WORDPOWER: preposition + noun – English Grammar Exercises for A2

1. Match the phrases (1-7) with their meanings (a-g).

1   People who go abroad on business are lucky.

2   Buses and trains where I live normally arrive on time.

3   There are lots of houses for sale on my street.

4   I once met an old friend by chance when I was abroad.

5   You should book a hotel in advance if you visit my city.

6   I sometimes broke things on purpose when I was a child.

7   You can always tell if two people are in love.

a   available to buy

b   having strong romantic feelings

c   not by chance, because it was planned

d   at the expected time

e   without planning it

f   working, but in a different place

g   before something happens

2. We sometimes use a preposition without an article before a place name. This means ‘in a particular place for the usual reason’.

He’s at home. NOT He’s at the home.

Match the sentences (1-4) with the pictures (a-d).

1   Mara’s in hospital. She’s got a broken leg.

2   My brother’s at university. He studies Physics.

3   My daughter’s not in school today. She’s on a class trip.

4   The police found the stolen painting in his house. Now he’s in prison.

3. Underline the preposition + noun combinations in sentences 1-4 in 2. Write a sentence about somebody you know (of) who is in each place.

4. Match 1–6 with a–f to make sentences.

1 ..f.. Their plane didn’t leave on

2 …… My parents are still in

3 …… I didn’t break your glasses on

4 …… All of the bank robbers are now in

5 …… There are lots of tablets for

6 …… Next time you come to London, tell me in

a   love with each other after 30 years of marriage.

b   sale on eBay. I might get one.

c   advance so I can book some theatre tickets.

d   prison, apart from the one who escaped.

e   purpose. I sat on them by mistake.

f   time. It was 30 minutes late.