CEFR A1

    Prepositions of Place

    Learn essential prepositions to describe where things are including in, on, under, next to, and behind.

    Learning Objectives

    Learn common prepositions to describe where things are like in, on, and under.
    Understand how to use next to, behind, and in front of.
    Practice describing the location of objects in simple sentences.
    Build confidence talking about where things are in everyday conversations!

    What Are Prepositions of Place?

    Prepositions of place are words that help us describe where things are. We use them every day to talk about the position or location of objects and people. In this lesson, you'll learn the most important prepositions like in, on, under, next to, and behind.

    📖 Where Is Everything?

    Tom wakes up and looks around his room. His phone is on the bedside table.

    His cat is sleeping under the bed, and his shoes are next to the door.

    He looks out the window. The car is in front of the house, and the garden is behind it.

    His bag is in the closet, between his jacket and his umbrella.

    By learning these prepositions, you can describe where everything is in your daily life!

    Basic Position Prepositions

    In

    Inside something or enclosed by something.

    • The book is in the bag.
    • The milk is in the fridge.
    • The dog is in the house.

    On

    On top of a surface, touching something.

    • The cup is on the table.
    • The picture is on the wall.
    • The pen is on the desk.

    Under

    Below or beneath something.

    • The cat is under the bed.
    • The shoes are under the chair.
    • The ball is under the table.

    Above / Over

    Higher than something else. 'Over' can mean directly above.

    • The clock is above the door.
    • The plane is flying over the city.
    • The lamp is above the table.

    Want to try a Prepositions of Place quiz?

    Practice with multiple choice questions

    Relative Position Prepositions

    Next to / Beside

    At the side of something, very close to it.

    • The lamp is next to the bed.
    • She sits beside her friend.
    • The school is next to the park.

    Between

    In the middle of two things.

    • The chair is between the table and the sofa.
    • I sit between my friends.
    • The house is between two trees.

    Behind

    At the back of something.

    • The car is behind the house.
    • The child is hiding behind the door.
    • The garden is behind the building.

    In front of

    At the front of something, facing it.

    • The car is in front of the house.
    • She stands in front of the mirror.
    • The bus stop is in front of the school.

    Ready to test your Prepositions of Place knowledge?

    Challenge yourself with fill-in-the-blank exercises

    Direction and Additional Prepositions

    Near / Close to

    Not far from something.

    • The supermarket is near my house.
    • She lives close to the train station.
    • The library is near the park.

    Far from

    A long distance from something.

    • The airport is far from the city center.
    • My school is far from my home.
    • The beach is far from here.

    Opposite

    On the other side, facing something.

    • The bank is opposite the post office.
    • He sits opposite me in class.
    • The café is opposite the park.

    Master Prepositions of Place sentence building!

    Drag and drop words to form correct sentences

    Common Mistakes to Avoid

    ❌ Wrong: The book is in the table

    ✓ Correct: The book is on the table (use 'on' for surfaces)

    ❌ Wrong: The cat is on the box

    ✓ Correct: The cat is in the box (use 'in' when enclosed)

    ❌ Wrong: She sits in front me

    ✓ Correct: She sits in front of me (don't forget 'of')

    ❌ Wrong: The car is next the house

    ✓ Correct: The car is next to the house (don't forget 'to')

    ❌ Wrong: The picture is on the wall under the clock

    ✓ Correct: The picture is on the wall below the clock (use 'below' or 'under' appropriately)

    Learning Tips

    Look around your room and describe where things are using prepositions
    Practice with pictures - describe what you see using "in", "on", "under", etc.
    Draw simple diagrams to visualize the meaning of each preposition
    Create sentences about your daily life: "My keys are on the table"
    Play "I Spy" games to practice describing locations

    Speaking Practice

    Practice saying these sentences aloud. Record yourself and compare with the model pronunciation:

    ✓ The book is on the table.

    ✓ The cat is under the chair.

    ✓ The pen is in the box.

    ✓ The lamp is next to the bed.

    ✓ The picture is behind the sofa.

    To practice your pronunciation, listen to the native speaker audio first. Then 'Record' yourself repeating what you heard, then use the 'Playback' button to compare your pronunciation with the native speaker. If you want to record yourself again, simply click 'Delete'!

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