MockoPrepositions are small words with a large impact on meaning. In TCF QRU vocabulary items, a single preposition gap tests whether you know which particle is required by the verb, noun, or adjective before it, and whether you understand the spatial, temporal, or logical relationship the sentence expresses. Most errors come from translating prepositions directly from another language rather than learning which French construction each context demands.
What you’ll learn
- Recognise which prepositions follow common French verbs, nouns, and adjectives
- Choose the right preposition of place, time, and movement in context
- Avoid cross-language transfer errors with à, de, en, par, pour, and sur
- Use elimination to rule out grammatically impossible choices in a QRU gap
Prepositions of place and direction
Place and direction are the most concrete uses of prepositions, yet they produce errors because English, Spanish, and other languages divide up space differently from French. The key distinction in French is between being somewhere (state) and going somewhere (direction), and between "in" used with countries, cities, and regions.
- "en" + feminine country/region: vivre en France, voyager en Bretagne
- "au" + masculine country: habiter au Canada, aller au Maroc
- "aux" + plural country: partir aux États-Unis
- "à" + city: habiter à Paris, aller à Lyon
- "dans" + region with article: habiter dans le Midi, travailler dans le Nord
- "chez" + person: aller chez le médecin, dîner chez des amis
Elle a passé trois ans ________ Japon avant de revenir en Europe. (A) en (B) au (C) dans le (D) à
"Japon" is masculine (le Japon), so "au Japon" is correct. "En" is reserved for feminine countries. "Dans le" is used for regions, not countries. "À" is for cities.
Watch for the article in country names
- Check whether the country name is masculine, feminine, or plural, this determines the preposition.
- Feminine countries (la France, la Chine, l'Espagne): use "en" with no article.
- Masculine countries (le Japon, le Brésil): use "au."
- Plural countries (les États-Unis, les Pays-Bas): use "aux."
Prepositions of time
Time prepositions are a frequent source of QRU gaps because the choice between en, dans, pendant, depuis, il y a, and pour depends on whether you are describing a point in time, a duration already lived, a duration yet to come, or the start of an ongoing state.
- "en" + duration (how long it takes to do something): Il a lu ce rapport en une heure.
- "dans" + future duration (how long until something): Le résultat sera connu dans deux semaines.
- "pendant" + duration (a completed period): Il a habité à Lyon pendant cinq ans.
- "depuis" + start of ongoing state: Elle travaille ici depuis trois ans. (she still works here)
- "il y a" + time ago: Il est parti il y a deux heures.
- "pour" + planned future duration: Il part pour trois mois.
Je cherche un appartement ________ six mois mais je n'ai rien trouvé. (A) pendant (B) depuis (C) il y a (D) dans
The search started six months ago and is still ongoing (shown by "je cherche" in the present tense). "Depuis" describes a state or action that started in the past and continues now. "Pendant" would require a completed action. "Il y a" means "ago" and requires a past tense. "Dans" points forward in time.
Verbs that require a specific preposition
French verbs do not take prepositions based on meaning alone; they take them by convention. Many verb-preposition combinations are fixed and must be memorised. TCF items often test whether you know the required preposition for a common verb rather than whether you understand the sentence topic.
- Verb + à + infinitive: commencer à, continuer à, hésiter à, réussir à, aider quelqu'un à, inviter quelqu'un à
- Verb + de + infinitive: décider de, essayer de, finir de, refuser de, s'occuper de, avoir besoin de
- Verb + à + person: parler à, écrire à, téléphoner à, rendre service à, ressembler à
- Verb + de + topic: parler de, se souvenir de, avoir envie de, être content de
Elle a réussi ________ obtenir une bourse pour ses études. (A) à (B) de (C) pour (D) en
"Réussir à + infinitive" is the fixed construction (to manage to / to succeed in doing). "Réussir de" does not exist in standard French. "Pour" would express purpose, not achievement. "En" is not used after "réussir" in this sense.
Commencer and finir both change preposition
- "Commencer à + infinitive": Il a commencé à neiger. (to start doing)
- "Commencer par + infinitive": Commencez par lire les consignes. (to start by doing something first)
- The same distinction applies to "finir de" (to finish doing) vs "finir par" (to end up doing).
Adjectives and nouns followed by à or de
Like verbs, many adjectives and nouns have a fixed preposition. These patterns are tested in TCF items where the gap falls between a noun or adjective and the following infinitive or noun phrase.
- Adjective + à: prêt à, habitué à, opposé à, utile à, apte à
- Adjective + de: content de, capable de, certain de, fatigué de, ravi de, fier de
- Noun + à: le droit à, l'accès à, la solution à
- Noun + de: la peur de, le manque de, la possibilité de, le besoin de
Les employés sont habitués ________ travailler en horaires décalés. (A) de (B) à (C) pour (D) avec
"Être habitué à + infinitive" is the fixed pattern (to be used to doing something). "Habitué de" is not standard in this construction. "Pour" implies purpose. "Avec" is used for accompaniment, not habit.
Par, pour, and sur in context
Three prepositions that often appear in TCF items are "par," "pour," and "sur," because they each have several meanings and can look interchangeable without careful reading.
- "par" for agent in passive: Le rapport a été rédigé par la directrice.
- "par" for means/route: passer par Lyon, contacter par email
- "pour" for purpose or destination: partir pour Paris, un médicament pour la toux
- "pour" for a duration ahead: Il reste pour deux semaines.
- "sur" for topic: un article sur le réchauffement climatique
- "sur" for surface: poser quelque chose sur la table
Ce documentaire traite ________ l'impact de la pollution sur les océans. (A) sur (B) à (C) de (D) par
"Traiter de" means to deal with / to be about. This is a fixed verb-preposition pattern. "Sur" with a verb like "traiter" is less standard; "traiter sur" would need a specific written context. "À" and "par" do not fit here grammatically.
How to practise this
Prepositions cannot be learned in isolation. The only reliable method is to encounter them repeatedly in context and to learn each verb or adjective together with its required preposition from the start.
Preposition practice ideas
- Keep a dedicated list of verbs + prepositions, adjectives + prepositions, and nouns + prepositions. Add to it every time you meet a new combination.
- When you look up a verb in a dictionary, check the example sentences, not just the definition, to see which preposition follows it.
- Do 5 to 10 TCF-style preposition gap items per session. For each wrong answer, identify whether the error was a verb-preposition pattern, a time expression, or a place rule.
- Practise country + preposition pairs until they are automatic: en France, au Maroc, aux États-Unis, à Tokyo.
Key takeaways
- Country names take "en" (feminine), "au" (masculine), or "aux" (plural), the preposition depends on the gender and number of the country.
- "Depuis" describes an ongoing state; "pendant" describes a completed duration; "dans" points forward in time.
- Many common verbs have a fixed preposition before an infinitive: réussir à, décider de, commencer à / par.
- Adjectives like "habitué à," "capable de," and "prêt à" each carry a required preposition.
- When in doubt about a preposition, look for the governing verb, noun, or adjective and recall its fixed pattern.
