English — Prepositions of place
The three core prepositions of place are at (a point), on (a surface or line) and in (an enclosed space): at the door, on the wall, in the room. A wider set describes exact position: above, below, over, under, in front of, behind, between, next to and opposite.
How it works
Use at for a specific point (at the bus stop), on for contact with a surface or a line (on the table, on the wall), and in for something enclosed or with borders (in the box, in the garden). The positional prepositions then fix the exact relation: the lamp is above the desk, the shoes are under the bed, the shop is next to the bank, the school is opposite the park.
Examples
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | at a specific point | She is waiting at the door. |
| on | on a surface or line | The keys are on the table. |
| in | inside an enclosed space | The milk is in the fridge. |
| above / below | higher / lower; contact is not specified | The clock is above the door; the shelf is below the window. |
| over / under | higher than or covering / lower than or covered by | A lamp hangs over the table; the cat sleeps under the chair. |
| in front of / behind | ahead of / at the back of | The car is in front of the house; the garden is behind it. |
| between / among | between separate, identifiable items / within or surrounded by a group | The shop is between the bank and the café; she stood among the trees. |
| next to / opposite | right beside / facing across | The school is next to the library and opposite the park. |
Good to know
In many place expressions, next to and beside mean immediately at the side of something, while by can also mean near: the chair next to / beside / by the window. Do not confuse beside (at the side of) with besides (in addition to). Use between for separate, identifiable items, whether two or more, and among for someone or something within a group.