Lost in Small Words: Stories of Frequently Made Grammar Mistakes with Prepositions

She stood in front of the class, nervously holding her cue cards.
It was her turn to give a short speech.

“I arrived to the airport late,” she began, her voice soft but clear.

The teacher smiled gently. Not a big mistake.
But one that changed the sentence’s rhythm, clarity—and meaning.

---

We all underestimate them.
Tiny, silent, slippery little words.

Prepositions.

They’re like the glue that holds your sentence together. Or the map that shows where, when, and how something happens.
But just like a wrong turn on a GPS, one wrong preposition can send your meaning far off course.

If you've ever said, "in the bus" instead of "on the bus," or "good in English" instead of "good at English"—welcome to the club.

You, me, and millions of others have made these frequently made grammar mistakes with prepositions.
Let’s walk through some of the most common ones—through stories, missteps, and laughter.

---

1. Arrive to vs. Arrive at/in

Back to our nervous speaker.

“I arrived to the airport late.”

It’s a classic mistake—and a forgivable one. In many languages, to is used after arrive. But in English? Nope.

• ❌ I arrived to the airport

• ✅ I arrived at the airport

Use:

• Arrive at for small places or points: at the station, at the restaurant

• Arrive in for cities or countries: in Paris, in Japan

So, if you’re ever traveling, just remember:
You don’t arrive to a place. You arrive at or arrive in it.

---

2. Good in vs. Good at

My cousin Mira once introduced herself in an English class.

“I’m good in singing,” she said proudly.

Everyone clapped, but the teacher gave a gentle correction:

“Good at, Mira. You’re good at singing.”

This mistake happens all the time. But there’s a trick to remember it:

When talking about a skill or activity, use:

• ✅ “Good at” – She’s good at drawing.

• ✅ “Bad at” – He’s bad at time management.

"Good in" is more for abstract contexts, like:

• “She’s good in a crisis.”

• “He’s good in groups.”

So next time, if you're talking about your talent—say you're good at it.

---

3. On the Bus or In the Bus?

This one's a funny memory.

My friend Arman once said, “I was in the bus when it started raining inside.”

We all stared at him, confused.

“Wait, inside the bus?” someone asked. “Like, under the seats?”

He meant: he was riding the bus.
But in English, we say:

• ✅ “I was on the bus.”

Why? Because public transport like buses, trains, planes, and ships use “on” instead of “in.”

Use:

• ✅ “On the train”

• ✅ “On the plane”

• ✅ “On the subway”

But you use “in” when it's a car or taxi:

• ✅ “In the car”

• ✅ “In a taxi”

So next time you're commuting, remember—you ride on things that have aisles and in things you drive.

---

4. Married with vs. Married to

One of my students once wrote:
“She’s married with a doctor.”

I smiled.
Because technically, that sounds like she’s married and has a doctor with her. Like a package deal.

But in English, you don’t say “married with”—you say:

• ✅ “Married to someone.”

So:

• ❌ Married with a doctor

• ✅ Married to a doctor

It’s a small difference, but it helps you avoid sounding like you're talking about a group marriage.

---

5. Discuss about vs. Just Discuss

Then came Ravi, always eager to participate.

He said, “Let’s discuss about the project.”

A common one. But in English, “discuss” doesn’t need a preposition.

• ❌ “Discuss about”

• ✅ “Discuss” (by itself)

So instead of:

• “We discussed about the movie.”

Say:

• ✅ “We discussed the movie.”

The word “discuss” already includes the idea of “about.” Adding “about” again is like saying it twice.

---

Why Do These Mistakes Happen?

Because prepositions are tricky.
They don’t always follow logic. They’re not always direct translations from your language.
And many times, the wrong preposition still makes sense. That’s why it’s hard to catch.

But the more you hear, read, and speak English—the more natural it becomes.

And once you understand how these little words work, you start sounding more polished, confident, and clear.

---

You’re Not Alone in This

Mira, Ravi, Arman, and our speech-giver—they’re real people who made real mistakes.
But guess what?

They also learned.
They grew.
And they laughed at the journey.

So if you’ve ever said “on the car,” or “married with a lawyer,” or “discuss about the problem”—don’t feel bad.

Feel proud.

Because now—you know better.

---

Final Tip: Practice With Intention

Here’s a little exercise for you:

Take five common verbs: arrive, good, married, discuss, depend.
Now try to remember the correct preposition for each.
Say them aloud. Use them in sentences. Correct yourself kindly.

Grammar isn’t about perfection.
It’s about connection.

---

So, tell me—have you ever been “in the bus” or “good in math”?
Now that you know better, the next time you use a preposition, you won’t feel unsure.

You’ll feel in control.
And that’s a powerful thing for a little word to give you.