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More on prepositions:
Positions of prepositions
 

Table of contents

1. List of prepositions of place

2. Prepositions of place examples in sentences

3. Other prepositions of place (advanced level)

4. Synonyms

5. Opposite vs in front of

6. Over vs above

7. On vs over

8. In vs inside

9. Other use of the preposition 'in'

1. List of prepositions of place

Prepositions of place tell us where something or someone is located.

  1. in
  2. on
  3. under
  4. outside
  5. next to
  6. between
  7. inside
  8. behind
  9. in front of
  10. opposite
  11. over
  12. above

2. Prepositions of place examples in sentences

You can download this free PDF for illustrated examples of prepositions of place and practise using them in sentences and everyday conversations.

Prepositions of place example sentences with picture illustration
Prepositions of place in sentences
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3. Other prepositions of place (advanced level)

The following list of words can also be used as prepositions of place.

  1. across
  2. across from
  3. at
  4. against
  5. among
  6. throughout
  7. by
Preposition Meanings Examples
across / across from

Across means from one side to the other or on the opposite side.

Across from is used to describe something directly opposite another place.
  1. There is a new convenience store across the street.
  2. We had to swim across the river to get to the other side.
  3. There is a nice restaurant across from the train station.
  4. He lives across from our apartment.
at Used to show a specific point or location.
  1. Let’s meet at the bus stop.
  2. We arrived at the hotel last night.
  3. He works at the University of Cambridge.
  4. I met her at the airport yesterday.
against Shows physical contact with something or someone.
  1. She leaned against the bridge.
  2. The suspect placed his hands against the wall.
among Used when someone or something is surrounded by other things.
  • The suspects were hidden among the crowd.
  • People were found dead among the rubble.
throughout Used to show something spread across every part of a place.
  1. Processions are held throughout Spain during Lent.
  2. Cameras will be installed throughout the city.
  3. A curfew was declared throughout the country.
by Means close to or next to something or someone.
  1. We live by the Rhine River.
  2. I hate sitting by the exit door.
  3. I prefer to sit by the aisle.

4. Synonyms

A.

The word "under" can be used interchangeably with beneath, underneath, and below. However, under and below can have different meanings. We use below but not under to refer to something in a lower position than something else. However, we do not use below when two things are in contact with each other.

  1. Many parts of the Netherlands lie below sea level (not under).
  2. A dead body was found under the Nile River last week (not below).

B.

The word "beside" and next to are synonyms.

  1. You can sit beside me.
  2. Your girlfriend is sitting beside a handsome man.

5. Opposite vs in front of

A is opposite B if A and B are facing each other, and A is located on the other side of B.
A is in front of B if B is behind A, and A and B are not facing each other.

A man sitting opposite of a woman and another woman standing in front of them.

B is in front of A.
B is opposite C.

6. Over vs above

"Over" typically means “covering or extending beyond something”, while “above” means “at a higher point or level than something.”

Thus, we use over but not above when there is a contact between the objects being referred to.

  1. Emilie bound a wet towel over her son’s forehead to bring down his temperature.
  2. George put his hands over his head while in shock.
  3. A mouse suddenly ran toward Helen as she was spreading a new blanket over the bed.

We commonly use over instead of above when there is a physical motion.

  1. The bird flew over the tree.
  2. We had to cross over a dangerous bridge to reach the island.
  3. It was around 4 PM when our plane started to fly over the pacific ocean.

7. On vs over

"On" requires that something is touching another thing. This condition does not need to be satisfied while using "over"

When there is physical contact between the objects being referred to and a large area is covered, we usually use over instead of on. We can use all over to emphasise the size of the area being covered.

  1. Can you put this blanket over the piano, please?
  2. Do not put your dirty clothes all over the floor.
  3. The baby spilt milk all over the table.

8. In vs inside

Note that in this section, we are only talking about in and inside as preposition of places. "Inside" conveys the sense of being physically enclosed into something. However, "in" does not emphasise this meaning.

A cat in a box to illustrate prepositions of place.

The cat is in the box.

A bird inside a cage to illustrate prepositions place.

The bird is inside the cage.

9. Other use of the preposition 'in'

"In" refer to countries, cities, and continents.

  1. She lives in Bradford.
  2. We stayed in Venice during our last summer holiday.
  3. Many species in Madagascar are endemic.
  4. Many people in Africa live below the poverty line.
  5. The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Asia.
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