Prepositions of PLACE
Prepositions of place are words that tell us where something is located. Here’s a simple explanation of some common prepositions of place in English:
1. In
- “In” means that something is inside a space or area.
- Example: The cat is in the box. (The cat is inside the box.)
2. On
- “On” means that something is on top of a surface.
- Example: The book is on the table. (The book is resting on the surface of the table.)
3. At
- “At” is used for a specific point or location.
- Example: She is at the bus stop. (She is located at a specific point where the bus stops.)
4. Under
- “Under” means that something is directly below something else.
- Example: The dog is under the table. (The dog is beneath the table.)
5. Above
- “Above” means that something is higher than something else but not directly over it.
- Example: The painting is above the sofa. (The painting is hanging higher than the sofa.)
6. Below
- “Below” means that something is lower than something else.
- Example: The basement is below the ground floor. (The basement is situated at a lower level than the ground floor.)
7. Next to
- “Next to” means that something is beside something else.
- Example: The school is next to the park. (The school is located beside the park.)
8. In front of
- “In front of” means that something is facing another object or place.
- Example: The car is parked in front of the house. (The car is located at the front of the house.)
9. Behind
- “Behind” means that something is at the back of something else.
- Example: The garden is behind the house. (The garden is located at the back of the house.)
10. Between
- “Between” means that something is in the middle of two other things.
- Example: The park is between the library and the school. (The park is located in the middle of the library and the school.)
11. Among
- “Among” means that something is surrounded by more than two things.
- Example: The dog is playing among the children. (The dog is surrounded by the children.)
12. Over
- “Over” means that something is directly above something else.
- Example: The airplane flew over the city. (The airplane was above the city.)
13. Inside
- “Inside” means that something is contained within another thing.
- Example: The keys are inside the drawer. (The keys are located within the drawer.)
14. Outside
- “Outside” means that something is not inside but in the open air.
- Example: The children are playing outside. (The children are in the open area, not indoors.)
15. Far from
- “Far from” means that something is a long distance away from something else.
- Example: The school is far from my house. (The school is located a long distance away from my house.)
16. Close to
- “Close to” means that something is near something else.
- Example: The store is close to my house. (The store is located near my house.)
Quick Recap:
- In: Inside a space
- On: On top of a surface
- At: A specific point
- Under: Directly below
- Above: Higher than
- Below: Lower than
- Next to: Beside
- In front of: Facing something
- Behind: At the back
- Between: In the middle of two things
- Among: Surrounded by more than two things
- Over: Directly above
- Inside: Contained within
- Outside: Not inside, in the open air
- Far from: A long distance away
- Close to: Near
By remembering these simple explanations, you can use prepositions of place correctly in your sentences!
Extra Practice
Quiz: Prepositions of Place
1. The cat is sitting ___ the chair.
a) on
b) in
c) under
2. The park is ___ the school and the library.
a) between
b) among
c) next to
3. The dog is hiding ___ the bed.
a) in front of
b) behind
c) above
4. The picture is hanging ___ the wall.
a) on
b) under
c) next to
5. I left my bag ___ the table.
a) in
b) on
c) at
6. The flowers are ___ the garden.
a) in
b) among
c) behind
7. The store is ___ my house.
a) close to
b) among
c) between
8. The dog is playing ___ the children.
a) among
b) in front of
c) behind
9. It’s raining, so I am waiting for you ___.
a) outside
b) under
c) inside
10. Judy is ___ school right now.
a) on
b) at
c) in front of
11. The book is ___ the shelf.
a) on
b) in
c) over
12. The birds are flying ___ the trees.
a) above
b) inside
c) on
13. There is a park ___ the city.
a) in
b) at
c) among
14. The bicycle is parked ___ the car.
a) behind
b) over
c) among
15. She is sitting ___ the table.
a) at
b) in
c) above
Answers:
- a) on
- a) between
- b) behind
- a) on
- b) on
- a) in
- a) close to
- a) among
- c) inside
- b) at
- a) on
- a) above
- a) in
- a) behind
- a) at