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When you learn a new language, one of the difficult problems is to learn what prepositions to use. Prepositions are words like in, to, of, from, with, over, under, on, off, for. There are very many prepositions in different languages, and it is difficult to know what prepositions to use. I really haven’t found good rules for using prepositions. A student has to memorize how to use most prepositions.

           

I have realized that there is one group of prepositions which follow certain rules. I call these prepositions travel prepositions because they are used when we travel or move from one place to another place. These are the prepositions: on, off, into, out of, by, in. Here are a couple of examples: The man got on the plane. The man got into the car.

I will try to give you the rules I have found to work with these prepositions.

 

GROUP A. When we travel and we have to buy a ticket and travel with many other people, we will use the words on and off. Here are two examples The boy got on the bus.The boy got off &the plane.

 

Here is a list to show you when to use on or off.

• Plane
• Bus
• Train
• Subway
• Ship
• Streetcar
• Boat ( a very big one}

GROUP B. When we travel in something which is smaller and doesn’t carry a lot of people, we use the word into or out of. Here are two examples: The girl got into the taxi. The girl got out of the car.

Here is a list to show you when to use into or out of.

• Car
• Van
• Taxi
• Cab
• Truck
• Pick up
• A small private plane
• Boat (when it is not big)

A special group: When you use the following words: bike, bicycle, motorcycle scooter, and horse, use the prepositions on and off.

 

Now what do you do when you say how you travel? --- If there is not a word in front of the thing you travel with, use the word "by". Examples:

• I came to school by car.
• They came to Spokane by plane.

Do this with both groups A and . B Note: If you walk, you say, “I came on foot..”

 

When you travel and want to tell how you travel, and there is a word in front of the thing you travel in (ex. car, plane, taxi, train etc.), do this:

With group A, use on. Examples:

• She arrived on the train.
• We flew to New York on a plane.

With group B, use the word in. Examples:

• He came home in a taxi.
• We drove to Seattle in our car.

Some expressions you must memorize:

• She arrived on her bike.
• The cowboy came on horseback.
• The man went home on his motorcycle.
• We went on foot.

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