CDS English · Grammar
Prepositions of time, place and means
Small words like at, on, in, by and until tell us when, where and how. Each one has a job, and the noun after the blank tells you which job is needed.
Why this matters
A blank before a time, a place or a vehicle is one of the most common one-mark items in the CDS English paper. The rules are few and fixed, so these are marks you should never lose. The traps are the near-misses: in the morning but on Friday morning, by Monday but until Monday, beside but besides.
Concept 1 of 4: At, on, in, by, until and during for time
Think of time at three sizes. A point on the clock takes at. A whole day or date takes on. A longer stretch (part of the day, a month, a year, a season) takes in. Then two words answer a different question: by gives a deadline, until says an action goes on up to a point.
Definition
The terms:
- Preposition: a small word placed before a noun to show time, place, direction or means (at, on, in, by).
- Object of a preposition: the noun or noun phrase that comes after it (at night, during our holiday).
- Noun phrase vs clause: a noun phrase has no verb of its own (our holiday). A clause has a subject and a verb (we were on holiday).
The rules:
- at + a point: at 6 p.m., at noon, at night.
- on + a day or date: on Monday, on 15 August. A part of a named day also takes on: on Monday morning, on the evening of 5 May.
- in + a part of the day, month, year or season: in the morning, in the afternoon, in May, in 2024, in winter.
- by + a deadline (no later than): by Friday, by 23rd September, by now.
- until / till + the point where a continuing action stops: away until Monday, working until 10:30 p.m.
- during + a noun phrase; while + a clause: during our holiday, while we were on holiday.
- ago counts back from now (fifteen years ago). before counts back from another past point.
- on time = punctually, at the planned time. in time = early enough.
Phrases tested this way:
- at night (2024 I); in the morning (2024 I); in the afternoon (2023 II); on Friday morning (2023 I)
- away until Monday (2023 I); working until 10:30 p.m. (2024 II)
- used by 23rd September (2024 II); received the dues by now (2022 II)
- during our holiday (2024 I); finish the work on time (2021 II); fifteen years ago (2022 I)
Worked example
The library will stay open ______ midnight during the exam week. (a) by (b) until (c) on (d) at
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2023 · CDS (I) 2023 — English · Q92Easy
Example 1 · Grammar · Prepositions of Time, Place and Means
Directions: choose the most appropriate preposition or determiner
I'll see you _______ Friday morning.
In the morning, but on Monday morning
A part of the day alone takes in (in the morning). Once you name the day, the day wins and the phrase takes on (on Monday morning, on the night of the match). Students who learnt only 'in the morning' pick in here.
By is a deadline; until is a duration
by Friday = at any time up to Friday, but not later. until Friday = the action goes on all the way to Friday. 'He will be away until Monday' (he stays away the whole time). 'Return the book by Monday' (a deadline).
During needs a noun, while needs a clause
If the words after the blank have their own verb (we were travelling), use while. If they are only a noun phrase (the journey, our holiday), use during. The options often offer both.
Ago, not before, when you count back from now
'Ten years ago' is measured from today. 'Ten years before' needs another past event to count from: 'He had left ten years before the war.'
Concept 2 of 4: At, on, in and into for place, surface and direction
Picture the place. If it is a point or a spot, use at. If something lies on a surface or a line (a wall, a board, a list), use on. If it is inside a space, use in. If something moves or changes into a new state, use into.
Definition
The rules:
- at + a point or a named spot: at the top of the page, at the door, at the university (as a place where you study).
- on + a surface or a line: on the wall, on the board, on a list. The Internet and a website also take on.
- in + an enclosed space: in the room, in the box, in the city.
- into + movement or change: walked into the room, translated into Hindi.
- Movement across or past takes over, across, around, down: cross over to the other side.
| Phrase | Why this preposition | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| write your name at the top of the page | the top is a point on the page | 2023 (I) |
| studying at the university | an institution seen as a place you attend | 2023 (I) |
| a mark on the wall | the mark sits on a surface | 2024 (I) |
| a name written on the board | writing is on a surface | 2023 (II) |
| placed the elephant on the endangered list | items are put on a list | 2024 (II) |
| available on the Internet | the Internet is treated as a platform | 2026 (I), 2026 (II) |
| demonstrated at the Drop Zone | a named spot where something happens | 2022 (II) |
| translated into many languages | a change from one form to another | 2024 (I) |
| cross over to the other side of the river | movement from one side to the other | 2025 (I) |
| hang out down the pier | informal British use: down = along, at | 2023 (I) In everyday English 'on the pier' or 'at the pier' is also common. When only 'down' fits among the options, choose it. |
| loiter around the street | loiter = wander about with no purpose; around shows aimless movement | 2021 (II) 'Loiter in the street' and 'on the street' are also good English. Read all four options: if two seem right, pick the one that best shows movement here and there. |
Point = at, surface = on, inside = in, movement into = into.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2023 · CDS (I) 2023 — English · Q93Easy
Example 2 · Grammar · Prepositions of Time, Place and Means
Directions: choose the most appropriate preposition or determiner
Write your name _______ the top of the page.
In or into?
in tells where something is; into tells where it goes. 'He is in the room' but 'He walked into the room'. A change of form also takes into: translated into French, turned into ice.
The Internet takes on, not in
We say on the Internet, on a website, on TV, on the radio. 'In the Internet' looks logical but is wrong.
Writing goes on a surface
Words, marks and posters are on a wall, board or list. 'In the board' is wrong unless something is inside the wood.
Concept 3 of 4: By, in and with for travel, payment and means
by names the general method (by bus, by train, by cheque) and takes no article. Once you talk about one particular vehicle (my car, Mr. Rao's car), you are sitting inside it, so the phrase takes in, or on for a bus or train you board.
Definition
The rules:
- by + vehicle with no article = the means of travel: by bus, by train, by air. But on foot.
- in + a particular car or taxi: in my car, in Mr. Rao's car, in a taxi.
- on + a particular bus, train, plane or bike: on the 7:15 train, on his bike.
- by + payment with no article: by cheque, by credit card. 'With a credit card' needs the article.
- by means of + the thing used to do something: by means of a ladder.
- along with = together with, in the company of.
| Phrase | Use it for | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| travelled in Mr. Joshi's car / in Mr. Barthwal's car | one particular, named car | 2021 (II), 2022 (I) |
| came home by train | the general means of travel, no article | 2022 (I) |
| goes to work by bus | the general means of travel, no article | 2024 (I) |
| pay by credit card | the means of payment, no article | 2026 (II) |
| By means of rope ladders they scaled the wall | the tool used to do something | 2023 (II) |
| come along with you | together with a person | 2022 (II) |
By + a bare noun for the method; in or on + a particular vehicle.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2021 · CDS (II) 2021 — English · Q120Moderate
Example 3 · Grammar · Prepositions of Time, Place and Means
Directions: select the most appropriate preposition or determiner
He travelled _______ Mr. Joshi's car.
By car, but in his car
by works only with a bare noun: by car, by train. As soon as there is an article or an owner (the car, my car, Mr. Joshi's car), switch to in for a car and on for a bus or train.
By way of is not by means of
by means of = using. by way of = through, via, or as a form of ('by way of an apology'). A bare 'by way' without of is never complete.
Pay by card, pay with a card
Both are English, but they are built differently. by takes no article (pay by credit card). with needs one (pay with a credit card). If the blank is followed by a bare noun, choose by.
Concept 4 of 4: Confusable pairs: between and among, beside and besides
between sees each item one by one, so it works for named items, even more than two. among sees a crowd or a group as one mass. beside (no s) is about position: next to. besides (with s) is about adding: in addition to.
Definition
The rules:
- between + items named or seen one by one: between you and me; between India, Nepal and Bhutan.
- among + a group seen as a mass: among the students, divided among his children.
- beside = next to, at the side of: sit beside me.
- besides = in addition to, as well as: besides hockey, he plays cricket.
- aside is an adverb (step aside); it takes no object.
| Word | Meaning | Tested in | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| among | shared out within a group | property divided among his daughters and sons | 2017 (II) |
| between | items named one by one, however many | a country lying between four named neighbours | 2026 (II) |
| beside | next to | He sat beside her all night. | 2026 (II) |
| beside | next to | Sit here beside me. | 2021 (II) 'Sit here by me' is also natural English. Beside is the exact word for 'next to'. |
| besides | in addition to | What other sport do you play besides hockey? | 2026 (I) |
Beside = next to. Besides = as well as.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — English · Q71Hard
Example 4 · Grammar · Prepositions of Time, Place and Means
Directions: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space with four options. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
Switzerland lies __________ France, Germany, Austria and Italy.
Between is not only for two
The school rule 'between for two, among for more' is too simple. When the items are named one by one, between is correct for any number. Among is for a group you do not separate.
One letter changes the meaning
beside = next to; besides = in addition to. If the sentence talks about 'other' things (other sports, other languages), you need besides.
Aside cannot take an object
aside stands alone (put it aside). 'Sat aside her' is wrong; use beside her.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (3)
At, on, in and into for place, surface and direction11 rows
| Phrase | Why this preposition | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| write your name at the top of the page | the top is a point on the page | 2023 (I) |
| studying at the university | an institution seen as a place you attend | 2023 (I) |
| a mark on the wall | the mark sits on a surface | 2024 (I) |
| a name written on the board | writing is on a surface | 2023 (II) |
| placed the elephant on the endangered list | items are put on a list | 2024 (II) |
| available on the Internet | the Internet is treated as a platform | 2026 (I), 2026 (II) |
| demonstrated at the Drop Zone | a named spot where something happens | 2022 (II) |
| translated into many languages | a change from one form to another | 2024 (I) |
| cross over to the other side of the river | movement from one side to the other | 2025 (I) |
| hang out down the pier | informal British use: down = along, at | 2023 (I) In everyday English 'on the pier' or 'at the pier' is also common. When only 'down' fits among the options, choose it. |
| loiter around the street | loiter = wander about with no purpose; around shows aimless movement | 2021 (II) 'Loiter in the street' and 'on the street' are also good English. Read all four options: if two seem right, pick the one that best shows movement here and there. |
Point = at, surface = on, inside = in, movement into = into.
By, in and with for travel, payment and means6 rows
| Phrase | Use it for | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| travelled in Mr. Joshi's car / in Mr. Barthwal's car | one particular, named car | 2021 (II), 2022 (I) |
| came home by train | the general means of travel, no article | 2022 (I) |
| goes to work by bus | the general means of travel, no article | 2024 (I) |
| pay by credit card | the means of payment, no article | 2026 (II) |
| By means of rope ladders they scaled the wall | the tool used to do something | 2023 (II) |
| come along with you | together with a person | 2022 (II) |
By + a bare noun for the method; in or on + a particular vehicle.
Confusable pairs: between and among, beside and besides5 rows
| Word | Meaning | Tested in | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| among | shared out within a group | property divided among his daughters and sons | 2017 (II) |
| between | items named one by one, however many | a country lying between four named neighbours | 2026 (II) |
| beside | next to | He sat beside her all night. | 2026 (II) |
| beside | next to | Sit here beside me. | 2021 (II) 'Sit here by me' is also natural English. Beside is the exact word for 'next to'. |
| besides | in addition to | What other sport do you play besides hockey? | 2026 (I) |
Beside = next to. Besides = as well as.
Watch out for (13)
- In the morning, but on Monday morning→ At, on, in, by, until and during for time
- By is a deadline; until is a duration→ At, on, in, by, until and during for time
- During needs a noun, while needs a clause→ At, on, in, by, until and during for time
- Ago, not before, when you count back from now→ At, on, in, by, until and during for time
- In or into?→ At, on, in and into for place, surface and direction
- The Internet takes on, not in→ At, on, in and into for place, surface and direction
- Writing goes on a surface→ At, on, in and into for place, surface and direction
- By car, but in his car→ By, in and with for travel, payment and means
- By way of is not by means of→ By, in and with for travel, payment and means
- Pay by card, pay with a card→ By, in and with for travel, payment and means
- Between is not only for two→ Confusable pairs: between and among, beside and besides
- One letter changes the meaning→ Confusable pairs: between and among, beside and besides
- Aside cannot take an object→ Confusable pairs: between and among, beside and besides
Test yourself on Grammar
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.