5 Times You Should NOT Use A Preposition In English

Prepositions like in, of, at, from, and to are used very frequently in English!However, there are some cases in which you shouldn’t use one – and in today’s lesson, you’ll learn 5 times you should not use a preposition.

CASE #1

After go, we usually use to + place:

• I’m going to the mall.
• We went to Paris last year.

Exceptions: home and downtown.

Do not use “to” with these!

• I’m going home.
• We went downtown last night.

CASE #2

We usually use on + a day and in + a month:

• I have a meeting on Friday.
• We’ll call you on March 1st.
• The concert is in June.

Do NOT use in/on with yesterday, tomorrow, this, last, next

• I have a meeting tomorrow.
• We’ll call you next Friday.
• The concert is this June.

CASE #3

We usually use into for movement from outside to inside:

• She came into my room.
• Let’s go into the house.

Exception: enter

• She entered my room.
• Let’s enter the house.

Enter into is only used for starting agreements, negotiations, discussions, etc.

• The two companies entered into a financial agreement.
• Spain and France will enter into trade negotiations next month.

CASE #4

We don’t use to after attend when it means to go or to be present:

• Nine students attended the lecture.
• I regularly attend yoga classes.

You could use go to instead of attend:

• Nine students went to the lecture.
• I regularly go to yoga classes.

Attend to means to pay attention to or handle something:

• Doctors attended to the people who were injured in the accident.
• We’ll attend to that problem later.

CASE #5

Do not use of when lack is used as a verb:

• I sometimes lack confidence.
• Last night’s dinner lacked salt.

We use of when lack is used as a noun:

• I’m trying to overcome my lack of confidence.
• The lack of salt made the food tasteless.