Prepositions of Places and Direction Usage

Prepositions of place show the relationship of place between the nouns to the other parts of a sentence.

Common prepositions of places & direction: On, at, in, by, from, to, towards, up, down, across, between, among, through, in front of, behind, above, over, under, below, etc. are the most common.

IN, AT

IN:

In indicates something to be present in a place or enclosure. It does not say particularly where but gives an enclosure to the noun it connects with.

Example:
Your shirt is in the closet. (Does not indicate an exact place)
He lives in Australia.
Alex works in that building.


AT:
At indicates an exact place.

Example:
He is at the door.
I am standing at 13/4 George Street.
He is at home.

ON, ABOVE, OVER 

ON:
On indicates a position above but touching the object.

Example:
The phone is on the table. (Phone is touching with the table)
He is on the third floor.
Sit on the sofa.

ABOVE:
Above indicates a much higher position than the preposition on does. It also indicates something out of reach.

Example:
The sky is above my head.
Hold your hands above your head.
Stars are above the sky.

OVER:
Over means a position between on and above which is not touching.

Example:
There are clouds over the hills.
A bird flew over my head.
My flat is over that shop.

UNDER, BELOW

UNDER:
Under is the opposite of on and means ‘below the surface of’ something.

Example:
The cat is under the table.
The carpet under my feet is very soft.
That book is under my glasses.

BELOW:
Below indicates something at a slightly lower position than what under indicates.

Example:
I have a scar just below my right eye.
Do you see the line below the paper?
Please, don’t write below this line.

TO, FROM

TO:
To indicates a motion in the direction of a place.

Example:
He went to college.
We are going to Mexico.
We walked from the farm to the beach.

FROM:
From indicates the point of place at which a motion, journey, or action starts.

Example:
He came from England.
We walked from the beach to the farm.
He drove here from Atlanta.

INTO, OUT OF

INTO:
Into indicates a motion towards/going inside something. It has many uses.

Example:
He came into the house.
The police broke into the bar.
My car crashed into a street sign.

OUT OF:
Out of means the opposite of into. It indicates a motion towards outside of something.

Example:
He is going out of the town.
Get out of my house.
Please, remain out of this. (Not indicating a place but an issue)

THROUGH,  ACROSS, BESIDE,  IN FRONT OF,  BEHIND, TOWARDS,  BY

THROUGH:
Through indicates a motion in the middle of something.

Example:
We drove through the tunnel.
They came through a forest.
He came through a wedding gate.

ACROSS:
Across means going to the other side of a river or road or something straight.

Example:
He went across the river.
I walked across the road.
My house is across the bank. (There is a road between the house and the bank)

BESIDE:
Beside means at the side of/ next to something.

Example:
The car beside the cycle is mine.
He is standing beside the shop.
I will always be beside you.

IN FRONT OF:
In front of means a position facing someone/something.

Example:
He parked his car in front of my house.
I have a pool in front of my resthouse.
He was nervous in front of me.

BEHIND:
Behind means at the far side of something (might be out of sight). It is opposite of in front of.

Example:
He parked his car behind my car.
I have a pool behind my house.
Go behind that tree.

TOWARDS:
Towards means a motion in the direction of something literary or metaphorically.

Example:
Take five steps towards the post and stand there.
They moved towards the Labour Party.
I walked towards the car when you were standing.

BY:
By means ‘near to or next to’ something or someone.

Example:
He has a house by the river.
I was standing by the car.
My flat is by the saloon.

UP, DOWN

UP:
Up means a motion towards a higher place or position.

Example:
We were climbing up the mountain.
Lift your hands up.
John is going up to London. (From a lower place of the country)
Climb up the stairs.

DOWN:
Down indicates the opposite meaning of up. It means a motion towards a lower place or position.

Example:
He was walking down the river.
I am climbing down the hill.
Go down the stairs.

BETWEEN, AMONG

BETWEEN:
Between indicates something/someone to be in the middle of two other things or persons.

Example:
Alex is sitting between Robin and Robert.
The cat is between the two boxes.
This matter is between you and him.

Among:
Among indicates something/someone to be in the middle of three or more other things or persons.

Example:
Alex is sitting among the patients.
He is the best among them.
Among all the people, John had the courage to speak up.