ENG_B1.1.

0305G

Prepositions of
Place
Giving Details
Grammar & Structure
Level B1

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Prepositions of Place Outline

Content
Prepositions describe spatial, logical and temporal relationships. Spatial
prepositions (prepositions of place) are used to describe where things are located,
exist or move in relation to one another.

Learning Outcomes
• Read about prepositions and how they work.
• Learn about the different types of prepositions of place.
• Practice using prepositions of place.

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Discussion

Speaking

Discuss the following questions

What is a preposition?

Why are prepositions important?

What are some examples of prepositions?

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Grammar

Please note

Prepositions of place

Prepositions are used to describe spacial,

logical and temporal relationships by
connecting nouns, pronouns and phrases
to other parts of a sentence. This lesson
will focus on spacial prepositions –
prepositions of place.

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Brainstorming

Speaking
Here are some examples of prepositions. Can
you think of others?

over towards
against

down in front of
above

over
between
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Grammar

Please note
Prepositions are always followed by nouns. The
combination of a noun and preposition is called
a prepositional phrase.

Particularly with prepositions of place, prepositional

phrases are generally found at the end of sentences
(but they don't have to be!).

Examples:
We are walking over the bridge.
She drove her car to the store.

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Grammar

Please note
Sometimes there are multiple prepositions
that be used in a given situation.

Example:
I drank coffee at/in a cafe.
Meet me at/on the street corner.
The protesters gathered in/on the streets.

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Brainstorming

Speaking
The following sentences are similar but use
different prepositions. What are the
differences?

The pirate was always at sea.

The family took their boat out on the sea.

The children swam in the sea.

We camped out at the sea.

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Grammar

Please note
Prepositional phrases can be formed with
either definite articles (the), indefinite articles
(a, an), demonstrative adjectives (this, that) or
possessive adjectives (his, hers, my, ours).

Examples:
They went to a store. (indefinite)
They went to the store. (definite)

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Grammar

They went to this store.

(demonstrative adjective)

They went to that store.

(demonstrative adjective)

They went to our store.

(possessive adjective)

They went to her store.

(possessive adjective)

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Grammar

The prepositions “at,” “on,” “in,” and “under”

are used to refer to the position of people,
places or objects.

at + a point:
 She's at home / school / the boardwalk / the park / the
front door.

on + a surface:
 The ball is on the roof / the floor / the lawn / the table
/ the dresser.

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Grammar

in + a room/building/city/country:
 He's in the living room / the shed / the church / Boston
/ Germany.

in + a container:
 The hat is in the backpack / purse / drawer / glove
compartment.

under + an object:
 The mouse is under the table / the desk / the rug / the
house.

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Grammar

on + a street:
 We live on Washington Street
 They live on Hummingbird Court.

at + a number + a street:
 I live at 257 Johnson Street.
 She lives at 89 Miller Lane.

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Grammar

(arrive) at + a building:
 We arrived at the train station.

(arrive) in + a city/country:
 We arrived in Prague.
 When will you arrive in Brazil?

(arrive) + home:
 They arrived home.
• (no preposition!)

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Grammar

Please note

There is a slight difference between the

prepositions “above” and “over.”

above: located in a higher position (often in the

sense that something is positioned above
something else.
 The painting was above the door.

over: located in a higher position (often in the

sense that something is moving above something
else).
 The bird flew over the house.

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Grammar

Please note

There is a slight difference between the

prepositions “under” and “below.”

under: located in a lower position (in the sense that

something is directly below another thing).
 Watch out for monsters under the bed!

below: located in a lower position (in the sense that

something is below something else, but not necessarily
directly).
 The fish swam below the water's surface.

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Exercises

Writing
Fill in the blanks with the correct
prepositions.
above – at – inside – over – on – to

My family has a cabin _____ a large lake. It is

located _____ 313 Woodlawn Lane. We drive
_____ the cabin in a minivan. _____ the cabin
there is a big fireplace. We love to roast
marshmallows _____ the fire. _____ the
fireplace is an old painting.
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Review

1. preposition word used to describe spatial, logical and temporal relationships

2. on examples: I waited on the dock.

3. at examples: We met at the theater.

4. in examples: I live in a house.

5. under examples: She hid under the water.

Prepositions of place are used to describe where

things are located, exist or move in relation to one
another.

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Exercises

Writing
Fill in the blanks with the correct
prepositions.
in – at– under – over – on

1) I threw the ball _____ the roof.

2) He grew up _____ the wilderness.

3) She told us to meet her _____ the park.

4) There are many types of wildlife _____ the sea.

5) They left the money _____ the table.

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Brainstorming

Writing
Try writing sentences using prepositions of
place.

over towards
against

down in front of
above

over
between
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Exercises

Writing
Write a short paragraph about where you live
using different prepositions of place.

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Thank you

We would like to thank

the following sources for their content
Text Preposition and Postposition, Images
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preposition_
and_Postposition, Retrieved at 10.3.2015,
Creative Commons license
Shutterstock – ID 79770787
Shutterstock – ID 109918925
Shutterstock – ID 114870949

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Thank you
for choosing to learn
with

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