Simple explanation
What are prepositions of place? Prepositions of place are words that show the position of a person or thing. They answer the question “Where?”. Common A1 prepositions include in, on, under, behind, in front of, next to, and between. Using in We use in when something is inside a place or area. The place can be a room, a box, a building, a city, or a country. Using on We use on when something is on a surface and touches that surface. Common examples include on the table, on the floor, and on the wall. Using under, behind, and in front of These prepositions describe a more specific position. Under means below something, behind means at the back of something, and in front of means before something. Using next to and between Next to means directly beside something. Between means that something is in the middle of two people or things.
Grammar formula
Positive sentence
Subject + be + preposition + placeThe book is on the table.
Location question
Where + be + subject?Where is my phone?
Location answer
Subject + be + preposition + placeMy phone is in the bag.
Core rules
- 1
Rule for in
Use in when something is inside an enclosed place or area: in a room, in a bag, in London.
- 2
Rule for on
Use on when something is touching a surface: on the table, on the wall, on the floor.
- 3
Rule for under
Use under when something is below another object: under the chair, under the bed.
- 4
Rule for next to and between
Use next to for things that are beside each other. Use between when something is in the middle of two things.
Useful examples
The keys are on the table.
The keys are on the table.
Use on because the keys are touching a surface.
My phone is in my bag.
My phone is inside my bag.
Use in because the phone is inside a container.
The cat is under the chair.
The cat is below the chair.
Under shows a lower position.
The picture is on the wall.
The picture is attached to the wall.
We use on with walls because it describes contact with a surface.
The school is next to the park.
The school is beside the park.
Next to means directly beside.
The car is in front of the house.
The car is before the house.
In front of describes a position at the front side.
The garden is behind the house.
The garden is at the back of the house.
Behind means at the back of something.
The bank is between the hotel and the restaurant.
The bank is in the middle of the hotel and the restaurant.
Between is used with two reference points.
She is at the bus stop.
She is at the bus stop.
At is used for a specific point or location.
There is a book in the box.
A book is inside the box.
In shows that something is inside a place.
Common mistakes
- ❌ The book is in the table. ✅ The book is on the table. A table is a surface, so we use on, not in.
- ❌ The cat is on the box. ✅ The cat is in the box. Use in when something is inside a container.
- ❌ The picture is in the wall. ✅ The picture is on the wall. A picture touches the surface of the wall.
- ❌ The car is between the house. ✅ The car is in front of the house. Between normally needs two things or places.
- ❌ My phone is under my bag. ✅ My phone is in my bag. The phone is inside the bag, not below it.
Learning tips
- Ask yourself: Is it inside, on a surface, or below something?
- Remember: in = inside, on = touching a surface, under = below.
- Practice by describing objects around you in English.
- Use Where is ...? to ask about the location of one thing.
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Interactive exercises for this topic are coming soon.
PlannedRelated grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between in and on in English?
In means inside a place, while on means touching the surface of something.
How do I ask about a location in English?
Use questions like Where is the book? or Where are the keys?.
When do we use at for places?
We use at for specific points or locations, such as at school or at the bus stop.
Can I replace all place prepositions with in?
No. Each preposition has a different meaning and describes a different relationship between objects and places.