Prepositions of Place: 70+ Useful Examples with In, On, and At

Prepositions of place are words used to describe the position or location of a person or object. They help us explain where something or someone is, not where they are going.

Common prepositions of place include at, in, and on. These prepositions are essential for giving directions, describing locations, and communicating clearly in everyday English.

Table of Contents

Definition of Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place in English with at in on examples

Prepositions of place are a type of preposition used to show the static location of an object or person. They answer the question “Where is it?”

Unlike prepositions of movement such as to, into, or onto, prepositions of place do not describe direction or motion.

The most commonly used prepositions of place are in, on, and at.

Basic Examples

In: The cat is in the box.
On: The book is on the table.
At: I am at the park.

Prepositions of Place

There are three basic prepositions of place: AT, IN, and ON.

Prepositions of Place: At

“At” is used for a specific point or exact location.

At home
At school
At work
At university
At the cinema
At the corner
At the crossroads
At the desk
At the door
At the entrance
At the exit
At the front desk
At the bottom
At the top
At the end of the road

Prepositions of Place: In

“In” is used for enclosed spaces, larger areas, or things surrounded on all sides.

In a room
In a building
In a box
In my bag
In my pocket
In the kitchen
In the bathroom
In the garden
In the park
In the picture
In the newspaper
In the magazine
In the world
In a car
In a taxi
In a lift
In a boat
In a helicopter
In London
In Germany

Note: With street names, “on” is the most common choice in modern English.

✔ The shop is on Oxford Street.
✔ She lives on Park Street.

Prepositions of Place: On

“On” is used for surfaces, lines, and certain types of transport.

On the table
On the wall
On the floor
On the menu
On the page
On the cover
On the left
On the right
On a bus
On a train
On a plane
On a bicycle
On a horse
On a ship
On the television
On the radio

Usage of Prepositions of Place

At: for a specific point – I’m at the station.
In: for enclosed or large areas – The keys are in the bag.
On: for surfaces – The picture is on the wall.
Under: below something – The cat is under the table.
Beside: next to – The chair is beside the desk.
Between: in the middle of two – The café is between the bank and the bookstore.

Common Mistakes with Prepositions of Place

In vs. At (Office)

✔ I’m at the office. (general location)
✔ I’m in the office. (inside the building)

Downtown

✔ The restaurant is downtown.

Transportation

On a bus / train / plane
In a car / taxi

Events

✔ I’m at the concert.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition

(in, on, at, under)

The book is ___ the shelf.
The car is parked ___ the garage.
She is waiting ___ the door.
The cat is hiding ___ the table.
The keys are ___ my bag.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

The picture is (in / on) the wall.
The shoes are (under / on) the bed.
The café is (between / in) the bank and the bookstore.
The laptop is (on / at) the desk.
The bus stop is (next to / in) the supermarket.

Exercise 3: Sentence Writing

Write one complete sentence for each preposition below.

in
on
under
next to
between

Answer Key

Exercise 1 – Answers

The book is on the shelf.
The car is parked in the garage.
She is waiting at the door.
The cat is hiding under the table.
The keys are in my bag.

Exercise 2 – Answers

The picture is on the wall.
The shoes are under the bed.
The café is between the bank and the bookstore.
The laptop is on the desk.
The bus stop is next to the supermarket.

Exercise 3 – Sample Answers

in: My wallet is in my backpack.
on: The notebook is on the table.
under: The dog is sleeping under the chair.
next to: The pharmacy is next to the hospital.
between: The park is between the school and the library.