PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE

 

 

 

 

 

 

In front of

• A band plays their music in front of an audience.
• The teacher stands in front of the students.

Behind

Behind is the opposite of In front of. It means at the back (part) of something.

• When the teacher writes on the whiteboard, the students are behind him (or her).
• Who is that person behind the mask?

Between

Between normally refers to something in the middle of two objects or things (or places).

• There are mountains between Chile and Argentina.

• There is a sea (The English Channel) between England and France.

Across From / Opposite

Across from and Opposite mean the same thing. It usually refers to something being in front of something else BUT there is normally something between them like a street or table. It is similar to saying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of something.

• I live across from a supermarket (= it is on the other side of the road)

Next to / Beside

Next to and Beside mean the same thing. It usually refers to a thing (or person) that is at the side of another thing.

• At a wedding, the bride stands next to the groom.
• Guards stand next to the entrance of the bank.

Near / Close to

Near and Close to mean the same thing. It is similar to next to / beside but there is more of a distance between the two things.

• The receptionist is near the front door.
• This building is near a subway station.

On

On means that something is in a position that is physically touching, covering or attached to something.

• The clock on the wall is slow.
• He put the food on the table.

Above / Over

Above and Over have a similar meaning. The both mean "at a higher position than X" but above normally refers to being directly (vertically) above you.

• Planes normally fly above the clouds.
• There is a ceiling above you.
• There is a halo over my head. ;)
• We put a sun umbrella over the table so we wouldn't get so hot.

Under / Below

Under and Below have a similar meaning. They mean at a lower level. (Something is above it).

• Your legs are under the table.
• Monsters live under your bed.

• Miners work below the surface of the Earth.

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