Preposition of Place in English! Learn a list of the most commonly used prepositions with At, In, On in English with ESL printable infographic.
Prepositions are words which link nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. Prepositions usually describe the position of something, the time when something happens and the way in which something is done. Prepositions of place is one of them and it refers to those prepositions that can be used to show where something is located.
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Definition of Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place are a type of preposition used to describe the location of an object or person. They provide information about where something is located or where something is going. Prepositions of place are essential in communicating directions, giving instructions, and describing locations.
There are only a few prepositions of place, but they can be used to describe an almost endless number of places. The most common prepositions of place are “in,” “on,” and “at.” These prepositions can be used to describe the location of an object or person in relation to a larger space, such as a room, building, or city.
Here are some examples of prepositions of place:
- In: The cat is in the box.
- On: The book is on the table.
- At: I am at the park.
Prepositions of place can also be used to describe more specific locations, such as street addresses or landmarks. For example:
- In: The restaurant is in downtown.
- On: The statue is on Main Street.
- At: The concert is at the arena.
Using prepositions of place correctly is important for clear communication. By understanding and using these prepositions, you can provide accurate and concise information about the location of objects and people.
Preposition of Place
There are three basic prepositions of place: IN, ON, AT
Prepositions of Place: At
‘At’ is used for a point:
- At college
- At home
- At reception
- At school
- At the bottom
- At the cinema
- At the corner
- At the crossroads
- At the desk
- At the dinner
- At the door
- At the end of the lane
- At the end of the road
- At the entrance
- At the exit
- At the front desks
- At the side
- At the top
- At the top of the page
- At university
- At work
Prepositions of Place: In
‘In’ is used for enclosed spaces / larger areas:
- In a taxi
- In the sky
- In the building
- In a row
- In the newspaper
- In the garden
- In a boat
- In Germany
- In the store
- In the kitchen
- In a car
- In my pocket
- In the room
- In Oxford Street
- In the book
- In a building
- In the park
- In a lift
- In London
- In a helicopter
- In a box
- In the picture
- In Park Street
- In the bathroom
- In the world
- In my bag
- In the magazine
- In the tower
Prepositions of Place: On
‘On’ is used for surfaces, is seen as a point on a line, by a lake or sea:
- On the way
- On the radio
- On the page
- On a bicycle
- On a ship
- On a horse
- On a train
- On the right
- On the floor
- On the menu
- On the left
- On the cover
- On the rug
- On an elephant
- On the table
- On the bus
- On the carpet
- On a page
- On a plane
- On the wall
- On the television
Usage of Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place are used to describe the location of objects or people in relation to other things. They are essential in giving precise information about where something or someone is located. Here are some common prepositions of place and their usage:
- At: This preposition is used to describe a specific point or location. For example, you can say “I am at the park” or “The restaurant is at the corner of the street”.
- In: This preposition is used to describe when something is inside a larger area or space. For example, you can say “The book is in the bag” or “I am in the car”.
- On: This preposition is used to describe when something is physically touching a surface. For example, you can say “The book is on the table” or “The picture is on the wall”.
- Under: This preposition is used to describe when something is below or beneath another object. For example, you can say “The cat is under the table” or “The keys are under the pillow”.
- Beside: This preposition is used to describe when something is next to another object. For example, you can say “The lamp is beside the bed” or “The dog is beside its owner”.
- Between: This preposition is used to describe when something is in the middle of two other things. For example, you can say “The house is between the trees” or “The car is between two other cars”.
It is important to note that prepositions of place can change depending on the context of the sentence. For example, you can say “The cat is on the mat” or “The cat is lying on the mat”. The preposition “on” is used in both sentences but the second sentence adds more detail to the cat’s position.
In conclusion, prepositions of place are crucial in providing accurate information about the location of objects or people. By using the correct preposition, you can give precise details about where something or someone is located.
Common Mistakes with Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place can be tricky to use correctly, and even native speakers can make mistakes. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:
Using “in” instead of “at” for specific locations
When you want to refer to a specific location, such as an address or a building, you should use the preposition “at” instead of “in”. For example, you would say “I’m at the office” instead of “I’m in the office”.
Confusing “on” and “in” for transportation
When talking about transportation, use “on” for vehicles such as buses, trains, and planes, and “in” for smaller vehicles such as cars and taxis. For example, you would say “I’m on the bus” but “I’m in the car”.
Using “on” instead of “at” for events
When talking about events such as concerts or parties, use “at” instead of “on”. For example, you would say “I’m at the concert” instead of “I’m on the concert”.
Using “to” instead of “at” for destinations
When talking about destinations, use “at” instead of “to”. For example, you would say “I’m at the airport” instead of “I’m going to the airport”.
Using “in” instead of “on” for surfaces
When talking about surfaces, use “on” instead of “in”. For example, you would say “The book is on the table” instead of “The book is in the table”.
By being aware of these common mistakes, you can improve your use of prepositions of place and communicate more effectively in English.
Practice Exercises
To master the use of prepositions of place, you need to practice. Here are some practice exercises that will help you improve your skills:
Exercise 1
Identify the correct preposition of place to complete each sentence.
Example: The cat is ___ the table. (on)
- The book is ___ the shelf.
- The car is ___ the garage.
- The flowers are ___ the vase.
- The shoes are ___ the closet.
- The picture is ___ the wall.
Exercise 2
Write a sentence for each preposition of place.
Example: behind – The cat is behind the sofa.
- in
- on
- under
- next to
- between
Exercise 3
Choose the correct preposition of place to complete each sentence.
Example: The cat is ___ the sofa. (on/under)
- The cup is ___ the table. (in/on)
- The keys are ___ the bag. (in/on)
- The lamp is ___ the desk. (in/on)
- The dog is ___ the bed. (on/under)
- The phone is ___ the charger. (in/on)
Exercise 4
Match the picture with the correct preposition of place.
Example: Picture A – ___ the tree. (behind)
- Picture B – ___ the table.
- Picture C – ___ the car.
- Picture D – ___ the couch.
- Picture E – ___ the box.
By practicing these exercises, you will become more confident in using prepositions of place correctly. Keep practicing and soon it will become second nature to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some examples of prepositions of place?
Prepositions of place are words that indicate where something is located or the direction it is moving in relation to something else. Some examples of prepositions of place include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “behind,” “beside,” and “between.”
What is the difference between prepositions of place and time?
Prepositions of place indicate location or direction, while prepositions of time indicate when something happened or will happen. For example, “in” can be used as a preposition of place to indicate being inside a building, while “in” can also be used as a preposition of time to indicate a period of time.
How do you use prepositions of place in sentences?
Prepositions of place are used to describe the location or direction of something in relation to something else. For example, “The book is on the table” uses the preposition “on” to describe the location of the book in relation to the table.
What are some common prepositions of place?
Some common prepositions of place include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “behind,” “beside,” and “between.” These prepositions can be used to describe the location or direction of something in relation to something else.
on television explain it
I
like horses
how do I explain to students when you can use both in and at depending on the context?
eg. what did you do this weekend? I was at the park all day.
eg 2. where are you right now? I am in the park, where are you?
or
I’ am going to be at the movie theater later, want to meet up? or I am in the movie theatre I cant talk right now.
Those are the what so called “grey areas”. You can use them both!