Prepositions decide the case, and the wrong case costs points in the language elements. Whoever knows the groups has it much easier. Here come the most important rules on prepositions with accusative and dative.
Prepositions with accusative and dative
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There are three groups:
- Always accusative: durch, für, gegen, ohne, um.
- Always dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu.
- Two-way prepositions: an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen.
What this part is about is shown in telc B2 language elements.
Two-way prepositions: Where to or Where?
With the two-way prepositions, the question decides:
- Where to? (movement) → accusative: “Ich stelle das Buch auf den Tisch.”
- Where? (position) → dative: “Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.”
Closely connected to this are verbs with fixed prepositions, where the case is also fixed. The case also affects the adjective endings.
In the telc exam
Prepositions are a classic in the gap tasks. How to proceed strategically is in solving language elements strategically, and where the part sits in the procedure is shown by the page on the exam sections.
The bottom line
Once you know the three groups and the Where-to/Where rule, you almost always hit the right case. That turns the preposition gaps into secure points.
