Prepositions practice: time, place and fixed expressions

Prepositions cause more mistakes than almost anything else, because the right one often follows a fixed pattern: at 0800, in July, on Monday, arrive at the airport, arrive in Tunisia. These questions also cover verbs and adjectives that always take the same preposition, such as responsible for, interested in and accuse of.

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Try these 10 questions, then open the answer to check yourself. The trainer has all 128 questions on this topic, mixed in a new order each time, with your mistakes saved for review.

He has been in the Navy ______ 2008.
- Afor
- Bsince
- Cfrom
- Dduring
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B. since
since + a starting point in time (since 2008); for + a length of time (for six years).
We waited ______ two hours.
- Asince
- Bduring
- Cfor
- Dby
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C. for
for + a duration.
The briefing starts ______ 0800.
- Ain
- Bon
- Cat
- Dby
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C. at
at + an exact time (at 0800).
The exercise takes place ______ July.
- Aat
- Bin
- Con
- Dsince
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B. in
in + a month (in July).
The ceremony is ______ Monday.
- Ain
- Bat
- Con
- Dby
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C. on
on + a day (on Monday).

He is responsible ______ logistics.
- Aof
- Bfor
- Cto
- Don
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B. for
responsible for.
He was accused ______ negligence.
- Afor
- Bof
- Cwith
- Dabout
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B. of
accuse of.
Congratulations ______ your promotion!
- Afor
- Bon
- Cof
- Dto
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B. on
congratulations on.
We arrived ______ the airport at midnight.
- Ato
- Bin
- Cat
- Don
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C. at
arrive at + a specific place (at the airport).
They arrived ______ Tunisia last week.
- Aat
- Bin
- Cto
- Don
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B. in
arrive in + a country or a large city (in Tunisia).

Practice all 128 questions

With the explanation after each answer and a mistake box.

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