Grammar tool
Articles & prepositions — quick fixes
Article and preposition errors are the single most common reason for losing easy Grammar marks. Fixing them lifts your accuracy without learning anything new.
Interactive practice lab
Turn Articles & prepositions — quick fixes into active practice.
Short activities built directly from this grammar tool. Drag, decide, match, and recall until the language becomes usable.
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Articles — the 4 rules that cover 95% of cases
What is the key idea in point 1?
Reference library
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Use the full reference below when an answer in the practice lab feels uncertain.
Articles — the 4 rules that cover 95% of cases
- Use "a / an" when introducing a singular countable noun for the first time.
- Use "the" when the noun is specific or already mentioned.
- Use no article for plural and uncountable nouns when speaking generally.
- Use "the" with superlatives, unique things (the sun), and most countries (the UK, the US) — but NOT with proper names of most countries (France, Japan).
Article fixes
I want to study in university.
I want to study at a university.
Government should invest in education.
The government should invest in education.
She is the best student of her class.
She is the best student in her class.
Prepositions of time
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | specific times | at 9 am, at noon, at night |
| on | days and dates | on Monday, on 5 May |
| in | months, years, parts of the day | in 2024, in July, in the morning |
| by | deadline | by Friday, by next month |
| for | duration | for two hours, for six months |
| since | starting point | since 2020, since June |
Prepositions of place
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | specific point | at the station, at the door |
| in | enclosed space / area | in the room, in Tokyo |
| on | surface | on the table, on page 5 |
| between | two items | between the trees |
| among | three or more | among the candidates |
Editorial details and primary sources
By FluentMock Editorial Team · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-28 · Official sources checked
- IELTS test format — IELTS
- IELTS scoring in detail — IELTS
- TOEFL iBT score breakdown — ETS
- TOEFL iBT test content — ETS
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