English Grammar: Prepositions of Place

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Prepositions are an essential part of the English language, and they help us understand the relationship between different words in a sentence. One of the most common types of prepositions is prepositions of place. These prepositions indicate the position or location of a person or object in relation to another object or a specific place.

Prepositions of place are used to describe where something or someone is located. They can be used to describe the position of objects in a room, the location of a city or country, or the direction of movement. Some examples of prepositions of place include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “over,” “behind,” and “beside.” Understanding how to use these prepositions correctly is essential for effective communication in English.

Understanding Prepositions of Place

Definition

Prepositions of place are words that describe the position or location of something. They are used to indicate where an object is in relation to another object or place. Some common prepositions of place include “in”, “on”, “at”, “under”, “above”, “behind”, “beside”, and “between”.

Usage

Prepositions of place are used to give directions, describe locations, and indicate the position of objects. For example, we use “in” to describe something that is inside a container or enclosed space, such as “The book is in the box”. We use “on” to describe something that is resting on top of another object, such as “The cup is on the table”. We use “at” to describe a specific location or position, such as “We are at the park”.

It is important to use the correct preposition of place to accurately convey the intended meaning. For example, “The cat is under the table” means that the cat is physically below the table, while “The cat is behind the table” means that the cat is positioned at the back of the table.

When using prepositions of place, it is also important to consider the context of the sentence. For example, “The book is in the library” means that the book is inside the library, while “The book is in the car” means that the book is inside the car.

In summary, prepositions of place are essential for accurately describing the position or location of objects. By using the correct preposition, we can clearly communicate the intended meaning and avoid confusion.

Common Prepositions of Place

As we learn English, one of the most important things to remember is the use of prepositions of place. These prepositions help us to describe where things are located in relation to other things. Here are some of the most common prepositions of place:

In

We use “in” to describe something that is inside a space. For example:

• The cat is in the box.
• We are in the classroom.

At

We use “at” to describe something that is at a specific point or location. For example:

• The party is at the park.
• We are at the movie theater.

On

We use “on” to describe something that is on top of something else. For example:

• The book is on the table.
• The picture is on the wall.

It’s important to remember that prepositions of place at in on can vary depending on the context. For example, we might say “in the car” to describe being inside a vehicle, but we would say “on the bus” to describe being on top of it. By practicing and paying attention to the context, we can become more comfortable and confident in using prepositions of place correctly.

List of Prepositions of Place

Learn how to use Prepositions of Place correctly in English with useful rules and examples.

next to/beside: refers to a thing (or person) that is at the side of another thing

• We lay beside the pool to dry off in the sun.
• The hotel is situated next to the lively bustling port.

near/close to: “near” and “close to” are similar to “next to/beside” but there is more of a distance between the two things

• There is a bush near the school playground.
• The new shopping center is close to the railway station.

between: something in the middle of two objects or things (or places)

• There is a gulf between the two cities.

in front of: further forward than someone or something else

• They massed in front of the city hall.
• It was brave of you to speak in front of all those people.

behind: at the back (part) of something

• The horse fell behind in the race.

opposite/across from: someone (or a place) is on the other side of something

• The hospital is opposite to the post office.
• The shoe store is across from the bank.

under: lower than (or covered by) something else

• We slept under the open sky.

below: lower than something else

• He dived below the surface of the water.

over: above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other

• She held the umbrella over both of us.

above: higher than something else, but not directly over it

• Our friends in the apartment above us are really noisy.

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Prepositions of Place in English | Images

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Examples and Exercises

Examples

Let’s take a look at some examples of prepositions of place:

Preposition	Example
In	The cat is in the box.
On	The book is on the table.
Under	The dog is under the bed.
Behind	The car is behind the tree.
Next to	The house is next to the park.

Exercises

Now, let’s practice using prepositions of place with some exercises:

1. Where is the pencil? It’s ___ the desk.
2. Where is the cat? It’s ___ the sofa.
3. Where is the cup? It’s ___ the table.
4. Where is the ball? It’s ___ the box.
5. Where is the flower? It’s ___ the vase.

Answers:

1. on
2. on
3. on
4. in
5. in the vase

Great job! Keep practicing to improve your use of prepositions of place.