At, By, For / Correct and Different Use of Prepositions
In English, prepositions are used with certain nouns in some expressions (phrase) and this does not change. The correct use of these expressions provides richness of speech. It shapes spelling in written language.
The following examples may gain a meaning other than their normal meaning. For example, we have learnt that “at” is a preposition of time: at 10.00, at lunch, at that time. Likewise, ” in ” was used for times such as years and months. In this lesson you will see different uses.
At
| at the airport | at first hand | ||
| at an auction | at once | ||
| at the beginning | at a glance | ||
| at one’s best | at a guess | ||
| at breakfast / lunch | at hand | ||
| at first | at heart | ||
| at the bottom of | at noon | ||
| at the bus stop | at home | ||
| at fault | at a hotel | ||
| at church | at most | ||
| at the end | at the moment | ||
| at / on the corner | at midnight | ||
| at ease | at km per hour | ||
| at all costs | at large | ||
| at the door | at last | ||
| at the crossroad | at midnight | ||
| at down | at the latest | ||
| at the door | at the match | ||
| at first sight | at least | ||
| at one’s desk | at a loss |
| at length | at liberty | ||
| at war, peace | at 44 London St. | ||
| at present | at work | ||
| at a profit | at the weekend | ||
| at the prospect | at random | ||
| at any rate | at university | ||
| at one’s request | at the top of | ||
| at the same time | at times | ||
| at school | at sea | ||
| at the time | at the table | ||
| at the seaside | at sunset | ||
| at/in the station | at short notice | ||
| by accident | by correspondence | ||
| by nature | by all accounts | ||
| by day/night | by now | ||
| by appointment | by degrees | ||
| by oneself | by the arm/hand | ||
| by the dozen | by order of | ||
| by auction | by far | ||
| by phone | by birth | ||
| by force | by post/airmail | ||
| by bus | by taxi | ||
| by plane | by coach | ||
| by ship | by sight | ||
| by car | by law | ||
| by invitation | by (the/one’s) side | ||
| by land/sea/air | by surprise | ||
| by luck | by the time | ||
| by marriage | by the way | ||
| by chance | by means of | ||
| by oneself | by cheque | ||
| by mistake | by one’s watch | ||
| for ages | for hire | ||
| for safe keeping | for breakfast/lunch/dinner | ||
| for keeps | for one’s sake | ||
| for certain | for instance | ||
| for the sake of | for a change | ||
| for sale | for ever | ||
| for life | for short | ||
| for fear (of) | for love | ||
| for the time being | for fun | ||
| for nothing | for a visit/holiday | ||
| for good | for once | ||
| for a walk | for gran | ||
| for the rest of | for a while |
| in fun | in action | ||
| in addition to | in advance of | ||
| in full swing | in a bad temper | ||
| in agreement with | in focus | ||
| in aid of | in all | ||
| in answer to | in bed | ||
| in the beginning | in the flesh | ||
| in blossom | in brief | ||
| in a book | in any case | ||
| in cash | in charge of | ||
| in the centre of | in code | ||
| in color | in flames | ||
| in comfort | in common | ||
| in favour of | in comparison with | ||
| in conclusion to | in fashion | ||
| in fact | in existence | ||
| in ( good) condition | in confidence | ||
| in exchange for | in control of | ||
| in the country | in danger | ||
| in the dark | in demand | ||
| in debt | in detail | ||
| in the direction of | in doubt | ||
| in due course | in one’s free time | ||
| in future | in the past | ||
| in gear | in general |