Prepositions Test Exercises - Multiple Choice Questions With Answers

This exercise is an advanced level multiple choice test with multiple choice questions on prepositions including the topics below.

Prepositions

Preposition – Adverb Differences
Preposition – Conjunction Differences
Time Prepositions
Direction Prepositions
Place and Position Prepositions
Purpose, Reason Prepositions
Manner, Instrument Prepositions
Other Prepositions
Inverted Sentences with Prepositions
Verb + Preposition/Particle
Noun + Preposition

Prepositions Test Exercises - Multiple Choice Questions With Answers - Advanced Level 16

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Congratulations - you have completed Prepositions Test Exercises - Multiple Choice Questions With Answers - Advanced Level 16. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

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Question 1

To see what happened, he started to walk _____ the place where the sound had come from.

A	onto
B	in
C	after
D	across
E	towards

Question 1 Explanation:

Towards means 'in the direction of'. He walked in the direction of the sound. Not across, which means from one side to the other of a surface, such as across the road.

Question 2

Escaping from its cage, my little bird flew _____ the open window.

A	over
B	of
C	out to
D	through
E	down

Question 2 Explanation:

We use through for passing from one side of an opening to the other: through the window, through the door. Not out to: we say out of the window, not out to the window.

Question 3

A child was trying to climb _____ the tree to see what was _____ the nest.

A	along / at
B	into / _____
C	out of / beside
D	by / _____
E	up / inside

Question 3 Explanation:

We climb up a tree, moving upwards. Things are inside (or in) a nest, because a nest is a container. Not into / _____: what was the nest needs a preposition.

Question 4

She behaves towards the child from the orphanage _____ a real mother.

A	as
B	with
C	like
D	as if
E	in case

Question 4 Explanation:

Like + noun means 'in the same way as': she is not his mother, but she acts like one. Not as: as a real mother would mean she really is his mother (her role). As if needs a clause after it, e.g. as if she were his mother.

Question 5

Can we travel from Istanbul to Edirne _____ road?

A	by
B	on
C	with
D	way
E	via

Question 5 Explanation:

We use by + a means of transport with no article: by road, by train, by air. Not on: we say on the road, with the, but by road for a way of travelling.

Question 6

Yesterday, the thieves broke _____ my house and stole my watch and money.

A	onto
B	inside
C	with
D	out of
E	into

Question 6 Explanation:

Break into a building means to enter it by force in order to steal. Example: Someone broke into our car last night. Not inside: the phrasal verb is always break into.

Question 7

You are _____ the wrong floor; this is the fifth floor. You should walk _____ to the fourth floor.

A	at / up
B	on / down
C	in / onto
D	through / over
E	over / along

Question 7 Explanation:

We say on a floor of a building: on the fifth floor. The fourth floor is lower than the fifth, so you walk down. Not at / up: up would take you to the sixth floor.

Question 8

The panel discussion has just ended, so those people must be coming _____ the conference hall.

A	throughout
B	by way of
C	out of
D	towards
E	beneath

Question 8 Explanation:

Out of shows movement from inside a place to the outside. The discussion has ended, so people are leaving the hall. Not towards: people go towards a hall before an event, not after it ends.

Question 9

You should finish school with good grades _____ the sake of your future.

A	for
B	as
C	because
D	by
E	of

Question 9 Explanation:

For the sake of something means 'for the good of' or 'in order to help' it. Example: He stopped smoking for the sake of his health. The phrase always starts with for.

Question 10

The man _____ his hands in his pockets is staring _____ you.

A	with / at
B	in / in
C	by / to
D	as / at
E	on / to

Question 10 Explanation:

With describes what someone has or how they look: the man with his hands in his pockets. The verb stare takes at: stare at someone. Not on / to: we never say stare to.

Question 11

You can learn best _____ listening to your teacher _____ school.

A	with / in
B	as / onto
C	by / at
D	through / for
E	for / within

Question 11 Explanation:

By + -ing shows the method of doing something: learn by listening. At school means at the place where you study. Not through / for: through can show a method with a noun, but not with for school.

Question 12

Those were the days when no summer was complete _____ an excursion _____ the countryside to pick wild blackberries or strawberries or beach plums.

A	after / through
B	without / into
C	by / in
D	with / towards
E	except / by

Question 12 Explanation:

Complete without something means it was not complete unless that thing happened. An excursion into the countryside is a trip that goes out into the country. Not with: 'no summer was complete with' gives the opposite meaning.

Question 13

I have no fear; I can say all the things that I said yesterday _____ his face.

A	with
B	to
C	at
D	towards
E	onto

Question 13 Explanation:

The idiom say something to someone's face means to say it directly to the person, openly and not behind their back. Example: If you don't like it, tell me to my face. Not at: at his face is not used in this idiom.

Question 14

People _____ an advanced level of English should understand what I said _____ my speech.

A	with / in
B	by / at
C	on / at
D	in / on
E	in / from

Question 14 Explanation:

With means 'having': people with an advanced level of English. We use in for the content of a speech, letter or book: what I said in my speech. Not in / on: we don't say people in an advanced level.

Question 15

After he went _____ the house, he came _____ to the garden.

A	into / out
B	inside / out of
C	into / out of
D	into / off
E	into / extern

Question 15 Explanation:

Go into means to enter a place. Come out to a place means to leave a building and go to that place. Not into / out of: out of to the garden is wrong, because out of must be followed directly by the place you leave.

Question 16

There is a doctor three blocks _____ Lester's home and a private clinic a mile _____.

A	from / away
B	near / long
C	over / upon
D	beside / apart
E	towards / far

Question 16 Explanation:

We show distance with distance + from + place: three blocks from Lester's home. Or we use distance + away with no place after it: a mile away. Not near / long: we don't say three blocks near.

Question 17

Louis received a call _____ his mother _____ Connecticut, where he was to fly the next day _____ visit her.

A	of / about / within
B	about / at / for
C	through / for / to
D	by / from / for
E	from / in / to

Question 17 Explanation:

A call comes from a person: a call from his mother. In gives the place where she lives: in Connecticut. To + infinitive shows purpose: to visit her. Not by / from / for: for visit her is wrong, because purpose needs to + verb.

Question 18

"The high cost _____ living is really getting me down," growled one fellow.

A	for
B	of
C	about
D	over
E	by

Question 18 Explanation:

The fixed expression is the cost of living, meaning the money needed for basic things like food and rent. Example: The cost of living has risen sharply. No other preposition is used in this phrase.

Question 19

_____ living in Nairobi _____ several years, I returned to the States and headed _____ Kansas to visit old friends.

A	Since / since / to
B	While / some / for
C	Before / since / by
D	Then / for / towards
E	After / for / for

Question 19 Explanation:

After + -ing means 'after doing something'. For + a period of time gives duration: for several years. Head for a place means to go in its direction. Not since: since needs a starting point, e.g. since 2010, not a length of time.

Question 20

He said he would wait for me _____ the beach _____ sunset.

A	in / by
B	on / at
C	in / before
D	at / below
E	on / ahead of

Question 20 Explanation:

We say on the beach, on its surface, or at the beach. We use at with particular times of the day: at sunset, at noon, at midnight. Not in / before: we never say in the beach.

Question 21

The customers' loss _____ confidence _____ the company has become a serious problem.

A	for / with
B	of / in
C	in / by
D	about / for
E	like / to

Question 21 Explanation:

The noun loss takes of: loss of confidence, loss of money. Confidence takes in when it means trust: confidence in someone or something. Not for / with: these do not go with loss or confidence.

Question 22

It took them three hours to get _____ home.

A	for
B	to
C	by
D	at
E	_____

Question 22 Explanation:

Home is used without a preposition after verbs of movement: get home, go home, come home. Not to: we don't say get to home.

Question 23

Of course you can't see it. The village is _____ the hills.

A	in front of
B	below
C	behind
D	beside
E	through

Question 23 Explanation:

You can't see the village because the hills block your view, so it is behind the hills. Behind means at the back of something, hidden by it. Not below: a village below the hills could still be seen.

Question 24

They ran _____ the stairs _____ the roof to look _____ the things that they had used years ago.

A	up / to / for
B	down / to / in
C	up / on / up
D	down / in / at
E	up / to / on

Question 24 Explanation:

You run up the stairs to a higher place and go to the roof, which is your destination. Look for means to try to find something. Not up / on / up: look up means to find information, for example in a dictionary.

Question 25

The thief ran _____ the street and hid _____ the bushes.

A	across / over
B	into / beside
C	across / behind
D	along / from
E	over / above

Question 25 Explanation:

Across means from one side to the other: ran across the street. Behind means at the back of something, so he was hidden by the bushes. Not into / beside: hiding beside the bushes would not hide him.

Question 26

The cat ran and disappeared _____ the trees in the woods.

A	toward
B	among
C	with
D	beside
E	over

Question 26 Explanation:

Among means 'in the middle of a group of things', here the many trees in the woods. The cat ran in among the trees, so it could no longer be seen: disappeared among the trees. Not beside: beside means 'next to' something, so the cat would still be visible.

Question 27

_____ that time I heard a loud noise just _____ the house.

A	In / in
B	On / on
C	During / out
D	At / outside
E	In / into

Question 27 Explanation:

At that time refers to a particular moment. Outside means near a building but not in it: just outside the house. Not During / out: out cannot be used alone before the house; we need outside or out of.

Question 28

She got this book _____ John as a gift _____ her birthday.

A	out of / on
B	from / on
C	with / at
D	from / at
E	for / at

Question 28 Explanation:

We get something from a person. We use on with days and dates: on her birthday, on Monday. Not from / at: we don't say at her birthday for the day itself.

Question 29

He is always free _____ weekends _____ summer.

A	in / in
B	on / in
C	at / by
D	for / in
E	at / on

Question 29 Explanation:

We say on weekends (American; British English also says at weekends). We use in with seasons: in summer, in winter. Not at / on: we never say on summer.

Question 30

I say to tall people: please sit _____ the back so that everyone can see our play.

A	behind
B	beyond
C	from
D	at
E	on

Question 30 Explanation:

We say at the back (or at the front) for a position in a room or a theatre. Not behind: behind needs a person or object after it, e.g. behind the children.

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