Supplementary Material

EXERCISING PREPOSITIONS
(Supplementary Material for Beginner, Elementary & Pre-Intermediate Modules)

TO To indicate destination.

FROM To indicate origin.

TO FROM

AT To indicate where you are in a general way .

IN To indicate where you are in a more specific way.

*With means of transport we say: in a car, in a boat, in a helicopter.

These prepositions emphasize the movement:

INTO

OUT OF

BEHIND
behind
IN FRONT OF

in front of
These pairs of prepositions are very similar. The difference is that:

OVER / UNDER Describe a vertical relationship.

The truck is going
over the bridge

The boat is going

under the bridge

ABOVE / BELOW Describe the relative position of two things when one is higher or
lower than another.

The tower is
Picture 1 is above the hut
above Picture 2

Picture 2 is The hut is below

below Picture 1 the tower

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Other examples:

Her skirt is
below her knees

The sun is sinking La Paz is above sea-level Above/below Her skirt is

below the horizon Amsterdam is below sea-level cero above her knees

The stool is under the bridge He is leaning The girl is under 10 The helicopter is
under the table over the wall her mother is over 30 flying over the city

ON It describes where the object/person is in relation to a surface.

*In relation to means of transport we say: on a bus, on a train, on a ship,
on a plane, on a motorcycle and on a horse.

.
The flower pot is on the table

NEAR In the same general area. It is the opposite of far.

The girl is standing near the boy

NEXT TO Side by side in the same line.

They are sitting next to each other

BETWEEN It indicates position in relation to two things.

The triangle is between the rectangle and the circle

AMONG It indicates position in relation to more than two objects.

The girl is among her friends

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EXERCISE I. Where are the people in the photograph? Complete the sentences using the correct
preposition.

Sam is standing ........................................................... Tim.

SAM PAM PETE
Bob is sitting .....................................................................
Sue is sitting .....................................................................
Bob is sitting ............................................................... Pete.
Pete is standing .......................................................... Pam.
Pam is ............................................................her relatives.
TIM
They are ......................................................a Photo Studio.
SUE BOB
They are sitting ...................................................... a bench.
The photographer is ............................................... of them.

EXERCISE II. Match the sentences and the drawings.

A. B.

1. The Town Hall is opposite the station.

2. She’s at the airport.

C. D.
3. There are two shoes under the bed.

4. The cupboard is above the sink.

E. F.
5. Mother is standing in front of the sofa.

6. The switch is below the window.

7. The stars are in the sky. G. H.

8. There is a tree behind my house.

9. They’re going into the church.

I. J.
10. The boy is jumping over the fence.

EXERCISE III. Complete these sentences with the prepositions below. Use them only once:
NEAR, IN, UNDER, FROM, NEXT TO, OUT OF, INTO, AT

1. The cat is jumping .............................. the fish bowl.

2. She is ............................ the hospital talking to a doctor.
3. The boat is sailing ............................. the bridge.
4. Come and sit .............................. me.
5. I’m waiting for my children. They are coming ............................. school.
6. They are living ............................. an old house.
7. The movie finished. People are going ............................. the cinema.
8. I’m walking to work. I live very ..............................my office.

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 Supplementary Material
KEY CHECK. EXERCISING PREPOSITIONS

EXERCISE I.

Sam is standing behind Tim.

Bob is sitting next to Sue.
Sue is sitting between Tim and Bob.
Bob is sitting in front of Pete.
Pete is standing next to Pam.
Pam is among her relatives.
They are in a Photo Studio.
They are sitting on a bench.
The photographer is in front of them.

EXERCISE II.

1. D. The Town Hall is *opposite the station.

2. G. She’s at the airport.
3. C. There are two shoes under the bed.
4. E. The cupboard is above the sink.
5. B. Mother is standing in front of the sofa.
6. F. The switch is below the window.
7. J. The stars are in the sky.
8. A. There is a tree behind my house.
9. H. They’re going into the church.
10. I. The boy is jumping over the fence.

EXERCISE III.

1. The cat is jumping INTO the fish bowl.

2. She is AT the hospital talking to a doctor
3. The boat is sailing UNDER the bridge.
4. Come and sit NEXT TO me.
5. I’m waiting for my children. They are coming FROM school.
6. They are living IN an old house.
7. The movie finished. People are going OUT OF the cinema.
8. I’m walking to work. I live very NEAR my office.

(*) Opposite: Facing each other.