Prepositions of Place: Definition, List and Useful Examples

Prepositions of Place! A preposition can provide us with information on the relationship between two words within a sentence, one such relationship is the placement of an object. For example, ‘the dog was in front of the window.’ This shows where the dog is and allows us to understand what is being talked about more clearly.

In this section, we are going to show you a detailed list of prepositions of place which will add to your vocabulary as well as giving you the ability to create more detailed sentences and sound more fluent.

What is a Preposition of Place?

A preposition of place is a preposition which is used to refer to a place where something or someone is located.

Preposition of place examples:

In America

In a car

On a plane

On the Internet

At the corner

At the bus stop

Prepositions of Place List

Learn useful list of prepositions of place in English with meaning and example sentences.

Above :

Meaning:

At or to a higher place or position than something/somebody

Example:

Our friends in the apartment above us are really noisy.

After :

Meaning:

One follows the other

Example:

He ran after her with the book.

By :

Meaning:

Near or at the side of

Example:

The telephone is by the window.

Beneath :

Meaning:

Under someone or something

Example:

Jaime hid the letter beneath a pile of papers.

Next to/ Beside :

Meaning:

At the side of someone or something

(Beside and next to have the same meaning. The only difference between beside and next to is their level of formality; beside is generally considered to be more formal than next to.)

Examples:

We lay beside the pool to dry off in the sun.

The hotel is situated next to the lively bustling port.

Near/ Close to :

Meaning:

Near/ Close to is a short distance from a person or thing

Examples:

There is a bush near the school playground.

The new shopping center is close to the railway station.

Between :

Meaning:

Something in or through the space that separates two things, objects, or places

Example:

There is a gulf between the two cities.

Among :

Meaning:

In the middle of or surrounded by other people or things

Example:

The girl quickly disappeared among the crowd.

In front of :

Meaning:

Farther forward than someone or something else

Example:

They massed in front of the city hall.

Behind :

Meaning:

At or towards the back of a thing or person

Example:

The horse fell behind in the race.

Across from/ Opposite :

Meaning:

In a position facing someone or something but on the other side

Example:

The hospital is opposite the post office.

The shoe store is across from the bank.

Under :

Meaning:

Below or at a lower level than something, or covered by something

Example:

We slept under the open sky.

Below :

Meaning:

In a lower place or position than something else

Example:

He dived below the surface of the water.

Over :

Meaning:

Above or higher than something, without touching it

On something or covering it

Example:

She held the umbrella over both of us.

Prepositions of Place IN ON AT

In order to describe place, the prepositions at, on, and in go from GENERAL to SPECIFIC.

Prepositions of Place: IN

For describing place, the preposition IN is used for the largest or most general places. You can say that “I lived in London as a child.” And “He’s a very famous person in Chinatown.”

In + Countries

Examples:

In England

In America

In + Cities

Examples:

In London

In New York

In + Neighborhood

Examples:

In Manhattan

In Chinatown

In + Enclosed Space

Examples:

In a traffic jam

In a building

In a car

Prepositions of Place: ON

The preposition ON is used for more specific places, like certain streets. You can say that “He took a northbound trolley on State Street.”

On + Means of transport

Examples:

On a bus

On a train

On a plane

On + Communications

Examples:

On the radio

On the television

On the phone

On the Internet

On + Surfaces

Examples:

On a table

On a wall

On the floor

On the roof

Prepositions of Place: AT

At + Exact Addresses or Intersections

Examples:

At 23 Birch Street

At 734 State Street

At + Specific Locations/ Points

Examples:

At The Empire State Building

At the corner

At the bus stop