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TOEIC Decision Point

TOEIC Part 5 Prepositions: In, At, On, By, With, To, For

In TOEIC Part 5, small words can decide the answer. in, at, on, by, with, to, and for are not random. Each one can be narrowed by a useful nearby signal.

Some test-takers try to translate these words first. That can slow the decision. The sentence can give you nearby signals: time, place, deadline, tool, recipient, purpose, or duration.

MTC coaching rule: Do not ask first, “What does this word mean in Japanese?” Ask, “What signal is near the blank?”

The MTC 7-second choice

Check the word after the blank and the business situation around it.

in

inside a place, period, department, room, document, or system

at

exact point, exact time, event, desk, counter, address, or location point

on

day, date, surface, page, website, screen, list, or agenda

by

deadline, method, agent, or means

with

tool, person together, attachment, feature, or included item

to

direction, recipient, destination, transfer, or response target

for

purpose, benefit, reason, duration, or intended user

Time signals: at, on, in, by, for

at + exact time: The meeting starts at 9 a.m.

on + day or date: The workshop will be held on Monday.

in + period: The new policy will begin in April.

by + deadline: Please submit the form by Friday.

for + duration: The pass is valid for one year.

Place and document signals: in, at, on

in + inside a place or document: The training will be held in Conference Room B.

at + location point: Please meet the guide at the main entrance.

on + surface, page, website, or list: The details are on page 4.

Business-action signals: by, with, to, for

by + method: Please send the file by email.

with + tool or included item: The technician repaired the printer with a replacement part.

to + recipient: The invoice was sent to the accounting department.

for + purpose or benefit: This room is reserved for staff training.

Watch it in TOEIC business sentences

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in Conference Room A.

Exact time = at. Inside a room = in.

Please submit the application by June 30.

Deadline signal = by.

The report was sent to all department managers by email.

Recipient = to. Method = by.

The software comes with a one-year support plan.

Included item or feature = with.

Small words around the blank matter

A useful signal can appear immediately after the blank. Train your eye to check one or two words after the blank before translating.

Exact time

The call begins ___ 3 p.m.

Answer: at

Day or date

The seminar is scheduled ___ Tuesday.

Answer: on

Deadline

Please respond ___ noon.

Answer: by

Recipient

The message was sent ___ the client.

Answer: to

Purpose

This form is ___ travel expenses.

Answer: for

Tool or attachment

Please complete the form ___ a black pen.

Answer: with

Quick TOEIC check

Choose the best answer. Do not translate first. Find the nearby signal.

1. The training session will be held ___ Conference Room B.
2. The orientation begins ___ 9 a.m.
3. The workshop is scheduled ___ Monday.
4. The technician repaired the printer ___ a replacement part.
5. The proposal was sent ___ all department heads.
6. The voucher is valid ___ one year.
7. Please submit the application ___ Friday.

Practise the pattern in TOEIC Part 5 Grammar Drills

The MTC TOEIC Part 5 Grammar Drills hub is a separate practice area for broader clue-first grammar decisions. Use this article to understand the preposition signals, then use the hub for mixed Part 5 practice.

Practice loop: learn the signal here → practise mixed Part 5 decisions in Grammar Drills → return to this page if the same preposition choice keeps causing trouble.

Fast-reader mistake

Under time pressure, it is easy to see a familiar business sentence and choose the preposition by sound. That is risky. A preposition question can hinge on one nearby word.

Do not ask only: Which one sounds familiar?

Ask instead: Is the signal time, place, deadline, method, tool, recipient, purpose, or duration?

Why this mistake returns under pressure

Because prepositions are short, it is easy to rush them under time pressure. In this kind of Part 5 item, the local signal can decide the answer.

The fix is not to memorise every possible use. The fix is to check the nearby word and identify the job of the blank.

MTC quick-decision tool: Time point = at. Day/date = on. Inside/period = in. Deadline = by. Tool/item = with. Recipient = to. Purpose/duration = for.

Final takeaway

TOEIC Part 5 preposition questions are not random. Nearby signals can help you choose the best answer.

Time and place

Check exact point, day, date, period, room, page, or location.

Business action

Check deadline, method, tool, recipient, purpose, or duration.

Fast decision

Look near the blank first. Translate later if needed.

Small words are not small points in TOEIC. Find the signal, choose the word, and move on.

Practise the preposition decision

Continue with the separate Part 5 Grammar Drills hub for broader clue-first practice. If the same mistake repeats across several questions or sessions, then use the Learning Block Diagnostic to investigate the behaviour behind it.

One missed preposition question does not prove a Learning Block. Look for repeated evidence before deciding that speed, overthinking, translation, memorisation, or another wider pattern is driving the errors.

Open TOEIC Part 5 Grammar Drills Read the TOEIC Part 5 Guide Take the TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic Find a TOEIC study plan

Continue reading and practising

Keep the specific preposition pages for narrow review, and use the Grammar Drills hub for broader Part 5 practice. SRC remains a separate contextual Reading and vocabulary practice route.

TOEIC Part 5 Grammar Drills By vs With: method, agent, or tool? Until vs By: continuation or deadline? TOEIC Part 5 Guide Back to top MTC SRC Library TOEIC Strategy Library TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic TOEIC Plan Finder
Q1. What’s the difference between “in” and “at”? A: “In” is used for enclosed spaces or time periods. Example: She works in HR. “At” is used for specific points, times, or events. Example: She’s at the office. Q2. When do I use “on” instead of “in” for time? A: Use “on” for specific days or dates: on Monday, on July 1st Use “in” for months or years: in July, in 2023 Q3. What does “by Friday” mean? A: It means “no later than Friday.” You must finish the task before or on Friday — not after. Q4. What’s the difference between “for” and “to”? A: “To” is for direction or giving: Send the email to the client. “For” is for purpose or benefit: This is for the client. Q5. Can I use “with” and “by” the same way? A: No. “With” is for tools or features: Cut with scissors. “By” shows method, means, or agent: Sent by courier. / Painted by Van Gogh. Q6. Which preposition goes with “meeting”? A: Use “at.” → at the meeting is the natural phrase. Q7. Why is it “on the table,” not “in the table”? A: “On” is used for surfaces. Tables have surfaces. “In” is only used if the object is inside a drawer or compartment. Q8. Is it “talk to” or “talk with”? A: Both are possible. “Talk to” = one-way direction. “Talk with” = more equal exchange or conversation. Q9. Why do we say “in the morning” but “at night”? A: “In” is used for parts of the day: in the morning, in the afternoon “At night” is an exception and treated as a fixed point. Q10. Is it “on the internet” or “in the internet”? A: Always “on the internet.” Like on TV, on social media. These are considered platforms or channels. Q11. When should I use “in” vs “into”? A: “In” = already inside. “Into” = movement or action entering something. The files are in the folder. vs. He put the files into the folder. Q12. Is it “arrive at” or “arrive in”? A: Use “arrive at” for specific places: arrive at the station Use “arrive in” for cities or countries: arrive in Tokyo Q13. What’s the difference between “on time” and “in time”? A: “On time” = punctual, not late. “In time” = before a deadline or just before something happens. Q14. Why do we say “good at” but “interested in”? A: Collocation. Some adjectives naturally go with certain prepositions. Examples: good at, interested in, famous for, responsible for Q15. Can I say “on business” or “in business”? A: Both are valid but different: “On business” = traveling or acting in a work-related capacity. “In business” = operating a business. Example: She’s in business now. vs. He went to London on business. Q16. Is it “married with” or “married to”? A: “Married to” is correct when naming the partner. She is married to a lawyer. “Married with” is only used to show family: married with two kids. Q17. What’s the correct form: “apply to” or “apply for”? A: “Apply to” = the organization: apply to the company “Apply for” = the position: apply for the job Q18. Do we say “interested for” or “interested in”? A: Only “interested in” is correct. Example: I’m interested in marketing. Q19. Why do we say “responsible for,” not “responsible to”? A: “Responsible for” = in charge of something. “Responsible to” = under the authority of someone. Example: She is responsible for hiring. / He is responsible to the CEO. Q20. What does “by myself” mean vs “with myself”? A: “By myself” = alone, no one else present. “With myself” is not used in normal English. Correct: I went by myself. Q21. What’s the difference between “on time” and “at the time”? A: “On time” = punctual (e.g., The train was on time.) “At the time” = refers to a specific past moment (e.g., At the time, I didn’t know.) Q22. Why do we say “depend on,” not “depend of”? A: “Depend on” is the fixed verb-preposition pair. It depends on the weather. – correct Depend of – incorrect Q23. Can I say “on the phone” and “at the phone”? A: “On the phone” = talking “At the phone” = physically near it (rare) Use: She’s on the phone right now. Q24. Is it “go to home” or “go home”? A: No “to” is used with “home” as an adverb. I’m going home. – correct Go to home. – incorrect Q25. Do we say “contribute to” or “contribute for”? A: “Contribute to” is correct. Example: She contributed to the project. Q26. What does “within” mean vs. “in”? A: “Within” = inside a limit (time/space). Within 24 hours = no later than 24 hours. “In” = neutral container or time. In 24 hours = at some point during that period. Q27. Why is it “interested in” but “excited about”? A: Prepositions depend on the verb/adjective. These are set collocations. Interested in, excited about, worried about, afraid of Q28. When do we say “under” vs “below”? A: “Under” = covered or directly beneath. Under the table “Below” = lower in position, level, or ranking. Temperatures below zero Q29. Can I say “between three things”? A: “Between” is used for distinct, individual items — even if more than two. Between sales, marketing, and HR – correct Q30. Is it “at the top” or “on the top”? A: “At the top” = location or ranking She is at the top of her class. “On the top” = physically sitting on the surface The book is on the top shelf. Q31. What’s the rule for “over” vs “above”? A: “Over” = covering, movement, or more than Put the blanket over him. / Over 50 people came. “Above” = higher level or position The picture hangs above the sofa. Q32. What’s the opposite of “into”? A: “Out of” is the direct opposite of “into.” He got into the car. → He got out of the car. Q33. Do we say “in detail” or “with detail”? A: Always “in detail.” Example: He explained it in detail. Q34. Is it “at the beginning” or “in the beginning”? A: “At the beginning” = specific point in time “In the beginning” = during the early stage or phase Example: At the beginning of the project, we met daily. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure. Q35. Why is it “of importance” instead of “with importance”? A: “Of importance” is a formal structure meaning “important.” This issue is of great importance. “With importance” is not standard. Q36. What’s the difference between “next to” and “beside”? A: Almost identical in meaning. “Next to” = informal “Beside” = slightly more formal The bank is next to the post office. She sat beside me. Q37. Can I say “to my opinion”? A: No. The correct form is: In my opinion. “To my opinion” is incorrect. Q38. Do we say “good in math” or “good at math”? A: “Good at” is correct. Use: She’s good at math. Q39. What’s the difference between “from” and “of” in expressions like “a member from” vs “a member of”? A: “A member of” shows belonging. He’s a member of the team. “From” shows origin. He’s a member from Japan. Q40. When do we use “according to”? A: “According to” is used to cite a source or give attribution. According to the report, profits increased. You cannot say “according by” or “according from.”