Prepositions of place help us describe the location or position of one thing in relation to another. Using different prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence entirely. Let’s dive into the world of prepositions of place and learn how to use them effectively!
What Are Prepositions of Place?
Prepositions of place are words that describe the position or location of one object in relation to another. They provide clarity and precision when answering “where” questions.
Key Prepositions of Place
Here are the most common prepositions of place, categorized for better understanding:
“In,” “At,” and “On”
These three prepositions are often confused because they describe location differently. Let’s break them down:
When to Use “In”
Use “in” when referring to something inside a space, area, or enclosed environment.
Example | Description |
---|---|
The cat is in the house. | The cat is inside the boundaries of the house. |
The keys are in the box. | The keys are enclosed within the box. |
The bird is in the tree. | The bird is within the branches of the tree. |
She is in the car. | She is enclosed within the space of the car. |
When to Use “At”
Use “at” to describe a specific point or location, without focusing on boundaries or surfaces.
Example | Description |
---|---|
She is at school. | She is located at the specific point of the school. |
They are at home. | They are at the specific location of their home. |
He is at the bus stop. | He is at the exact point of the bus stop. |
We met at the party. | We were located at the specific event of the party. |
When to Use “On”
Use “on” when referring to something resting on a surface or attached to an object.
Example | Description |
---|---|
The phone is on the table. | The phone is positioned on the surface of the table. |
The remote is on the sofa. | The remote is resting on the surface of the sofa. |
The bag is on the floor. | The bag is placed on the surface of the floor. |
The picture is on the wall. | The picture is attached to the surface of the wall. |
More examples with “In”:
- The cat is in the house.
- The bird is in the tree.
- She is sitting in the car.
- The gift is in the box.
- The dog is sleeping in the bed.
- The books are in the library.
- The apples are in the basket.
- He is studying in the school.
- The fish are swimming in the sea.
- The keys are in her purse.
More examples with “At”:
- She is at school.
- They are at home.
- He is waiting at the bus stop.
- She works at the bank.
- He is at the hospital.
- We met at the party.
- She is shopping at the mall.
- Let’s meet at the corner.
- They are dining at a restaurant.
- He is studying at university.
More examples with “On”:
- The phone is on the table.
- The bird is on the branch.
- The show is on TV.
- The painting is on the wall.
- The light is on the ceiling.
- She has a stain on her shirt.
- The ant is crawling on the ground.
- The notes are on the desk.
- The cat is sitting on the sofa.
- He is on the train.
Precise Prepositions of Place
Some prepositions give even more detail about the position or location of objects.
Understanding Specific Prepositions:
Preposition | Meaning | Example with Visual Imagery |
---|---|---|
Above | Higher than something else. | The sun shines above the clouds. |
On top of | Directly over something, touching it. | The cherry is on top of the ice cream. |
Between | In the space separating two things. | The dog sits between the two cats. |
Under | Directly below something. | They stayed dry under the umbrella. |
Underneath | Directly under something, often hidden. | The key was hidden underneath the mat. |
Beneath | At a lower level than something else. | The divers explored the world beneath the sea. |
Below | Lower than something else, not necessarily directly under. | The temperature dropped below zero. |
Next to | Immediately beside something. | She stood next to him. |
Near | Close to something. | They had a picnic near the river. |
In front of | Ahead of something. | The car is parked in front of the house. |
Behind | At the back of something. | The backpack is behind the door. |
Opposite | Facing something from the other side. | The café is opposite the bank. |
Examples with Specific Prepositions:
Above
- The clouds are above the mountains.
- The airplane flew above the city.
- The trophy is placed above the fireplace.
- The painting hangs above the sofa.
- The sun rose above the horizon.
On Top of
- He put the hat on top of his head.
- The box is on top of the table.
- The award is on top of the shelf.
- They reached the cabin on top of the hill.
- The cherry is on top of the cake.
Between
- The nightstand is between the beds.
- The car is parked between the trucks.
- The path runs between the fields.
- She stood between her friends.
- The pencil fell between the cracks.
Under
- They took shelter under the umbrella.
- The dog hid under the table.
- The mechanic is working under the car.
- The picnic is set under the tree.
- They slept under the stars.
Underneath
- The key was hidden underneath the mat.
- She found her shoes underneath the bed.
- The map was underneath the book.
- The cat is sleeping underneath the blanket.
- The treasure is buried underneath the sand.
Beneath
- The submarine is beneath the waves.
- The ground is beneath our feet.
- The ocean depths lie beneath the surface.
- The floor is beneath the carpet.
- The dungeon is beneath the castle.
Below
- Temperatures dropped below zero.
- The answer is below the question.
- The balloons floated below the ceiling.
- The eagle soared below the clouds.
- The valley lies below the mountain.
Next to
- She sat next to her friend.
- The bathroom is next to the kitchen.
- He parked next to my car.
- The rose grew next to the tulip.
- The remote is next to the TV.
Near
- The park is near our house.
- The store is near the station.
- The clinic is near the library.
- The beach is near the hotel.
- The mosque is near the market.
In Front of
- Stop in front of the traffic light.
- The teacher stands in front of the class.
- The car is parked in front of the building.
- He spoke in front of the audience.
- The bus stopped in front of the school.
Behind
- The garden is behind the house.
- She walked behind him.
- The backstage is behind the stage.
- The sun set behind the hills.
- He hid behind the door.
Opposite
- The hotel is opposite the museum.
- She sat opposite her friend.
- The store is opposite the bank.
- The bus stop is opposite the park.
- They chose seats opposite each other.