🟠 TOEIC Part 5: Mastering Prepositions — in / at / on / by / with / to / for

Prepositions are tiny words with big impact. In Part 5, they’re a favourite way for TOEIC to trip you up — because the wrong choice can make an otherwise perfect sentence incorrect.

Mastering a few core rules for in, at, on, by, with, to, and for will give you quick, consistent points.

📍 in

Used for:

  • Months / years → in July, in 2024

  • Enclosed locations / departments → in the office, in HR

📍 at

Used for:

  • Specific times → at 5 PM

  • Specific places or events → at the station, at the meeting

📍 on

Used for:

  • Days / dates → on Monday, on July 1st

  • Surfaces / platforms → on the table, on the website

📍 by

Used for:

  • Deadlines → by Friday

  • Transport / communication method → by car, by email

📍 with

Used for:

  • Tools → cut with scissors

  • Features → a man with glasses

  • Companionship → with a colleague

📍 to

Used for:

  • Direction / movement → go to the meeting

  • Giving → send it to the manager

📍 for

Used for:

  • Purpose → This is for training

  • Benefit → for the client

  • Duration → for three years

📝 Sample TOEIC Part 5 Question

The sales figures for the third quarter will be presented ___ the board meeting scheduled for next Monday.

A) in
B) at ✅
C) on
D) by

Why B is correct:

  • “At” is used for events such as meetings: at the meeting.

  • “In the meeting” sounds awkward in this context.

  • “On the meeting” is incorrect.

  • “By the meeting” would indicate a deadline, not the event itself.

🔄 Quick Recap

  • in → months, years, enclosed places

  • at → exact times, events

  • on → days, surfaces

  • by → deadlines, transport methods

  • with → tools, features, people

  • to → movement, giving

  • for → purpose, benefit, duration

Final Word

In Part 5, preposition questions are quick wins — but only if you’ve trained your eye to spot the rules instantly. The right choice isn’t about what “sounds okay” — it’s about matching the correct preposition to the meaning.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC grammar and vocabulary, visit the English Library Collection and start building accuracy one question at a time.

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.”
A woman with glasses sitting at a table in a library, smiling, with open books and notes in front of her, holding a pencil to her temple.