Prepositions of Place: Explanation, Examples, & Exercise

What Are the Prepositions of Place?

A preposition of place is a word used to describe the location or position of a person, object, or event relative to another object or place. These place prepositions are essential for clear communication and understanding spatial relationships in a sentence. They are used to show where a noun or pronoun is in relation to something else. These prepositions answer the question "where?". Some of the common examples include "in," "on," "at," "above," "below," "behind," "next to," and "between".

Rules and Usage of Prepositions of Place

Understanding how to choose the correct place prepositions depends on whether you're describing a point, an enclosed area, a surface, or proximity and direction. Mastery of these rules is essential for a clear and accurate description of locations and spatial relationships in English.

1. Always Followed by a Noun or Pronoun: A place preposition must always have an object, usually a noun or pronoun. For example: "She is in the class," where "class" is the object in the sentence.
2. Describe Spatial Relationships: These prepositions specifically answer the question "Where?" by showing the spatial connection between things. They can indicate physical locations and positions such as points, enclosed spaces, surface, proximity, direction, arrangement, or abstract concepts.
3. No Verb Directly After Preposition: A preposition is never directly followed by a verb; it always goes before a subject in a sentence.
4. Pronoun Form: If the object is a pronoun, it should be in the objective form (him, her, them—not he, she, they).
5. Position in a Sentence: Prepositions of place usually come before the noun or pronoun they relate to, but in some question sentences or informal speech, the object may come before the preposition (as in “Whom did you talk to?”).

General Usage Tips:

• Do not use a preposition of place before a verb; it must always be followed by a noun or pronoun.
• If there's no noun or pronoun after the preposition, it usually functions as an adverb, not a preposition.
• Prepositions of place are used to specify location with clarity and detail in both speech and writing.

Difference Between ‘In, At, and On’

The difference between at, in, and on is subtle, so these prepositions of place are sometimes confused. But read the pointers below for a better understanding:

• Use ‘at’ when the location is a point on a map or an event.
• Use ‘in’ when the location is inside a larger or enclosed space or part of an audio or visual text (e.g., a movie or article).
• Use ‘on’ when the location is the top of a surface, a page (e.g., a menu or poster), or a form of communication (e.g., the internet).

The table below shows the prepositions of place in on at, type of location, along with the example:

Prepositions of Place Examples in Sentences

Prepositions of place indicate the location or position of something. They tell us where something or someone is in relation to something else. Look at the table below, which shows preposition of place examples and their functions:

Preposition of Place Worksheet

Do you know what can help you master this topic? Preposition of place exercises. Here is an exercise for your practice. You may read the instructions below and solve these ten questions. Further, the answer key is also provided to check your answers.

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition of place: in, on, under, behind, between, next to, above, over, in front of, or beside.

Note: Some questions in the prepositions of place worksheet may have more than one correct preposition, so check the context or accept both where suitable.

Questions

1. The cat is ________ the table.
2. The books are ________ the shelf.
3. The shoes are ________ the bed.
4. The car is parked ________ the house and the tree.
5. The clock is hanging ________ the door.
6. The dog is sitting ________ the boy.
7. The bag is ________ the chair.
8. The lamp is ________ the desk.
9. The playground is ________ the school.
10. The mobile is ________ the notebook.

Answer Key

1. under
2. on
3. under
4. between
5. above
6. beside / next to
7. on
8. on
9. behind / in front of (Both can be possible, but usually “behind” if not specified)
10. beside / next to

Conclusion

Overall, the blog covered everything about prepositions of place. These are an essential part of English grammar. Thus, to learn these, you may seek professional help from Gradding.com as our experts provide excellent coaching. Further, preposition of place examples, sentences, and a worksheet will help you score well.

FAQ’s

1. What Are the Different Types of Prepositions?

Prepositions can be categorized into several types based on their function and usage. These include prepositions of time, place, direction, manner, agent or instrument, source, and measure.

2. How Do I Choose the Correct Preposition of Place?

To choose the correct preposition of place, consider whether you're describing something inside a space (like a room or a container), on a surface, or at a specific point. Use "in" for enclosed spaces and larger areas (countries, cities), "on" for surfaces, and "at" for specific points or addresses.

3. What Are Some Common Prepositions of Place?

Common prepositions of place include in, on, at, under, above, below, behind, in front of, next to, near, between, among, inside, outside, and beside. These prepositions indicate the location or position of something in relation to something else.

4. What Is the Purpose of the Preposition of Place?

Prepositions of place indicate the location of a noun or pronoun in relation to other elements in a sentence. They help specify where something is situated, either within a defined space, on a surface, or in relation to other objects 

5. What Is a Preposition of Place Also Known as?

These prepositions are also called prepositions of proximity or location. They show how close someone or something is to another person or thing. In simple words, these prepositions indicate the position or location of something in relation to something else.