Essential prepositions of place you should know

1. List of prepositions of place

Prepositions of place are used to describe specific locations and relationships between objects or places.

2. Using prepositions of place in sentences

The cat is in the box.

The cat is on the table.

The cat is under the table.

The cat is outside the box.

The cat is next to the dog.

The cat is between the dogs.

The fish is inside the water.

The girl is standing behind the boy.

The boy is standing in front of the girl.

The man is sitting opposite the woman.

The red blanket is over the child.

The plane is above the clouds.

3. Other prepositions of place (advanced level)

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

The word across means on the opposite side of something or from one side to the other side. In American English, we often use across from to refer to something on the other side of something else.

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.

We use "at" to refer to a position seen as a specific point or location.

1. Let’s meet at the bus stop in about three hours from now.
2. We arrived at the hotel late last night.
3. He works at the University of Cambridge.
4. How was your first experience at the dentist?
5. I met my ex-girlfriend at the airport yesterday.
6. I saw her at the party last night.
7. If you win the competition, we will give you a gift card that you can redeem at any spa of your choice.

We can use "against" to refer to physical contact with something or someone.

1. After running 5 km, she stopped for a moment and leaned against the bridge to catch her breath.
2. The police officer directed the suspect to place his hands against the wall slowly and not move.

We use "among" to refer to something or someone being surrounded by other things.

1. The police officer had been chasing the suspects until they were hidden among the crowd.
2. Many people were found dead among the rubble of collapsed buildings and houses following a deadly earthquake that shook Turkey in 2023.

We use "throughout" to describe something that is spread all over a place. "Throughout" also means in every part of something.

1. Every year, processions are held throughout Spain during the last week of Lent.
2. The new mayor is planning to install street surveillance cameras throughout the city to combat crime.
3. The government has implemented a curfew throughout the country following a recent terrorist attack.

We can use "by" to refer to something (someone) near something (someone) else.

1. We live in Ludwigshafen, by the Rhine River.
2. I hate sitting by the exit door while I am travelling by plane.
3. I always prefer to sit by the aisle to avoid disturbing others.

4. Synonyms

A.

The word "under" can be used interchangeably with beneath, underneath, and below. However, be careful with the use of under and below. 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. As the bride walked down the aisle beside her father, the sweet sound of the wedding march filled the church, marking the beginning of a beautiful new chapter in her life.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

The cat is in the box.

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.