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Unit 16
Prepositions of Place
in / on / at / next to / between...
What are Prepositions of Place?
Prepositions of place tell us where something or someone is. They describe the position or location of a noun.
Examples: The book is on the table. / She is in the room. / He is at the door.
The Three Core Prepositions
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| in | Inside an enclosed space, area, or container | in the box / in the city / in Turkey / in a photo |
| on | On a surface, a line, or a floor | on the table / on the wall / on the floor / on a bus |
| at | At a specific point or place | at the door / at school / at the bus stop / at home |
In vs. On vs. At — Key Differences
- in a building (inside) → in the office — but at a building (general location) → at the office
- in a car / taxi (enclosed) — but on a bus / train / plane / bike
- at home / at school / at work — fixed expressions; never say "in home"
- in the street (British) vs. on the street (American) — both acceptable
Position Prepositions
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| next to / beside | immediately at the side of | The bank is next to the café. |
| between | in the middle of two things | She sits between Tom and Ali. |
| among | surrounded by three or more | He was among friends. |
| in front of | facing, before | The car is in front of the house. |
| behind | at the back of | The garden is behind the house. |
| above / over | higher than | The lamp is above the table. |
| below / under | lower than | The cat is under the chair. |
| opposite | directly facing | The school is opposite the park. |
| near / close to | not far from | We live near the station. |
| inside / outside | within / beyond the boundary | Wait outside the room. |
| across from | on the other side | The shop is across from the bank. |
| along | following the length of | Walk along the river. |
| around | surrounding or near | There are trees around the house. |
| through | from one side to the other | Go through the tunnel. |
Above vs. Over / Below vs. Under
- above — higher than, but not directly on top: The painting is above the fireplace.
- over — directly above, or covering: She held an umbrella over her head.
- below — lower than, not directly under: The temperature is below zero.
- under — directly beneath, often touching: The dog is under the table.
Common Fixed Expressions
- at home / at school / at work / at the station
- in bed / in hospital / in prison / in class
- on the left / right / on the corner / on the ground floor
- at the top / bottom / at the end of the street
Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectThe keysverbareprepositiononobjectthe table
↳ "on" — a surface
subjectMy sisterverblivesprepositioninobjectAnkara
↳ "in" — a city
subjectIverbamprepositionatobjectthe bus stop
↳ "at" — a point
subjectThe caféverbisprepositionbetweenobjectthe bank and the bakery
↳ "between" — two separate places
subjectOur carverbisprepositionin front ofobjectthe house
↳ "in front of" — facing it
Common Mistakes
She is in home.
→
She is at home.
"Home" uses "at" — fixed expression.
He is on the hospital.
→
He is in/at the hospital.
"On" is never used for buildings.
She sat between her classmates. (inside a whole group)
→
She sat among her classmates.
"Among" = surrounded by a group. "Between" = in the middle of separate, named things: between Ali and Tom.
The book is in the shelf.
→
The book is on the shelf.
A shelf is a surface → "on".
I am on the car.
→
I am in the car.
Cars are enclosed → "in".
The shop is near to the school.
→
The shop is near the school.
"Near" never takes "to".