Preposition of Place
What is a preposition of place?
A preposition of place is a preposition which is used to refer to a place where something
or someone is located. There are only three prepositions of place, however they can be
used to discuss an almost endless number of places.
At – A preposition of place which is used to discuss a certain point
In – A preposition of place which is used to discuss an enclosed space
On – A preposition of time which is used to discuss a surface
Examples of Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place give you the ability to tell others where something is located. In
the following examples, the prepositions of place have been italicized for ease of
identification.
Jessie waited for Jim at the corner.
The mall is located at the intersection of Main Street and Third Avenue.
We spent a quiet evening at home.
I’m growing tomatoes in my garden.
Marie was born in Paris, France.
I was so tired that I took a nap in the car.
Please place the bouquet on the table.
I really wish you would stop throwing your dirty clothes on the floor.
What’s on the menu this evening?
English prepositions
Generally speaking one can classify prepositions in three groups:
prepositions of time
prepositions of place
and other kinds of prepositions.
The following table includes prepositions of place.
Prepositions of place
Preposition
Explanation Example
of place
Inside I watch TV in the living-room
I live in New York
Look at the picture in the
book
She looks at herself in the
In mirror.
She is in the car.
Look at the girl in the picture
This is the best team in the
world
used to show an exact I met her at the
position or particular place entrance, at the bus stop
table She sat at the table
events at a concert, at the party
At
place where you are to do at the
something typical (watch a movies, at university, at work
film, study, work)
attached Look at the picture on the wall
next to or along the side Cambridge is on the River
of (river) Cam.
used to show that The book is on the desk
something is in a position A smile on his face
on above something else and The shop is on the left
touching it. My apartment is on the first
left, right floor
a floor in a house I love traveling on trains
used for showing some /on the bus / on a plane
methods of traveling My favorite
television, radio program on TV, on the radio
not far away in distance The girl who is by / next
by, next to,
to / besidethe house.
beside, near
in or into the space which The town lies
separates two places, halfway between Rome and
Between
people or objects Florence.
at the back (of) I hung my coat behind the
Behind door.
further forward than She started talking to the
someone or something man in front of her
in front of
else
lower than (or covered by) the cat is under the chair.
Under something else
lower than something else. the plane is just below the
Below the cloud
above or higher than She held the
something else, sometimes umbrella over both of us.
so that one thing covers Most of the carpets
the other. are over $100.
Over more than. I walked over the bridge
across from one side to She jumped over the gate
the other.
overcoming an obstacle
higher than something a path above the lake
else, but not directly over
Above
it
from one side to the other She walked across the
of something with clear field/road.
limits / getting to the other He sailed across the Atlantic
Across
side
from one end or side of They walked
Through something to the other slowly through the woods.
in the direction of We went to Prague last year.
To bed I go to bed at ten.
towards the inside or Shall we go into the garden?
middle of something and
about to be contained,
Into
surrounded or enclosed by
it
in the direction of, or She stood up and
closer to someone or walked towardshim.
Towards
something
used to show movement I slipped as I
into or on a particular stepped onto the platform.
Onto
place
used to show the place What time does the
where someone or flight fromAmsterdam arrive?
From
something starts:
English prepositions
Generally speaking one can classify prepositions in three groups:
prepositions of time
prepositions of place
and other kinds of prepositions
The following table includes the prepositions of time.
Prepositions of time
Preposition
Explanations Example
of time
days Many shops don't
weekend (American English) open on Sundays.
On What did you do on the
weekend?
months / seasons / year I visited
morning / evening / Italy in July, in spring, in 19
afternoon 94
period of time In the evenings, I like to
in
relax.
This is the first cigarette I've
had in three years.
night It gets cold at night.
weekend (British English) What did you do at the
used to show an exact or a weekend?
at particular time: There's a meeting at 2.30
this afternoon / at lunch
time.
from a particular time in the England have not won the
past until a later time, or World Cup in
since
until now football since1966
for used to show an amount of I'm just going to bed for an
time. hour or so.
back in the past; back in time The dinosaurs died out 65
ago from the present: million years ago.
at or during a time earlier She's always
before than up before dawn.
used when saying the time, It's twenty to six.
to mean before the stated
to
hour
telling the time five past ten
past
until a particular time, It's only two weeks to
marking end of a period of Christmas.
to
time
used to show the time when The museum is
something starts open from 9.30 to 6.00
from
Tuesday to Sunday.
up to (the time that) We waited till / until half
till / until past six for you.
not later than; at or before She had promised to be
by back by five o'clock.
English prepositions
Generally speaking one can devide prepositions into three categories:
prepositions of time
prepositions of place
and other kinds of prepositions.
The following table includes the third category of prepositions.
Other Prepositions
Preposition Explanation Example
used to show the origin of "Where are you from?"
something or someone "I'm from Italy."
used to show the material of The desk is made from pine.
which something is made Things went from bad to
from
used to show a change in the worse.
state of someone or
something
used to show possession, a friend of mine
belonging or origin a kilo of apples
used after words or phrases
of
expressing amount, number
or particular unit
used to show the person or I'm reading some short
by thing that does something: stories (written) by Chekhov.
used for showing some It'd be quicker to get
methods of travelling there on foot / on horse
on entering a public transport get on the train
vehicle
entering a car / Taxi She got in the car and drove
in
Preposition Explanation Example
fast.
leaving a public transport She got off the bus
off vehicle
leaving a closed vehicle, She got out of the car
out of building...
used to show measurements Their wages were increased
or amounts by 12%.
travelling (other than walking She
by
or horseriding) went by car, by bus, by trai
n
Age In theory, women can still
have children at the age of
at
50.
on the subject of; connected What's that book about?
about with
Prepositions of place: at, in and on
At, in and on
The prepositions at in and on can be confusing sometimes. The following is an
explanation of how to use these prepositions.
At
At is used to locate something at a certain point:
Examples:
at the bus station
at the entrance
at the crossroads
at the junction
at the top of the mountain
at John's house
We were waiting at the bus stop when it started to rain.
He was at the entrance of the theater when he heard the noise.
In
In is used to locate something enclosed in a space:
Examples:
In a box
In a car
In a building
In my pocket
In my bag
In New York
In Spain
They found a lot of money in his pocket
I 've lived in London for two years
On
On is used to indicate position above and in contact with the surface of something:
Examples:
On the wall
On the door
On the table
On the ceiling
On the carpet
On the page
On the cover
The picture on the wall is fantastic.
You'll find more information about the camp on this page.
Prepositions of Place: at, in, on
In general, we use:
at for a POINT
in for an ENCLOSED SPACE
on for a SURFACE
at in on
POINT ENCLOSED SPACE SURFACE
at the corner in the garden on the wall
at the bus stop in London on the ceiling
at the door in France on the door
at the top of the page in a box on the cover
at the end of the road in my pocket on the floor
at the entrance in my wallet on the carpet
at the crossroads in a building on the menu
at in on
POINT ENCLOSED SPACE SURFACE
at the front desk in a car on a page
Look at these examples:
Jane is waiting for you at the bus stop.
The shop is at the end of the street.
My plane stopped at Dubai and Hanoi and arrived in Bangkok two
hours late.
When will you arrive at the office?
Do you work in an office?
I have a meeting in New York.
Do you live in Japan?
Jupiter is in the Solar System.
The author's name is on the cover of the book.
There are no prices on this menu.
You are standing on my foot.
There was a "no smoking" sign on the wall.
I live on the 7th floor at 21 Oxford Street in London.
Notice the use of the prepositions of place at, in and on in these standard
expressions:
at In on
at In on
at home in a car on a bus
at work in a taxi on a train
at school in a helicopter on a plane
at university in a boat on a ship
at college in a lift (elevator) on a bicycle, on a motorbike
at the top in the newspaper on a horse, on an elephant
at the bottom in the sky on the radio, on television
at the side in a row on the left, on the right
at reception in Oxford Street on the way
Sentences with prepositions of place and direction
Preposition Use Sentences
above higher than sth. The picture hangs above my bed.
You mustn't go across this road here.
across from one side to the other side
There isn't a bridge across the river.
The cat ran after the dog.
after one follows the other
After you.
against directed towards sth. The bird flew against the window.
in a line; from one point to
along They're walking along the beach.
another
among in a group I like being among people.
around in a circular way We're sitting around the campfire.
at* position at a point I arrived at the meeting.
behind at the back of Our house is behind the supermarket.
Preposition Use Sentences
below lower than sth. Death Valley is 86 metres below sea level.
beside next to Our house is beside the supermarket.
Our house is between the supermarket and
between sth./sb. is on each side
the school.
by near He lives in the house by the river.
close to near Our house is close to the supermarket.
down from high to low He came down the hill.
from the place where it starts Do you come from Tokyo?
the part that is in the direction
in front of Our house is in front of the supermarket.
it faces
inside opposite of outside You shouldn't stay inside the castle.
in* place seen in three dimensions We slept in the car.
Preposition Use Sentences
larger areas I was born in England.
into entering sth. You shouldn't go into the castle.
near close to Our house is near the supermarket.
next to beside Our house is next to the supermarket.
off away from sth. The cat jumped off the roof.
touches a surface There is a fly on the table.
on* is seen as a point on a line We were on the way from Paris to Rome.
by a lake or sea London lies on the Thames.
onto moving to a place The cat jumped onto the roof.
opposite on the other side Our house is opposite the supermarket.
out of leaving sth. The cat jumped out of the window.
Preposition Use Sentences
outside opposite of inside Can you wait outside?
over above sth./sb. The cat jumped over the wall.
past going near sth./sb. Go past the post office.
round in a circle We're sitting round the campfire.
going from one point to the
through You shouldn't walk through the forest.
other point
I like going to Australia.
to towards sth./sb. Can you come to me?
I've never been to Africa.
towards in the direction of sth. We ran towards the castle.
under below sth. The cat is under the table.
up from low to high He went up the hill.
