Prepositions
Prepositions matter in PSC Written Expression, where the correct structure often depends on the right preposition, and they can also support success in Reading Comprehension, where an incorrect answer may reflect confusion about standard usage, idiomatic phrasing, or the logical relationship between parts of a sentence.
Why this matters on the PSC test
Prepositions are small words, but they control important grammatical patterns. On the PSC test, errors often appear in expressions of place, time, purpose, or in contracted forms such as au, aux, and du.
Core rule
A preposition must fit the structure that follows and must be used in its correct written form.
Some prepositions also trigger a specific form: à + le = au, à + les = aux, de + le = du, de + les = des.
au Canada
aux clients
dans les quatre mois
pour financer
Common PSC traps
- Wrong contraction: use au, not à le; use du, not de le.
- Place expressions: some nouns or places require a specific prepositional form. Example: au Canada.
- Time expressions: a sentence may require the preposition dans to indicate a delay or time frame.
- Before a verb: after some prepositions, the following verb must be in the infinitive. Example: pour financer.
- Very small errors: because prepositions are short, they are easy to skip during a fast review of the sentence.
PSC-style examples
Les activités se déroulent au Canada.
Le service répond aux demandes d’information.
La décision sera rendue dans les quatre mois.
L’organisation prévoit des fonds pour financer les projets.
Le secteur agit dans les domaines du commerce et de l’économie.
Mini practice
a) à la
b) au
a) aux
b) au
a) financer
b) financé
1. b) au
2. a) aux
3. a) financer