Prepositions
A preposition is a small word that shows the relationship between things.
For example:
The keys are on the table.
On tells us where the keys are in relation to the table.
Other common prepositions are:
in, on, at, under, next to, behind, in front of, between, near
Let's learn them step by step.
🔤 1. What does a preposition do?
A preposition often tells us:
- where something is
- when something happens
- which direction something moves
For example:
The cat is under the chair.
Under tells us where the cat is.
We study English at night.
At tells us when we study.
She walks to school.
To tells us the direction.
So think:
Preposition = a small word that shows a relationship.
📘 2. Prepositions of place
Let's start with place.
These are some of the most common:
in
on
under
next to
behind
in front of
between
near
🧩 3. In
In means something is inside another thing or area.
The milk is in the fridge.
My wallet is in my bag.
There are toys in the box.
Think:
in = inside
🔍 4. On
On means something is touching the surface of something.
The book is on the desk.
There is a picture on the wall.
My phone is on the table.
Think:
on = touching a surface
🧠 5. Under
Under means lower than something.
The shoes are under the bed.
The cat is under the table.
Your bag is under the chair.
Think:
under = below
🗂️ 6. Next to
Next to means very close beside something or someone.
The pharmacy is next to the bank.
Emma is sitting next to me.
The lamp is next to the sofa.
Think:
next to = beside
🎯 7. Behind
Behind means at the back of something.
The car is behind the house.
The child is hiding behind the door.
There is a garden behind the building.
Think:
behind = at the back
💬 8. In front of
In front of means before or ahead of something.
The bus is in front of the school.
There is a tree in front of the house.
She is standing in front of me.
Think:
in front of = ahead of
🔤 9. Between
Between means in the middle of two people or things.
The bank is between the hotel and the restaurant.
Tom is sitting between Anna and David.
The ball is between the two chairs.
Think:
between = in the middle of two
📘 10. Near
Near means close to something.
The school is near my house.
There is a café near the station.
She lives near the airport.
Think:
near = close to
🧩 11. A simple place picture in your mind
Imagine a box and a ball.
Inside
The ball is in the box.
On top
The ball is on the box.
Below
The ball is under the box.
Beside
The ball is next to the box.
Behind
The ball is behind the box.
In front
The ball is in front of the box.
This kind of picture can help you remember prepositions.
🔍 12. In vs. on
Beginners often confuse in and on.
In = inside
The clothes are in the closet.
On = on a surface
The clothes are on the bed.
Compare:
The keys are in the drawer.
The keys are on the desk.
🧠 13. On vs. under
The notebook is on the chair.
The notebook is touching the chair's surface.
The notebook is under the chair.
The notebook is below the chair.
🗂️ 14. Behind vs. in front of
These are opposites.
The car is behind the house.
The house is in front of the car.
The car is in front of the house.
The car is ahead of the house.
🎯 15. Prepositions of time
Prepositions can also tell us when something happens.
Three very common ones are:
at
on
in
They are similar, but we use them differently.
💬 16. At — a specific time
Use at with a specific time.
The class starts at 8:00.
I wake up at 6:30.
We eat dinner at 7 p.m.
We also commonly say:
at night
I usually read at night.
Think:
at = a specific time
🔤 17. On — days and dates
Use on with days and dates.
I work on Monday.
We have a meeting on Friday.
Her birthday is on June 10.
The store is closed on Sundays.
Think:
on = day/date
📘 18. In — months, years, and longer periods
Use in with months, years, seasons, and longer periods.
My birthday is in July.
She was born in 2005.
We travel a lot in summer.
I usually study in the morning.
Think:
in = longer period
🧩 19. At, on, and in
Here is an easy table:
| Preposition | Common use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | specific time | at 7:00 |
| on | day/date | on Monday |
| in | month/year/longer period | in July |
Examples:
The movie starts at 8:00.
We have class on Tuesday.
School starts in September.
🔍 20. Prepositions of direction
Prepositions can also show movement.
Common examples:
to
into
from
out of
🧠 21. To
To shows movement toward a place or person.
I am going to school.
She walks to the store.
We are traveling to Jakarta.
Think:
to = toward
🗂️ 22. From
From shows where something or someone starts.
I am from Indonesia.
This train comes from Surabaya.
She walked from the station.
Think:
from = starting place
🎯 23. Into
Into means moving from outside to inside.
The cat jumped into the box.
He walked into the room.
She put the clothes into the bag.
Compare:
The cat is in the box.
The cat is already inside.
The cat jumped into the box.
The cat moved from outside to inside.
💬 24. Out of
Out of means moving from inside to outside.
The cat jumped out of the box.
He walked out of the room.
She took the clothes out of the bag.
Compare:
She is in the room.
She is inside.
She walked out of the room.
She moved from inside to outside.
🔤 25. Don't translate every preposition directly
This is important.
Sometimes English prepositions don't match the preposition you would use in your first language.
For example, English says:
at night
not:
English says:
on Monday
not:
So don't always translate word-for-word.
It is better to learn common combinations together.
For example:
at night
at 7:00
on Monday
on Friday
in July
in 2026
📘 26. Prepositions and questions
Prepositions often answer questions like:
Where?
Where is the phone?
It is on the table.
When?
When is the meeting?
It is on Monday.
Where are you going?
I am going to the market.
🧩 27. Common mistakes
If the keys are touching the surface:
When talking about movement toward school:
If you mean he moved from outside to inside:
🔍 28. A useful memory guide
Place
in = inside
on = surface
under = below
next to = beside
behind = at the back
in front of = ahead
between = middle of two
near = close
Time
at = specific time
on = day/date
in = month/year/longer period
Direction
to = toward
from = starting place
into = outside → inside
out of = inside → outside
🧠 29. One important thing
Don't worry about memorizing every English preposition today.
There are many prepositions, and some have several meanings.
For now, focus on the common patterns:
in the room
on the table
under the bed
next to the door
at 8:00
on Monday
in July
to school
from work
Learning them as small phrases can make them much easier to remember.