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Prepositions of place: in, on, under, next to
A1 A1 grammar · lesson 15 of 24
Prepositions of place tell us where something is. You need them to describe your room, give directions and find lost things.
The main prepositions
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in | inside something | The milk is in the fridge. |
| on | touching the top or a surface | The book is on the table. |
| under | below something | The cat is under the bed. |
| next to | at the side of | Tom sits next to Anna. |
| behind | at the back of | The garden is behind the house. |
| in front of | before, facing | The car is in front of the shop. |
| between | in the middle of two things | The bank is between the café and the school. |
| opposite | on the other side, facing | I live opposite the park. |
My keys are in my bag.
There’s a picture on the wall.
Your shoes are under the chair.
The lamp is next to the bed.
Lucy is standing behind Omar.
There is a tree in front of our house.
In or on?
- Use in for rooms, buildings, towns and countries: in the kitchen, in Paris, in Japan.
- Use on for surfaces, walls, floors and streets: on the floor, on the wall, on King Street.
- Use on for floors of a building: on the second floor.
Tip: Think of a box. In = inside the box. On = on top of the box. Under = below the box.
At for a point
We use at for a place as a point or an activity: at home, at work, at school, at the bus stop.
Tip: Between needs two things: between A and B. In front of has three words; don’t forget of.
Common mistakes
✗ The picture is in the wall.
✓ The picture is on the wall.
✗ She is in front the house.
✓ She is in front of the house.
✗ He lives on London.
✓ He lives in London.
✗ The chair is next the door.
✓ The chair is next to the door.