Prepositional phrases (Place, Time & Movement)

Elementary (A2)en

Prepositional Phrases (Place, Time & Movement)

Prepositional Phrases (Place, Time, and Movement)

In this lesson, you will learn how to use prepositional phrases to describe where something is, when something happens, and how something moves. This lesson includes detailed lists of prepositions and many examples.

1. What Are Prepositional Phrases?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that starts with a preposition and usually includes a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition).

Structure:
Preposition + Object (+ extra words)

Examples:

Place: The cat is under the table. → Under = preposition, the table = object
Time: I will call you in the morning. → In = preposition, the morning = object
Movement: She ran into the room. → Into = preposition, the room = object

Tip: Prepositional phrases often answer the questions:

Where? → Place
When? → Time
Where to/from or along? → Movement

2. Prepositional Phrases of Place
These phrases tell us where something or someone is located.

Common prepositions of place:
in, on, at, under, next to, between, behind, in front of, by, across from

Example Sentences with Explanations:

The cat is in the box. → Inside a closed space.
The book is on the table. → On top of a surface.
She is at the bus stop. → Specific point or location.
The shoes are under the bed. → Below something.
The school is next to the library. → Beside another building.
The car is between the two trees. → In the middle of two objects.
The children are behind the house. → At the back of something.
The teacher is in front of the class. → Facing the students, at the front.
The hotel is by the beach. → Close to a location.
The bank is across from the supermarket. → On the other side, facing something.

Tip: Use in for inside, on for surfaces, and at for points. Other prepositions (under, next to, behind) describe relative position.

3. Prepositional Phrases of Time
These phrases tell us when something happens or how long something lasts.

Common prepositions of time:

in, on, at, during, for, since, by, from…to, after, before

Example Sentences with Explanations:

I was born in July. → A long period: month.
My birthday is on Monday. → Specific day.
The meeting starts at 9 o’clock. → Exact time.
She slept during the movie. → Inside a period.
I have studied English for two hours. → Duration.
He has lived here since 2015. → Starting point in the past.
Finish your homework by 6 p.m. → Deadline: no later than 6 p.m.
The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. → Start and end of a period.
We can meet after lunch. → Later than a point in time.
Complete your work before the class starts. → Earlier than a point in time.

Tip:

in → months, years, seasons, parts of day
on → days or dates
at → exact times
for / since → duration or starting point
by / from…to / after / before → deadlines or sequence

4. Prepositional Phrases of Movement
These phrases describe direction, movement, or path.

Common prepositions of movement:

to, into, onto, out of, from, along, across, past, over, through

Example Sentences with Explanations:

She walked to the park. → Direction, moving toward a place.
He ran into the classroom. → Entering a space.
The cat jumped onto the sofa. → Moving to a position on top.
They went out of the house. → Exiting a space.
The train comes from London. → Starting point of movement.
We walked along the river. → Moving next to a line/path.
The dog ran across the street. → From one side to the other.
He walked past the shop. → Moving in front without stopping.
The plane flew over the mountains. → Above an obstacle.
We walked through the forest. → Inside and along an area.

Tip: Movement prepositions describe direction (to, towards), path (through, along), entering/exiting (into, out of), or position relative to obstacles (over, across).

5. Combining Place, Time, and Movement
Prepositional phrases can appear together in one sentence to give more information.

Examples:

I will meet you at the park on Saturday. → Place + Time
She ran into the classroom in the morning. → Movement + Time
The children played in the garden during the afternoon. → Place + Time
We walked along the river until sunset. → Movement + Time

Tip: Always identify the preposition and its object to know whether it is describing where, when, or how something moves.

6. Easy Way to Remember

Place → Where? → in, on, at, under, over, above, below, behind, in front of, next to, beside, near, between, among, opposite, outside, inside, across from, along, by
Time → When? → in, on, at, during, for, since, until / till, by, from…to, from…until, after, before, around, about
Movement → Where to / from / along / through? → to, into, onto, out of, from, along, across, past, over, up, down, through, towards, away from, around

Practice Exercises

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Prepositional Phrases (Place, Time & Movement)

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Related Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with words related to this grammar topic

Prepositional Phrases (Place, Time & Movement)

Prepositions of Place and Movement

11 words

above

preposition

Indicates a position higher than something else.

The picture is above the fireplace.

below

preposition

In a lower position than something else.

The cat is below the table.

around

adverb

In a circular direction or in a surrounding area.

We walked around the park.

across

preposition

In a position on the opposite side of something.

She walked across the street to meet her friend.

through

over

preposition

Above or higher than something else

The bird flew over the trees.

underneath

adverb

In a position directly below or beneath something else.

The cat is hiding underneath the table.

inside

preposition

In the inner part of something; within.

The cat is inside the house.

outside

noun

The external side or surface of something; the area that is not enclosed.

Let's play outside in the park.

toward

past

noun

A time that has already happened.

He often talks about his past.