Prepositions of Place A2

A2 vocabulary and grammar

Prepositions of Place Made Clear

Describe where people and objects are using precise, practical location language.

Created by , British English teacher.

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Use the same map for explanation, practice and speaking. The labels fix the position, so you do not need a teacher to invent a scene.

Your neighbourhood map

LibraryLibraryCaféLibraryCaféBank
HIGH STREET · facing buildings are opposite each other
LibraryCaféBank
HIGH STREET · facing buildings are opposite each other
SchoolLibraryCaféBank
HIGH STREET · facing buildings are opposite each other
SchoolParkLibraryCaféBank
HIGH STREET · facing buildings are opposite each other
SchoolParkSupermarket
Top row, left to right: library, café, bank. Across the street, left to right: school, park, supermarket. The café is between the library and the bank. The supermarket is opposite the bank.
Lesson scene for The clock is above the door. People and essential props on white.
The clock is above the door.Above places the clock higher than the door.

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.

Picture the position

Three small pictures, three useful meanings

Notice whether something is inside a space, touching a surface or at a specific point.

Soft watercolour: a book inside a bag, a book resting on a desk, and someone standing at an entrance.
The book is in the bag.The book is on the desk.Someone is at the entrance.

You say: Choose one picture. Say the sentence, then change the object or place.

On a surface and below another object

Contact with the wallThe picture is on the wall.

On also works with a vertical surface.

Below the tabletopThe cat is under the table.

Under describes the cat’s position below the table.

More useful relationships

PrepositionExample
next to / besideThe pharmacy is next to the bank.
betweenThe café is between two shops.
oppositeThe station is opposite the hotel.
under / belowThe keys are under the newspaper.
above / overThe clock is above the door.
behind / in front ofThe garden is behind the house.

Across the street or beside another place?

Across High StreetThe park is opposite the café.

The café and park face each other across the street.

Same side, neighboursThe school is next to the park.

The school and park are beside each other.

This small diagram isolates two relationships from the existing town map.

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.

  1. The picture is (in / on / at) the wall.
  2. Our classroom is (between / under) the library and the office.
  3. Meet me (in / at) the main entrance.
  4. The cat is hiding (under / opposite) the table.
  5. On the lesson map, the supermarket faces the bank across High Street. It is directly (opposite / above) the bank.
Check the answers
  1. on

    Why: On describes contact with the wall surface.

  2. between

    Why: Between relates the classroom to two reference places.

  3. at

    Why: At identifies the specific meeting point.

  4. under

    Why: Under places the cat below the table.

  5. opposite

    Why: On the map the supermarket faces the bank across High Street.

Optional extension: a longer 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.

Lesson scene for The garden is behind the house. People and essential props on white.
The garden is behind the house.Behind identifies the garden’s position relative to the house.

Final check

Check your understanding

Choose one answer for each question. Read the context carefully: a question may ask for a particular form, meaning or register. The explanations show why that answer fits.

0 of 5 questions answered

1. On the lesson map, the café is ___ the library and the bank.
2. On the map, the supermarket faces the bank across High Street. It is ___ the bank.
3. On the map, the school and park are side by side. The school is ___ the park.
4. A picture is attached to a vertical wall. The picture is ___ the wall.
5. Choose the usual phrase for a meeting point.

Practise this skill in a personalized lesson

Use these ideas in conversation, receive precise correction and build confidence with material adapted to your goals.

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