Prepositions of Place Made Clear
Describe where people and objects are using precise, practical location language.
The three essential prepositions
In
Inside an enclosed space or a larger area: in a bag, in Colombia.
On
Touching a surface or positioned along a line: on the desk, on this street.
At
A specific point or activity location: at the entrance, at school.
More useful relationships
| Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
| next to / beside | The pharmacy is next to the bank. |
| between | The café is between two shops. |
| opposite | The station is opposite the hotel. |
| under / below | The keys are under the newspaper. |
| above / over | The clock is above the door. |
| behind / in front of | The garden is behind the house. |
Common mistakes
- We say at home, not “in home”.
- Use in a car, but normally on a bus, train or plane.
- Use in front of for position. Use opposite when two places face each other across a space.
Practice
Choose the best preposition.
- The picture is (in / on / at) the wall.
- Our classroom is (between / under) the library and the office.
- Meet me (in / at) the main entrance.
- The cat is hiding (under / opposite) the table.
- The supermarket is directly (opposite / above) the bank.
Check the answers
- on
- between
- at
- under
- opposite
Speaking task
Imagine your teacher is visiting your neighborhood. Explain where five useful places are and give directions from your home to one of them. Your teacher should draw a simple map from your description, then ask questions when anything is unclear.
Build stronger descriptions with basic sentence structure and explore more lessons on the Grammar page.
Practise this skill in a personalized lesson
Use these ideas in conversation, receive precise correction and build confidence with material adapted to your goals.