Preposition of place

1. What Are Prepositions of Place?

Prepositions of place tell us where a person or thing is.

Examples:

• The cat is on the chair.
• The keys are in the bag.

2. The Three Most Important Ones

IN

Use in for:

• inside something
• closed spaces
• in a city, country, or area
• in a car / taxi / van (inside a private vehicle)
• in the water

Sentences:

• Sarah is in her room.
• My phone is in my bag.
• The dog is in the car.

ON

Use on for:

• on a surface
• touching the top of something
• fixed position phrases: on the left / on the right
• on a bus / train / plane / ship (public transport)
• on the internet / on TV

Sentences:

• The book is on the table.
• The picture is on the wall.
• The jacket is on the floor.

AT

Use at for:

• a specific point (a meeting place): at the bus stop, at the door
• common places: at home, at school, at work

Sentences:

• She is at home.
• I am at work.
• Peter is at the door.
• Susan is at the bus stop.

Quick choice:

• in = inside: in the box / in the room / in the city
• on = on a surface: on the table / on the wall
• at = point/meeting place: at the door / at the bus stop / at home

3. Other Common Prepositions of Place

These prepositions show where one person or object is in relation to another.

• under → below
  The cat is under the table.
• next to → beside
  She sits next to me.
• between → in the middle of two things
  The bank is between the shop and the café.
• behind → at the back
  The car is behind the house.
• in front of → before something
  The teacher is in front of the class.

4. Visual Tip

Ask:

• Is it inside? → in
• Is it on a surface? → on
• Is it a place or point? → at