Prepositions of place are words that tell where something is located. Learning them is essential for describing your home, classroom, office, or any environment in English.
This guide will explain how to use “in,” “on,” and “under” correctly with tables, examples, tips, and exercises across 15 sections.
1. What Are Prepositions of Place?
Concept:
Prepositions of place show location or position of objects in relation to other objects.
Tips and Tricks:
- They answer the question: Where is it?
- Common prepositions: in, on, under, above, behind, next to, between, near
Table: Basic Prepositions of Place
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| In | Inside something | “The books are in the bag.” |
| On | On the surface of something | “The phone is on the table.” |
| Under | Beneath something | “The cat is under the chair.” |
| Behind | At the back of | “The shop is behind the school.” |
| Next to | Beside | “The chair is next to the table.” |
| Between | In the middle of | “The lamp is between the beds.” |
Trick: Visualize objects in your room and describe where they are using prepositions.
2. Using “In”
Concept:
“In” indicates something is inside another thing.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use for rooms, containers, bags, boxes, cities, countries
- Often combined with nouns that can contain things
Table: Examples of “In”
| Object | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Box | “There are toys in the box.” |
| Bag | “I put my wallet in the bag.” |
| Room | “He is in the kitchen.” |
| City | “I live in New York.” |
| Country | “She works in Australia.” |
Trick: If you can imagine being inside something, use in.
3. Using “On”
Concept:
“On” is used when something is on the surface of another object.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use for tables, walls, floors, surfaces
- Combine with electronics: TV, computer screen, phone
Table: Examples of “On”
| Object | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Table | “The book is on the table.” |
| Wall | “There is a painting on the wall.” |
| Floor | “The toys are on the floor.” |
| Shelf | “The photo is on the shelf.” |
| Screen | “The movie is on the screen.” |
Trick: If it is touching the surface, use on.
4. Using “Under”
Concept:
“Under” indicates something is below or beneath another object.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use when something is hidden or below
- Often used with furniture: table, chair, bed
Table: Examples of “Under”
| Object | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Table | “The cat is under the table.” |
| Chair | “The bag is under the chair.” |
| Bed | “The shoes are under the bed.” |
| Bridge | “The river flows under the bridge.” |
Trick: Imagine something covered or below something else.
5. Using Prepositions with Rooms
Concept:
Prepositions of place are commonly used to describe where items are in a room.
Table: Examples by Room
| Room | Preposition + Object | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Bed | “The slippers are under the bed.” |
| Kitchen | Table | “The fruits are on the table.” |
| Living Room | Sofa | “The cat is on the sofa.” |
| Bathroom | Shelf | “The towels are in the shelf.” |
Tips: Combine in/on/under + object to describe your room accurately.
6. Using Prepositions with Containers
Concept:
When talking about boxes, bags, bottles, or other containers:
- In = inside a container
- On = on top of the container (lid, surface)
- Under = beneath the container
Table: Container Examples
| Container | Sentence Using “In” | Sentence Using “On” | Sentence Using “Under” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | “The toys are in the box.” | “The box is on the table.” | “The box is under the bed.” |
| Bag | “The wallet is in the bag.” | “The bag is on the chair.” | “The bag is under the desk.” |
| Bottle | “There is water in the bottle.” | “The bottle is on the shelf.” | “The bottle is under the sink.” |
Tip: Visualize the container and the item’s exact position.
7. Using Prepositions with Furniture
Concept:
Furniture is a common reference for prepositions.
Table: Furniture Examples
| Furniture | In | On | Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table | “There is a drawer in the table.” | “The book is on the table.” | “The cat is under the table.” |
| Chair | “There is a cushion in the chair.” | “The jacket is on the chair.” | “The bag is under the chair.” |
| Bed | “There is a box in the bed frame.” | “The pillow is on the bed.” | “The shoes are under the bed.” |
Tip: Practice describing your own room: “My bag is under the chair.”
8. Using Prepositions with Electronics
Concept:
Electronic devices often use on for screens and in/on/under for objects around them.
Table: Examples
| Device | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Computer | “The book is on the computer keyboard.” |
| Phone | “There is a sticker on the phone.” |
| TV | “The remote is under the TV.” |
| Laptop | “The laptop is on the desk.” |
Tip: Remember: on = surface, under = below, in = inside something.
9. Using Prepositions with Outdoor Places
Concept:
Prepositions are also used outdoors to describe location.
Table: Examples
| Place | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Park | “The children are in the park.” |
| Garden | “The flowers are in the garden.” |
| Road | “The car is on the road.” |
| Bridge | “The river flows under the bridge.” |
| Wall | “The poster is on the wall.” |
Tip: Use in for enclosed/open areas, on for surfaces, under for beneath.
10. Using Prepositions with Animals
Concept:
Animals are often in, on, or under something.
Table: Examples
| Animal | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Cat | “The cat is under the table.” |
| Dog | “The dog is in the garden.” |
| Bird | “The bird is on the tree.” |
| Fish | “The fish is in the pond.” |
| Rabbit | “The rabbit is under the bush.” |
Tip: Combine prepositions with adjectives: “The small cat is under the big table.”
Contributor @newtaresh.com
