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Grammar Guide

Rules, patterns and examples grouped by level — from A1 basics to advanced structures.

A1 Beginner English Grammar

Prepositions of Place

What is it?

Prepositions of place show where a person, animal, or thing is located.

Common prepositions of place include:

  • in
  • on
  • at
  • under
  • above
  • below
  • behind
  • in front of
  • next to
  • between
  • near
  • opposite

Examples:

  • The keys are on the table.
  • The milk is in the fridge.
  • She is waiting at the bus stop.
  • The cat is under the chair.

When to use

Use in when something is inside an enclosed space or a larger area.

  • in a room
  • in a box
  • in a city
  • in a country

Use on when something touches a surface.

  • on the floor
  • on the wall
  • on the table

Use at for a specific point or location.

  • at the door
  • at the station
  • at school
  • at work

Use other prepositions to describe the position of one thing in relation to another.

  • under the bed
  • above the sofa
  • behind the house
  • next to the bank

Structure

A preposition of place usually comes before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.

subject + verb + preposition of place + noun

  • The phone is on the desk.
  • They are in the garden.
  • She is standing next to me.

Common prepositions of place

Preposition Meaning Example
in inside a space or area The food is in the fridge.
on touching a surface The cup is on the table.
at at a specific point or location He is at the entrance.
under lower than something The bag is under the chair.
above higher than something The clock is above the door.
below lower than something The apartment is below ours.
behind at the back of something The car is behind the house.
in front of before or ahead of something She is in front of the mirror.
next to directly beside something The pharmacy is next to the bank.
between in the middle of two things The café is between the shops.
near close to something We live near the park.
opposite facing something across a space The hotel is opposite the station.

In, on, and at

Preposition Common use Example
in rooms, buildings, cities, countries She lives in London.
on surfaces, floors, streets The office is on the second floor.
at exact places and points Meet me at the entrance.

Examples

  1. The books are on the shelf.
  2. My shoes are under the bed.
  3. She is waiting at the bus stop.
  4. The children are in the garden.
  5. The picture is above the sofa.
  6. The supermarket is next to the bank.
  7. The car is behind the building.
  8. He is standing in front of the door.
  9. The restaurant is between the hotel and the station.
  10. We live near the city centre.

Exceptions

Some common place expressions use fixed prepositions.

  • at home
  • at work
  • at school
  • in bed
  • in hospital
  • on the bus
  • on a train
  • on a plane
  • in a car
  • in a taxi

The choice between in, on, and at can depend on how a place is understood.

  • She is at the school. — She is at the school location.
  • She is in the school. — She is inside the school building.

Common mistakes

  1. Incorrect: The keys are in the table. Correct: The keys are on the table. Explanation: Use on when something touches a surface.

  2. Incorrect: I am in home. Correct: I am at home. Explanation: Use the fixed expression at home.

  3. Incorrect: She is on the kitchen. Correct: She is in the kitchen. Explanation: Use in for an enclosed room.

  4. Incorrect: The bank is between the supermarket. Correct: The bank is next to the supermarket. Explanation: Use between when something is in the middle of two things.

  5. Incorrect: He is waiting in the bus stop. Correct: He is waiting at the bus stop. Explanation: Use at for a specific location or point.

  6. Incorrect: The picture is over the wall. Correct: The picture is on the wall. Explanation: Use on when something is attached to a surface.

  7. Incorrect: She is sitting next the window. Correct: She is sitting next to the window. Explanation: The complete preposition is next to.

  8. Incorrect: The café is between the bank. Correct: The café is between the bank and the hotel. Explanation: Between usually needs two reference points.