Grammar Deep-Dive · SSC · IBPS · UPSC
Prepositions Guide
Fixed collocations, Indian-English errors, the 8 most-tested distinctions, and a 10-question practice quiz — the only prepositions reference you need for any competitive exam.
The Golden Rule
Prepositions in English are idiomatic — there is no universal logic. The only reliable approach is to memorise fixed collocations (verb + preposition pairs) and recognise the common Indian-English errors. Use the groups below as a reference chart.
Collocation Groups
Learn by category — your brain remembers patterns better than random lists.
8 Most Common Indian-English Errors
These are the errors that cost marks most often in SSC, IBPS, and UPSC papers.
| Wrong (avoid) | Correct |
|---|---|
| married with | married to |
| suffer with fever | suffer from fever |
| die from cancer | die of cancer |
| angry on him | angry with him |
| good in maths | good at maths |
| senior than me | senior to me |
| discuss about it | discuss it |
| reach to the station | reach the station |
8 Critical Distinctions
die of vs die from
'Die of' = disease (cancer, fever, cholera, plague). 'Die from' = external/physical cause (wounds, overwork, an accident, a fall). Both are grammatically correct — only the cause determines which to use.
angry with vs angry at
'Angry with' = directed at a person. 'Angry at/about' = directed at a thing, situation, or action. Pattern: angry with [person] for [reason] → 'She was angry with him for lying.'
Latin comparatives → 'to', not 'than'
Senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, anterior, posterior always take 'to'. Never write 'more superior than' — this commits two errors at once (double comparative + wrong preposition).
discuss (no preposition)
'Discuss' is a transitive verb that takes a direct object with no preposition. 'Discuss about the plan' is wrong. 'Discuss the plan' is correct. Same rule: mention, reach, enter, comprise.
reach (no preposition)
'Reach' is transitive. 'Reached to the station' is wrong. 'Reached the station' is correct. Many Indian students add 'to' because they confuse it with 'go to' or 'travel to'.
good at vs good in
'Good at' for skills, tasks, subjects where performance is the focus. 'Good in' for subjects in a general/academic context (less common). In competitive exams, 'good at' is almost always the expected answer.
married to (not with / by)
'Married to' is the only accepted form. 'Married with' is a direct translation from Hindi/Urdu and is always wrong. 'Married by' refers to the officiant (they were married by the priest).
accused of vs charged with
'Accused of' = informal allegation. 'Charged with' = formal legal charge. Both 'accused of' and 'convicted of' take 'of'. 'Charged with' takes 'with'. These three are always tested together.
At / In / On — Time Reference
| Preposition | Use for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| AT | Precise times, festivals, night | at 9 am, at noon, at midnight, at Diwali, at night |
| IN | Months, years, seasons, parts of day | in June, in 2024, in winter, in the morning |
| ON | Days, specific dates | on Monday, on 15th August, on my birthday |
Practice Quiz — 10 Questions
Fill-in-the-blank format — mirrors the real exam style.
Related Guides
Prepositions Chapter — Grammar Rulebook
Full chapter with 74-rule reference
Sentence Improvement Guide
10 top error patterns + 10 practice MCQs
Error Spotting Guide
3-second scan method + frequency map
Conjunctions Guide
No Sooner/Than, Lest/Should, Hardly/When
Subject-Verb Agreement Chapter
As well as, neither/nor, collective nouns
Fill in the Blanks MCQ Sets
13 full sets · prepositions + vocabulary
Test yourself across all topics
Take a timed mock test or drill specific categories.