Common Preposition Mistakes You Probably Make

A preposition is a function word that comes before prepositional phrases as a headword or prepend. In the English language, it is also known as a word that shows the relationship between nouns, pronouns, noun phrases, and other words. It is important to note that using the incorrect preposition in a sentence is not just a grammatical error, but it can also result in misunderstandings and miscommunication. Therefore, having a thorough understanding of how to use prepositions is essential for effective communication.

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Below are the common prepositional errors and their corrections:

In a queue?

The prepositional phrase “on the queue” has been mistakenly used instead of “in the queue,” which means that one is waiting among other people for their turn to avoid disorderliness. None of the reliable dictionaries suggest that “on” is grammatically correct for this expression. For example, the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “a line of people, usually standing or in cars, waiting for something, or a lot of people wanting something: Are you in the queue for tickets?”

Study the following sentences:

The university teachers were on queue for their payslips. (Incorrect)
The university teachers were in queue for their payslips. (Correct)

Were you on queue for a meal ticket at the national camp? (Incorrect)
Were you in queue for a meal ticket at the national camp? (Correct)

Reply your messages?

The question is, why do many people omit the preposition “to” when they say “reply messages” instead of “reply to my messages”? It is important to mention that the word “reply” cannot be used in this context without including the preposition. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it means “to say or write something as an answer to somebody/something.”

Below are example sentences extracted from the reference:

He has not replied to any of my text messages.
She usually replies immediately to comments on her posts.
He replied to her question with a scowl.

Here are additional expressions:

Professor Bala Olawale has replied the query received from the office of the vice chancellor. (Incorrect)
Professor Bala Olawale has replied to the query received from the office of the vice chancellor. (Correct)

The commissioner for education replied the governor’s call during the meeting with contractors. (Incorrect)
The commissioner for education replied to the governor’s call during the meeting with contractors. (Correct)

In a bus?

When traveling by road to any motorable destination, you may need to use a bus, right? But which preposition should you use between “in” and “on” when referring to your physical presence in the vehicle? Interestingly, many English users make the mistake of using “in” instead of “on”.

Consider the following sentences:

I was in a bus to Ikeja when you called. (Incorrect)
I was on a bus to Ikeja when you called. (Correct)

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When you travel using a bus as a means of transportation, use “by”.

The children attended their father’s burial party by bus. (Correct)

Order for food?

I just ordered for rice and beans on Facebook. (Incorrect)
I just ordered rice and beans on Facebook. (Correct)

Some words do not require prepositions as they are in-built. The same rule applies to “order”.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, “order” as a transitive verb means “to request some product or service; to secure by placing an order.”

Here are some other examples:

I ordered groceries last night.

Request for?

Request for groceries from your hostel master. (Incorrect)
Request groceries from your hostel master. (Correct)

Seek for?

The president sought for God’s blessings over the nation’s affairs. (Incorrect)
The president sought God’s blessings over the nation’s affairs. (Correct)

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Samuel Tolulope Alimi is the founder and lead scholar at English TV, an online platform dedicated to teaching the English language on various social media platforms. He earned a BA (Ed) from the prestigious Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, where he majored in English and Education.

As a Grammar Columnist at Peoples Daily newspaper, one of the foremost and trusted national newspapers, he writes about Nigerian English on Page 23 of every Saturday's publication, with his column titled "Common Errors in English with Samuel Alimi." His writings have attracted considerable readership across several states, with over 30 detailed articles published.

Samuel is a goal-oriented ambassador of Scholarship IQ, promoting its mission to build the world's largest African student directory in two local governments in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. He has also gained hands-on experience in ghostwriting autobiographies, community service, and research through his internship at SO41 Educational Consultancy, Ogun State.

LinkedIn: Samuel Tolulope Alimi
samueltolulopealimi@gmail.com