Common Preposition Exceptions Exercises
B1-B2 Level
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Many of these expressions exist because of historical changes in the language. The best approach is to learn them in context through reading and practice, not by searching for a rule that does not exist. Pay special attention to pairs with different meanings: in time (early enough — "We arrived in time for the show") vs on time (punctual — "The train arrived on time"), and at the end (position — "at the end of the road") vs in the end (finally — "In the end, we decided to stay"). These fixed expressions appear frequently in Cambridge B1 Preliminary and B2 First examinations.
Quick Rule
fixed expressions with unexpected or missing prepositions
- 1.She always arrives home before dark. (no preposition after "arrive" + "home")
- 2.I work at night and sleep during the day. ("at" night, despite "in" the morning)
- 3.The neighbours' house was on fire last week. ("on" fire — fixed expression)
- 4.He didn't finish the course on time. ("on" time = punctual)
- 5.We learnt the poem by heart for our English class. ("by" heart = from memory)
All 20 questions
Complete each sentence with the correct preposition. Some questions may need NO preposition - write NONE if that's the case. These are exceptions you must memorize!
I always feel safe when I arrive _____ home after a long trip.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition or write NONE if no preposition is needed.
My sister works _____ night as a nurse at the hospital.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I prefer to study _____ home because it's quiet and comfortable.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
The library opens _____ 9 AM sharp every morning.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I usually walk to school _____ foot because it's only 10 minutes away.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
The building caught _____ fire late last night. Everyone is safe.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I usually rush _____ home after work to see my children.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition or write NONE if no preposition is needed.
I finished my work just _____ time for the meeting.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
My father is still _____ work. He'll be home around 7 PM.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I love reading the surprising facts _____ the end of each chapter.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I accidentally sent the email to the wrong person _____ mistake.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
The temperature _____ the house is too cold. We need to fix the heating.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I prefer travelling _____ train because I can relax and enjoy the view.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
The train always leaves _____ time, so don't be late!
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
My grandmother is _____ hospital recovering from her operation.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition. British and American spellings both accepted.
I couldn't decide which phone to buy, but _____ the end, I chose the cheaper one.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
She broke her phone _____ purpose because she wanted a new one.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
I met an interesting person _____ the plane during my flight to Paris.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
Do you usually visit your family _____ the weekend?
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition. British and American spellings both accepted.
My brother is _____ church every Sunday morning for the service.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition (in, on, at, by, or NONE).
Continue Practising
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