📍 Lesson 5.2: Where Things Are — Prepositions of Place

Where is my phone? Where are my keys? Every day we need to say where things are. In this lesson you learn small but powerful words called prepositions of place — in, on, under, next to, between, and more. Soon you can find anything and tell anyone where it is. 🔑

📚 What You'll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Use the main prepositions of place — in, on, under, next to, between, behind, and more
Ask "Where is…?" and "Where are…?" and answer them
Name common rooms, furniture, and everyday objects
Describe a room — say where each thing is

⏱️ Estimated Time: ~50 minutes

🎯 Project: Describe where 6 or more things are in a room, using different prepositions of place.

In This Lesson

🔤 New Words in This Lesson

Here are some useful words from this lesson. Tap 🔊 to hear a word.

preposition — a small word like in, on, under
in front of — at the front of something
behind — at the back of something
between — in the middle of two things
opposite — facing something, on the other side
above — higher than something
below — lower than something
remote — the small controller for a TV
drawer — a box in furniture that slides out

Saying Where Things Are

Think about your morning. "Where is my phone? Where are my keys? Where is my bag?" We ask and answer questions like these all the time. To answer them, we need small words that tell us where. These words are called prepositions of place.

A preposition is a tiny word — often only two or three letters — but it carries a lot of meaning. "The keys are on the table" and "the keys are under the table" are very different! One little word changes everything. 🗝️

🧠 Mindset

You already know where things are in your home. That knowledge is done. Today you only learn the English words for it. Point at real things while you practice — your cup, your phone, your bag. When you touch a thing and say the word, your brain remembers it much better. Speak, point, and repeat. That is how prepositions stick. 🌱

Quick Recap from Lesson 3.3

You have met a few of these words before! In Lesson 3.3 (There is / There are), you used under, next to, and between to describe your home. Let's remember them quickly.

💡 You already know these

under — below something: The cat is under the table.
next to — at the side of: The chair is next to the desk.
between — in the middle of two things: The lamp is between the sofa and the wall.

Today we add more prepositions and practice all of them together. You are building on what you know. 👍

Prepositions of Place

Here are the main prepositions of place. Look at each one with its meaning and example. Read the examples out loud.

Preposition	Meaning	Example
in	inside something	The keys are in the bag.
on	on top of / touching a surface	The phone is on the table.
under	below something	The shoes are under the bed.
in front of	at the front of	The car is in front of the house.
behind	at the back of	The bag is behind the door.
next to	at the side of	The lamp is next to the sofa.
between	in the middle of two things	The cup is between the two books.
above / over	higher than (not touching)	There is a clock above the door.
below	lower than	The drawer is below the shelf.
near	close to (a short way away)	The store is near my house.
opposite	facing, on the other side	The bank is opposite the café.

💡 One object, many places

Watch how one phone can be in many places 📱. Only the small word changes:

The phone is on the table.
The phone is in the drawer.
The phone is under the book.
The phone is next to the cup.
The phone is behind the lamp.

Same phone, same table. The little word gives all the meaning!

⚠️ Watch out: Say "in front of" (three words together), not "in front." And the opposite of "in front of" is behind, not "back of."

Asking "Where Is…?"

To ask about the place of something, use Where is…? for one thing and Where are…? for two or more things. Then answer with a preposition.

Where is + one thing? / Where are + many things?

Question	Answer
Where is my phone?	It's on the table.
Where is the cat?	It's under the bed.
Where are my keys?	They're in your bag.
Where are the children?	They're in the garden.

Notice the answers. For one thing, we say "It's…" For two or more things, we say "They're…" Short and natural.

✅ Pro Tip

You don't always need a full sentence. If someone asks "Where's my phone?" you can just say "On the table." This is very natural in everyday English. The full answer "It's on the table" is also perfect. 📱

Rooms, Furniture & Objects

To say where things are, you need words for rooms, furniture, and small everyday objects. Read each word out loud.

🚪 Rooms & furniture

kitchen — where you cook
bedroom — where you sleep
living room — where you relax
bathroom — where you wash
table — flat top for eating or working
desk — a table for working
chair — a seat for one
sofa — long soft seat
bed — for sleeping
shelf — a board on the wall for things
drawer — a box that slides out
door / window

🔑 Everyday objects

keys — to open a door
phone — to call and text
bag — to carry things
book — to read
cup — for a drink
lamp — a light
remote — to control the TV
glasses — to see better

Where is my phone? Where are my keys? It's on the table. They're in your bag. It's next to the lamp. It's between the books.

in, on, at for Places

Here is a light, helpful idea. When we talk about bigger places (not small things), we often use in, on, and at in a special way. Don't worry — just learn these easy examples.

💡 The simple idea

in — a big space you are inside: in the kitchen, in London, in a car
on — a line or a surface: on the wall, on the floor, on the street
at — a point or a place you go to: at home, at work, at school, at the door

So we say "at home" (not "in home") and "at work." These are common phrases — learn them as whole pieces. 🏠

⚠️ Watch out: We say at home, at work, and at school. Do not say "in home." These little phrases with at are very common, so practice them out loud.

Dialogue & Phrases

Here is Ben. He can't find his things! His friend Ana helps him. Read both parts out loud. Look for every preposition of place.

Ben: Ana, where are my keys? I can't find them!
Ana: They're on the table, next to your cup.
Ben: Oh, thanks. And my phone? Where is it?
Ana: It's under the newspaper, I think. Yes — there!
Ben: Great. Now, where is my bag?
Ana: Your bag is behind the door. And your glasses are in it.
Ben: Perfect! And the remote? We can watch TV.
Ana: The remote is between the two sofa cushions. It's always there!
Ben: Ha! You know my house better than me. Thank you, Ana.

Here are the best phrases from the conversation. Keep them ready for your project.

I can't find them! They're on the table, next to your cup. It's under the newspaper. Your bag is behind the door. It's between the two cushions. Where is it? / Where are they?

Practice & Project

🏋️ Exercise 1: Choose the preposition

Objective: Pick the correct preposition for each place.

Write the best preposition in each gap.

The lamp is sitting on top of the desk. → The lamp is the desk. (on / under)
The keys are inside the bag. → The keys are the bag. (in / on)
The cat is below the bed, hiding. → The cat is the bed. (above / under)
The cup has a book on its left and a book on its right. → The cup is the two books. (between / behind)
The bag is at the back of the door. → The bag is the door. (in front of / behind)
The chair is at the side of the desk. → The chair is the desk. (next to / above)

✅ Answer

1. on · 2. in · 3. under · 4. between · 5. behind · 6. next to

🏋️ Exercise 2: Describe the room

Objective: Complete each sentence about a small living room.

Read the picture words, then write the best preposition. Picture: a sofa in the middle; a lamp beside the sofa; a TV facing the sofa; a cat below the table; a clock high on the wall; a phone on the table.

The lamp is the sofa. (next to / under)
The TV is the sofa. (opposite / in)
The cat is the table. (under / on)
The clock is the sofa, high on the wall. (above / below)
The phone is the table. (on / behind)

✅ Answer

1. next to · 2. opposite · 3. under · 4. above · 5. on

🎯 Your Project: Where Is Everything?

Now describe where 6 or more things are in a real room. Do it out loud — to a partner, a teacher, or your phone. Use different prepositions.

(3 min) Choose one room. Look at 6 or more things in it (chair, lamp, phone, bag, cup, book…).
(4 min) Say where each thing is. Use a different preposition when you can: on, in, under, next to, between, behind.
(3 min) Use at least four different prepositions. Don't use "on" for everything!
(2 min) With a partner? Ask each other "Where is the…?" and answer. Solo? Ask and answer for yourself.
(3 min) Say it all out loud, or record it. Listen one time if you record it.

Model answer: This is my living room. The sofa is next to the window. The TV is opposite the sofa. There is a lamp on the small table, and my phone is under the lamp. My bag is behind the door, and my keys are in the bag. The remote is between the two cushions. There is a clock above the TV. I like this room — everything is easy to find!

✅ Project Completion Checklist

☐ I described where 6 or more things are
☐ I used at least four different prepositions
☐ I used It's… for one thing and They're… for many
☐ I asked or answered one "Where is…?" question
☐ I said it all out loud (recorded or to a partner)

🎯 Quick Quiz

Question 1: The cup has a book on its left and a book on its right. Where is the cup?

Question 2: Which sentence is correct?

Tips & Common Mistakes

✅ Do's

Point at real things and say where they are. Touch + say = remember.
Use Where is…? for one thing and Where are…? for many.
Answer with It's… (one thing) or They're… (many things).
Learn at home, at work, at school as whole phrases.

❌ Common Mistakes

⚠️ Watch Out

"in front" ❌ — Keep all three words: in front of the house. ✅
"in home" ❌ — We say at home. Also at work, at school. ✅
Using "on" for everything ❌ — in = inside, on = on top of, under = below. Choose the right one. ✅
"Where are my phone?" ❌ — One thing → Where is my phone? ✅

📓 Learning Journal

Take five minutes after this lesson to write in your learning journal. After every lesson, write down:

Key concepts you learned
Things that clicked for you
Questions or confusion points to revisit
Ideas you want to try
Your progress and feelings about learning English

✍️ This lesson's prompt: Write five sentences about where things are on your desk or table right now. Use a different preposition in each sentence (on, next to, under, between, behind). Then read them out loud. Which preposition is easy for you? Which one is tricky? 📍

📝 Lesson Summary

🎓 Key Takeaways

Prepositions of place tell us where: in, on, under, in front of, behind, next to, between, above/over, below, near, opposite.
Ask Where is…? for one thing and Where are…? for two or more.
Answer with It's… (one) or They're… (many), plus a preposition.
Keep in front of as three words; the opposite is behind.
For places, learn at home, at work, at school as whole phrases.

🎉 What You've Accomplished

Wonderful work! You can now say where anything is. You can ask where your keys are and understand the answer. You can describe a whole room — every thing and its place. This is real, everyday English that you will use every single day. From single words to a full picture in words. Be proud. 🎉

❓ Common Questions at This Stage

What is the difference between "in" and "on"?

Use in for inside something (in the box, in the bag, in the room). Use on for on top of or touching a surface (on the table, on the wall). Think: in = inside, on = touching the top.

When do I say "above" and when do I say "on"?

On means touching a surface (the lamp is on the table). Above means higher, but not touching (the clock is above the door, on the wall higher up). If it touches, use on. If it is higher with space between, use above.

Why do we say "at home" and not "in home"?

English just uses at for these common places: at home, at work, at school. Learn them as whole phrases and they will feel natural. (We do say "in the house," but "at home." Small, but important!)

🔭 Looking Ahead

In Lesson 5.3 — Have Got: People & Belongings, you learn to say what people have and to describe how they look: "She has got long hair," "I've got a new phone." You will describe your family and friends!

✅ Before the Next Lesson

Point to five things and say where they are, out loud.
Ask a friend three "Where is…?" questions and answer them.
Say at home, at work, at school three times each.
Write your Learning Journal entry.

🌟 Encouragement for the Journey

You just learned some of the most useful little words in English. With prepositions of place, you can find anything and tell anyone where it is. Keep pointing at things and naming where they are. It gets easier every day. See you in Lesson 5.3! 👋