Learn how to Use Advanced English Prepositions
Aside from studying your phrasal verbs, it is extremely important to learn how to use English prepositions properly. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of prepositions, then these exercises will help you learn how we use prepositions when we talk about the internet! By studying these exercises, you will learn how to flawlessly talk about buying something online or how to comment on an article you read on a website or blog. Native English speakers will better understand you and your confidence in your English fluency will increase.
Below, you’ll find common English prepositions and examples. Write down sentences of your own using these terms for more practice!
English Prepositions for Talking About the Internet
On the internet
When referencing that you found an article or product online:
Example 1: I found this book on the internet.
Example 2: Peter read about it on the internet.
On a website/LinguaLink DC
While talking about what you found on the internet, you might want to get a little more specific in terms of location:
Example 1: I found this book on the internet on a website about English prepositions.
Example 2: Peter read about it on a website about English grammar.
Tip: We use “on” when we talk about websites even if we simply refer to the name of a website:
Example 1: I read this on Facebook.
Example 2: I saw this on Amazon.
Tip 2: When we talk about websites, newspapers, magazines and companies that do not only exist online such as Facebook, we say:
Example 1: I read it on the New York Times website.
Example 2: I bought it on Sephora’s website.
Please note that with magazines and newspapers we use the English prepositions “on” plus a compound noun, while with companies we use the possessive case.
In an article/post on Facebook/the New York Times website/LinguaLink DC
When you need to describe the exact location where you found an article or post online:
Example: I saw this in an article on Facebook.
To buy something online from a company
When wanting to describe where you bought or ordered something online:
Example: I bought it from Sephora online.
On my Ipad/computer/tablet
When you describe that you have information stored on your electronic device:
Example: I store all my pictures on my Ipad.
On Twitter/Instagram/Social media platform
You might one day decide to use Twitter or Instagram. This is used to describe that you saw or posted something on one of those social media platforms:
Example 1: I saw his tweet on Twitter yesterday.
Example 2: Sam posts a lot on Instagram.
In my Twitter/Instagram account/email inbox
When you start talking about the level behind the public image of your Instagram or Twitter account, you talk about information you have stored hidden from the public eye:
Example 1: You can find your user info in your Facebook account settings.
Example 2: I have lots of emails in my (email) inbox.
To read/see something in an email/a tweet/ a Facebook post
So you post or see something on Twitter, but when you refer to the micro level on those social media platforms you read it in an email/tweet/post.
Example: I’m looking forward to reading about your trip in an email.
Example 2: I read in a tweet that the new president will resign within days of his inauguration.
To watch/find something on Netflix/Hulu
When you are telling your friends where you watched a new TV show or how to find it.
Example: I watched the movie on Hulu.
Example 2: You can find the new show on Netflix.
On my blog
When you are talking about what you post or write on your blog, you say:
Example: I wrote about self-driving cars on my blog.
Sample Passage – Telling your colleague about what you read online
Jack: Hey, Sam. You won’t believe what I read online yesterday?
Sam: What was it?
Jack: Someone posted an article on Facebook about how elephants can fly when they eat strawberries.
Sam: Wait, what? That is nonsense.
Jack: Probably, but I read it in an article on this website called nonsense.com that two elephants in Tansania ate a couple of strawberries and then started to fly.
Sam: Well, if you read it on nonsense.com then you should know that that website is satire. You should never just believe everything you read online. Always check your sources and google the website to check if it is indexed as fake news or as in this case simply satire.
By using these English prepositions, you will increase your English fluency when talking about the internet. Your command over words about the internet will help you better understand popular culture. Practice with the examples above on your own and then with your closest friends and you’ll quickly master these English prepositions!