the boundaries.
127Without/wɪðˈaʊt/Not havingHe left without his phone.
128Worth/wɜːθ/Equal in value toThe book is worth £20.
129Akin to/əˈkɪn tuː/Similar toHis emotions are akin to fear.
130Alongside/əˈlɒŋsaɪd/Next toHe parked his car alongside mine.
131Amidst/əˈmɪdst/In the middle ofAmidst the chaos, he stood firm.
132Apart from/əˈpɑːt frəm/Except for; besidesApart from English, he speaks German.
133As against/æz əˈɡɛnst/In contrast toAs against last year, profits fell.
134As far back as/æz fɑː bæk æz/Referring to a distant timeThe tradition dates as far back as 1600.
135As to/æz tuː/Concerning; regardingNo decision has been made as to the date.
136As with/æz wɪð/In the same way asAs with many sports, practice is key.
137Aside/əˈsaɪd/To one sideHe stepped aside to let her pass.
138Astride/əˈstraɪd/With a leg on each side ofHe sat astride the motorbike.
139Atop/əˈtɒp/On the top ofSnow lay atop the mountains.
140Because/bɪˈkɒz/For the reason thatHe left because it was late.
141Close by/kləʊs baɪ/Very nearHe lives close by.
142Dependent on/dɪˈpɛndənt ɒn/Relying onHe is dependent on his parents.
143Due/djuː/OwingDue payment must be made.
144Far from/fɑː frɒm/Not at allHe is far from ready.
145Further to/ˈfɜːðə tuː/Following; as a result ofFurther to your letter, we agree.
146In aid of/ɪn eɪd ɒv/For the benefit ofA concert in aid of charity.
147In anticipation of/ɪn ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃən ɒv/In expectation ofThey prepared in anticipation of rain.
148In between/ɪn bɪˈtwiːn/In the space separatingThe ball rolled in between the chairs.
149In defiance of/ɪn dɪˈfaɪəns ɒv/Open resistance toHe acted in defiance of the law.
150In exchange for/ɪn ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ fɔː/In return forHe gave his watch in exchange for food.
151In favour of/ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv/SupportingThey voted in favour of the proposal.
152In front of/ɪn frʌnt ɒv/Before; ahead ofHe parked in front of the building.
153In light of/ɪn laɪt ɒv/ConsideringIn light of new evidence, we reopened the case.
154In line with/ɪn laɪn wɪð/In accordance withSalary increases are in line with inflation.
155In need of/ɪn niːd ɒv/RequiringThey are in need of assistance.
156In opposition to/ɪn ɒpəˈzɪʃən tuː/AgainstThey protested in opposition to the law.
157In place of/ɪn pleɪs ɒv/Instead ofUse yoghurt in place of cream.
158In possession of/ɪn pəˈzɛʃən ɒv/Holding; owningHe was found in possession of stolen goods.
159In preference to/ɪn ˈprɛfərəns tuː/Rather thanHe chose coffee in preference to tea.
160In pursuit of/ɪn pəˈsjuːt ɒv/Trying to achieveShe travelled abroad in pursuit of knowledge.
161In relation to/ɪn rɪˈleɪʃən tuː/ConcerningChanges in relation to policy were discussed.
162In return for/ɪn rɪˈtɜːn fɔː/In exchange forHe worked in return for food and shelter.
163In search of/ɪn sɜːtʃ ɒv/Looking forThey went in search of treasure.
164In spite of/ɪn spaɪt ɒv/DespiteIn spite of the snow, they arrived.
165In terms of/ɪn tɜːmz ɒv/Concerning; regardingIn terms of cost, it’s expensive.
166In the event of/ɪn ði ɪˈvɛnt ɒv/If something happensIn the event of a fire, exit quickly.
167In view of/ɪn vjuː ɒv/ConsideringIn view of the risk, we cancelled.
168Inside of/ˈɪnsaɪd ɒv/Within (emphatic)Inside of two weeks, he recovered.
169Instead of/ɪnˈstɛd ɒv/In place ofShe stayed home instead of going out.
170Irrespective of/ˌɪrɪˈspɛktɪv ɒv/Regardless ofThe rules apply irrespective of age.
171Just like/dʒʌst laɪk/Exactly similar toShe sings just like her mother.
172Left of/lɛft ɒv/On the left side ofThe shop is left of the post office.
173Less than/lɛs ðæn/Not as much asHe spent less than £20.
174More than/mɔː ðæn/ExceedingIt costs more than I expected.
175Near to/nɪə tuː/Close toThe hospital is near to my house.
176Next door to/nɛkst dɔː tuː/Immediately adjacentShe lives next door to us.
177Next to/nɛkst tuː/BesideSit next to me.
178North of/nɔːθ ɒv/To the north ofEdinburgh is north of London.
179On account of/ɒn əˈkaʊnt ɒv/Because ofThe picnic was cancelled on account of rain.
180On behalf of/ɒn bɪˈhɑːf ɒv/RepresentingI spoke on behalf of my colleagues.
181On board/ɒn bɔːd/On or in a vehicleAll passengers are on board.
182On top of/ɒn tɒp ɒv/Above; in addition toOn top of studying, he works full time.
183Opposite to/ˈɒpəzɪt tuː/Facing; across fromThe café is opposite to the library.
184Out from/aʊt frɒm/Moving away fromShe stepped out from the shadows.
185Out of/aʊt ɒv/From insideHe ran out of the room.
186Outside of/ˈaʊtsaɪd ɒv/Beyond; excludingOutside of work, he loves hiking.
187Over and above/ˈəʊvər ənd əˈbʌv/In addition toOver and above the bonus, he got a raise.
188Owing to/ˈəʊɪŋ tuː/Because ofOwing to illness, he stayed home.
189Prior to/ˈpraɪə tuː/BeforePrior to 2010, he lived abroad.
190Pursuant to/pəˈsjuːənt tuː/According toPursuant to the agreement, payment is due.
191Regardless of/rɪˈɡɑːdləs ɒv/DespiteRegardless of warnings, he went ahead.
192Relative to/ˈrɛlətɪv tuː/In relation toThe price is high relative to income.
193Right of/raɪt ɒv/On the right side ofThe bakery is right of the pharmacy.
194Save for/seɪv fɔː/Except forSave for John, all attended.
195Subsequent to/ˈsʌbsɪkwənt tuː/AfterSubsequent to the meeting, we agreed.
196Thanks to/θæŋks tuː/Because ofThanks to his help, we finished early.
197West of/wɛst ɒv/To the west ofBristol is west of London.
198With a view to/wɪð ə vjuː tuː/Intending toShe studied hard with a view to passing.
199With regard to/wɪð rɪˈɡɑːd tuː/ConcerningWith regard to your query, here’s the answer.
200Without regard to/wɪðˈaʊt rɪˈɡɑːd tuː/Without consideringHe acted without regard to consequences.

All the 200 prepositions are written according to British English standards — both in:

  • Spellings (e.g., “favour” instead of American “favor”, “defence” instead of “defense”, etc.)
  • Preposition Usage that is commonly recognised in British English (sometimes slightly different from American English).

Key care has been taken:

  • Correct British spellings (e.g., towards, favour, behaviour).
  • Correct British structures (some phrases like in aid of, in favour of, owing to are more typical in UK English).
  • Some forms like towards (UK) vs toward (US) — I gave both with notes where necessary.
  • Formal phrases (pursuant to, subsequent to, relative to) which are used in British legal, academic, or business writing.
  • Pronunciations based on Received Pronunciation (RP) (standard British accent).

Here is a helpful table of common British English prepositions along with usage examples and American English comparisons (where applicable):

Preposition / Phrase

British English Usage

Example Sentence

American English Equivalent (if different)

at the weekend

Used to refer to time during the weekend

What are you doing at the weekend?

on the weekend

in hospital

Used to describe someone being admitted

She’s been in hospital for two days.

in the hospital

at university

Used when someone is studying at a university

He’s at university in London.

in college / in university

to write to someone

“To” is used with write

Please write to your teacher.

write (someone)

different from

Preferred over “different than” or “different to”

This phone is different from mine.

different than / different to

on holiday

Refers to being away on vacation

They are on holiday in France.

on vacation

in future

Refers to upcoming time

Be more careful in future.

in the future

at the weekend

Refers to time over the weekend

We went hiking at the weekend.

on the weekend

good at / bad at

To describe skill level

She’s really good at maths.

(same)

keen on

Shows interest or enthusiasm

He’s keen on playing football.

(same)

angry with someone

Used when expressing anger directed at someone

I’m angry with him for being late.

angry at (someone)

on the team

Used for team membership

He’s on the team this season.

(same)

Tips:

  • Learn phrases as a whole (e.g., “interested in,” not just “in”).
  • Use British examples when practicing grammar and vocabulary.
  • Listen to native British English speakers in podcasts or news to absorb natural usage.

Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply a language enthusiast, refining your knowledge of prepositions will enable you to express yourself more clearly and confidently in British English.

In summary, learning prepositions as per British English is crucial for effective communication, cultural understanding, and linguistic accuracy. It helps learners speak naturally, write clearly, and avoid common errors that could impact their confidence and credibility.

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