Preposition Practice Questions with Answers: Mixed MCQs for Class 12 and Competitive Exams
Practise 30 mixed preposition MCQs with answers and reasons for Class 12 and competitive exams, plus memory shortcuts, a cloze passage and a 7-day plan.
Reading about prepositions is easy. Using them under exam pressure is a different game. That's why the fastest way to improve is to practise a lot of questions, check every answer and learn from every mistake.
This post gives you exactly that: 30 mixed multiple-choice questions on prepositions, built for Class 12 students and for SSC, bank, railway and state exam aspirants. They cover time and place, appropriate prepositions, confusing pairs and error spotting. Every question has an answer and a reason, and there's a memory-shortcut cheat sheet in the middle so you can revise before the harder sets.
A note on the questions: they are original sentences written on common exam patterns. They are not copied from any particular year's paper, and I haven't attached any exam year to them. The patterns, however, are the ones that appear again and again.
- Keep a notebook and a pen. Don't write in the post.
- Attempt each set without looking at the answers. As a rule of thumb, give each question 30 to 40 seconds.
- Check the answer key at the end and mark your score for each set.
- For every wrong answer, write the sentence and the correct pair in your notebook.
- Retake the whole set after three days. You'll be surprised how much you improve.
In This Guide
- Five rules to read before you start
- Set A: Time and place (8 questions)
- Memory shortcuts cheat sheet (revise before Set B)
- Set B: Appropriate prepositions (10 questions)
- Set C: Confusing pairs (6 questions)
- Set D: Error spotting (6 questions)
- Bonus Set E: Mini cloze passage (8 blanks)
- Answer key with reasons
- How to read your score
- Why students lose marks in each set
- Keep an error log (it takes five minutes)
- How Class 12 students and competitive aspirants should use this set
- A 7-day plan to use this set properly
- Frequently asked questions
- Practice makes the pattern permanent
Five rules to read before you start
If you have a minute before the first question, read these five lines. They solve a surprising number of the questions below.
- Clock time takes at, a day or date takes on, and a month, year or season takes in.
- Fixed pairs beat logic. Learn the pair, not the sentence.
- Rank words (senior, junior, superior, inferior) and prefer take to.
- After a preposition, a verb takes -ing, so "looking forward to meeting".
- In error spotting, check every preposition against its partner word before choosing "No error".
Set A: Time and place (8 questions)
These test in, on and at, the foundation of the whole topic. If you want to revise the rules first, read my guide on in, on and at prepositions.
- The seminar will begin ___ 9 am. (a) on (b) at (c) in (d) by
- She was born ___ 15 March 2005. (a) in (b) at (c) on (d) of
- We usually go on holiday ___ summer. (a) at (b) on (c) in (d) by
- There is a notice ___ the board. (a) in (b) on (c) at (d) by
- My cousin lives ___ Nashik. (a) at (b) on (c) in (d) to
- Please wait for me ___ the bus stop. (a) in (b) at (c) on (d) into
- I will meet you ___ Sunday morning. (a) in (b) at (c) on (d) by
- The children were playing ___ the garden. (a) in (b) on (c) at (d) into
Memory shortcuts cheat sheet (revise before Set B)
Before the harder sets, take two minutes to read these shortcuts. Screenshot the table if you like. Every shortcut here comes from the earlier posts in this series, gathered in one place.
| Topic | Memory shortcut |
|---|---|
| Time: at / on / in | AT the clock, ON the calendar day, IN the long stretch (month, year, season). |
| Place: at / on / in | P-S-S: Point = AT, Surface = ON, Space = IN. |
| Rank words and "prefer" | Senior, junior, superior, inferior and prefer all take TO, never "than". |
| congratulate / thank | On the podium we congratulate: ON. For a favour we thank: FOR. |
| suffer | Pain comes FROM somewhere: suffer from. |
| insist / depend / rely | Stand firm ON your feet: insist on, depend on, rely on. |
| Verbs that need no helper | D-C-R-E: Discuss, Comprise, Reach, Enter go straight to their object. |
| between / among | BeTWeen = TWo. AMONG = a MOB (many). |
| since / for | Number in front? FOR. Date or event? SINCE. |
| beside / besides | BeSIDE = by the side. BeSIDES = extra S for extra things. |
| by / until | BY = deadline. UNTIL = UNbroken stretch. |
| look forward to ___ | If TO is a preposition, -ING is the condition. |
Set B: Appropriate prepositions (10 questions)
These are fixed pairs of verbs, adjectives and nouns. Learn more of them in my guide to the appropriate prepositions list.
- She is very fond ___ sweets. (a) to (b) of (c) with (d) for
- The manager congratulated her ___ her promotion. (a) for (b) on (c) at (d) with
- He is suffering ___ a severe cold. (a) with (b) from (c) of (d) by
- The committee consists ___ nine members. (a) of (b) from (c) in (d) with
- I am grateful ___ my teacher for her guidance. (a) to (b) at (c) with (d) on
- They have decided to adhere ___ the rules. (a) with (b) to (c) at (d) on
- Our team is responsible ___ the arrangements. (a) of (b) to (c) for (d) at
- She is married ___ an engineer. (a) with (b) to (c) by (d) for
- He insisted ___ paying the bill. (a) for (b) to (c) on (d) at
- There has been a sharp increase ___ prices this year. (a) of (b) in (c) at (d) on
Set C: Confusing pairs (6 questions)
This set tests the pairs that look alike. My detailed guide on confusing prepositions explains each one with a test.
- The mangoes were divided ___ the three brothers. (a) between (b) among (c) by (d) to
- I have not seen her ___ last Monday. (a) for (b) from (c) since (d) in
- He has been working in this bank ___ five years. (a) since (b) for (c) from (d) by
- ___ the rent, he also pays for electricity. (a) Beside (b) Besides (c) Among (d) Between
- The kitten jumped ___ the basket and went to sleep. (a) on (b) into (c) from (d) of
- Please submit your assignment ___ Friday. (a) until (b) by (c) at (d) for
Set D: Error spotting (6 questions)
Each sentence is divided into parts (A), (B) and (C). Choose the part with the error. If there's no error, choose (D). For more on this type of question, see my guide on preposition error spotting.
- The principal discussed about (A) / the new rules (B) / with the teachers. (C) / No error (D)
- She is senior than (A) / me by (B) / two years. (C) / No error (D)
- He congratulated me (A) / for my (B) / excellent result. (C) / No error (D)
- I have been (A) / living here (B) / since ten years. (C) / No error (D)
- The teacher was angry (A) / with the students (B) / for being late. (C) / No error (D)
- We are looking forward (A) / to meet (B) / you next week. (C) / No error (D)
Bonus Set E: Mini cloze passage (8 blanks)
In a passage, the surrounding sentences give you extra clues, so read the whole paragraph before you start. Fill each blank with one preposition. This set is a bonus and isn't counted in the 30-question score.
Answer key with reasons
1) b, at (clock time)
2) c, on (date)
3) c, in (season)
4) b, on (a surface)
5) c, in (city)
6) b, at (a point on the map)
7) c, on (day + part of day)
8) a, in (an enclosed space)
Set B
9) b, fond of
10) b, congratulate on
11) b, suffer from
12) a, consist of
13) a, grateful to (a person), for (a thing)
14) b, adhere to
15) c, responsible for
16) b, married to
17) c, insist on
18) b, increase in
Set C
19) b, among (three brothers)
20) c, since (last Monday is a starting point)
21) b, for (five years is a length)
22) b, Besides (in addition to)
23) b, into (movement towards the inside)
24) b, by (a deadline)
Set D
25) A, "discussed about" should be "discussed" (discuss takes no preposition)
26) A, "senior than" should be "senior to"
27) B, "congratulated me for" should be "congratulated me on"
28) C, "since ten years" should be "for ten years"
29) D, no error (angry with a person, for being late)
30) B, "to meet" should be "to meeting" (to is a preposition, so -ing follows)
Bonus Set E
1) in (enclosed space) 2) at (clock time) 3) in (participate in) 4) for (responsible for) 5) on (congratulate on) 6) for (two weeks is a length) 7) of (proud of) 8) to (look forward to)
How to read your score
| Total score | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| 26 to 30 | Strong. Your accuracy on prepositions is exam-ready. | Keep revising the shortcuts and move on to full mock tests. |
| 20 to 25 | Good, with a few gaps. | Revise the set where you lost the most marks and retake it. |
| 14 to 19 | You know the rules but not the pairs. | Spend a week on fixed pairs, five a day, with a sentence for each. |
| Below 14 | The basics need attention. | Start again from in, on and at, then repeat this set after a week. |
Don't judge yourself by the total alone. Look at each set. If Set A is strong and Set B is weak, you know your next job: fixed pairs. If Set D is weak, the issue is usually the "No error" habit or missing the extra preposition. That's the kind of insight a score alone won't give you.
Why students lose marks in each set
After years of checking answer sheets, I see the same causes again and again. Compare them with your own errors.
| Set | Most common reason for losing marks | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| A: Time and place | Choosing by sound instead of asking "point, surface or space?" | Run the P-S-S test and the clock-calendar-stretch test. |
| B: Appropriate prepositions | Not knowing the pair, then guessing. | Learn five pairs a day with a sentence for each. |
| C: Confusing pairs | Ignoring the meaning of the sentence. | Ask the one-line test: two or many, number or date, deadline or stretch. |
| D: Error spotting | Choosing "No error" because nothing jumped out. | Check each preposition with its partner word first. |
| E: Cloze passage | Reading only the sentence with the blank. | Read one sentence before and one after. |
Keep an error log (it takes five minutes)
Every wrong answer is a free lesson. Make a three-column log in your notebook: the sentence, the correct answer and the reason in a few words. For example: "She is senior than me | senior to me | rank words take TO".
Read the log once a week. You'll notice that your mistakes repeat. Three or four pairs will appear again and again, and those are the ones to learn first. This works far better than doing a hundred new questions without looking back.
How Class 12 students and competitive aspirants should use this set
If you're a Class 12 student, use this set to build accuracy in writing. After each set, write five original sentences using the pairs you got wrong. Prepositions that you can use in your own sentences are the ones you'll use correctly in letters, essays and reports.
If you're preparing for SSC, banking, railway or state exams, focus on speed along with accuracy. Take Sets B, C and D together as a timed block of 22 questions. Set a timer for 12 to 15 minutes and aim to finish with a few minutes left for review. Then use the answer key to see which question types cost you time, not just marks.
A 7-day plan to use this set properly
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attempt Set A and Set B. Check the answers and start your error log. |
| 2 | Attempt Set C and Set D. Add every mistake to the log. |
| 3 | Retake the questions you got wrong in Sets A and B. |
| 4 | Retake the questions you got wrong in Sets C and D. Try the bonus cloze passage. |
| 5 | Read the memory-shortcut table aloud and write a sentence for each row. |
| 6 | Retake all 30 questions without looking at the answers. |
| 7 | Compare your Day 1 and Day 6 scores, and review the log. |
Frequently asked questions
How many prepositions questions should I practise every day?
Ten is a good number. Solve them, check the answers and write down mistakes. Ten careful questions a day teach more than fifty rushed ones.
Should I read the options before I read the sentence?
Read the sentence first and think of your own answer. Then look at the options. This stops the options from steering you in the wrong direction.
What should I do if two options look correct?
Check the meaning. Ask whether it's a point or a length, two or many, movement or position. If it's a fixed pair, trust the pair, not your ear.
Is "No error" the right answer in error-spotting questions?
Sometimes. But treat it as a conclusion, not a default. Check every preposition with its partner word before you choose it.
How long should this practice set take?
As a rule of thumb, 15 to 20 minutes for all 30 questions. If you take longer at first, that's fine. Speed comes after accuracy.
Practice makes the pattern permanent
Thirty questions are only the start. Retake this set in three days, then again in a week. By the third attempt, most of these pairs will feel as natural as your own phone number. And if you keep your error log, you'll know exactly which pairs still need work.
For the complete system, with more rules, fixed pairs and exam-style practice, my ebook Preposition in English Grammar: Your Confident Path to Exam Mastery for 12th Graders & Competitive Aspirants keeps everything in one place.
Preposition in English Grammar: Your Confident Path to Exam Mastery for 12th Graders & Competitive Aspirants
Replace memorized guesswork with a reliable, pattern-based approach to choosing the correct preposition every time.