Basic Prepositions of Place
Quick Answer
A preposition of place is a small word that says where something is. The six most useful ones for beginners are in, on, under, next to, between, and behind.
Click any one below to open a short lesson with examples, common mistakes, and a quiz.
What Is a Preposition of Place?
A preposition of place is a tiny word that answers one big question: where?
- The keys are in my bag.
- The cup is on the table.
- The cat is under the chair.
One short word — a clear picture of where something is. That is the magic of prepositions.
The Six Beginner Prepositions
Each of these has its own short lesson. Pick one, learn it, take the quiz, then come back for the next.
| Word | Means | Example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| in | inside something | The book is in the bag. | Learn IN |
| on | on top of a surface | The cup is on the table. | Learn ON |
| under | below something | The cat is under the chair. | Learn UNDER |
| next to | at the side of | The bank is next to the shop. | Learn NEXT TO |
| between | in the middle of two things | The school is between the park and the library. | Learn BETWEEN |
| behind | at the back of | The car is behind the house. | Learn BEHIND |
The Rule in One Line: A preposition of place says where something is.
Learn Them One by One
Take one preposition at a time. Picture where the thing is, read the examples, then check the mistake learners make most often.
Step 1: In
Use in when something is inside a space — a box, a room, a country, a bag. If you can imagine walls or sides around it, use in.
Examples:
- The keys are in my pocket. (The keys are inside the pocket.)
- She lives in London. (London is a place — she is inside it.)
- There is milk in the cup. (The milk is inside the cup.)
Common mistake
Using on when something is inside
✗ I have ten dollars on my wallet.
✓ I have ten dollars in my wallet.
How to remember: Picture a box. The thing is inside the box → it is in the box.
Step 2: On
Use on for something resting on or attached to a surface, such as a table, floor or wall. A wall is vertical; the object does not have to be on top.
Examples:
- The plate is on the table. (The plate touches the top of the table.)
- The picture is on the wall. (The picture touches the wall — a flat surface.)
- The shoes are on the floor. (The shoes touch the floor.)
Common mistake
Using in for a surface
✗ The book is in the table.
✓ The book is on the table.
How to remember: Touch the surface with your finger → the thing is on the surface.
Step 3: Under
Use under when something is below something else — a chair, a table, a bed. The thing on top is higher; the thing under is lower.
Examples:
- The shoes are under the bed. (The shoes are below the bed.)
- The dog is under the table. (The dog is below the table.)
- There is a box under my desk. (The box is below the desk.)
Common mistake
Using down instead of under
✗ The cat is down the bed.
✓ The cat is under the bed.
How to remember: Picture a roof. Anything below the roof is under it.
Step 4: Next To
Use next to when two things are side by side. It means beside: the bank is next to the shop.
Examples:
- She sits next to me at school. (She sits at my side.)
- The cafe is next to the bookshop. (The cafe is right beside the bookshop.)
- My phone is next to my laptop. (The phone is right beside the laptop.)
Common mistake
Forgetting to
✗ The cafe is next the shop.
✓ The cafe is next to the shop.
How to remember: Two hands side by side: one hand is next to the other. Always two words — “next” + “to.”
Step 5: Between
Use between when one thing is in the middle of two other things — the bank is between the shop and the cafe, you sit between two friends.
Examples:
- The cafe is between the bank and the shop. (There is a bank on one side and a shop on the other side.)
- She sat between her two friends. (One friend on her left, one friend on her right.)
- The keys are between the books on the shelf. (Books on both sides of the keys.)
Common mistake
Using between with only one thing
✗ The bank is between the shop.
✓ The bank is between the shop and the cafe.
Step 6: Behind
Use behind when something is at the back of something else — the garden behind the house, the person behind you in a queue, the moon behind the cloud.
Examples:
- The car is behind the bus. (The car is at the back of the bus, not in front.)
- There is a tree behind the school. (The tree is at the back of the school building.)
- She is hiding behind the door. (She is at the back of the door, out of sight.)
Common mistake
Using after for place
✗ The garden is after the house.
✓ The garden is behind the house.
How to remember: Picture yourself looking forward. Anything you would have to turn around to see is behind you.
Test Yourself: Prepositions of Place
Choose an answer to see your feedback immediately. Your first answer counts towards your score.
1. The milk is _______ the fridge.
2. The shop is _______ the bank and the cafe.
3. The garden is _______ the house.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You now know the six beginner prepositions of place by name. The next step is to make each one feel automatic.
The first one is in. It seems simple — but did you know there is one tiny rule that decides whether you say “in the bag” or “on the bag”? Most beginners get it wrong the first time.
Next lesson: Parts of Speech: 8 Key Elements Explained and Their Usage Guide
I’m Khamis Maiouf. I’m studying Health and Social Care and have completed Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Level 3 Hairdressing. I have taught ESOL in my community and helped students with GCSE English. I run English Teacher Site to help people learn and practise English.