Prepositions of place tell us where something is. They are some of the first prepositions every English learner needs, and they appear constantly in IELTS Speaking Part 1 (“Describe your room”) and in the map and diagram tasks of IELTS Listening. In this lesson you will master ten high-frequency prepositions of place and position: in, on, at, under, over, behind, between, near, in front of, and next to.

The big three: in, on, at

These three cause more mistakes than any other prepositions. A simple way to remember them:

• in — inside an enclosed space or area: Monkeys live in the jungle. / She lives in Bangkok.
• on — on a surface or line: The picture is on page 7. / She is sunbathing on the beach.
• at — at a specific point or place: He is at school. / We first met at a party.

Position prepositions: where exactly?

Common mistakes to avoid

• ❌ I live at Bangkok. → ✅ I live in Bangkok. (cities take in)
• ❌ The book is in the table. → ✅ The book is on the table. (a surface)
• ❌ She sat between her friends when there are three or more → use among: She sat among her friends. (between = two)

💡 IELTS tip

In IELTS Speaking Part 1, accurate prepositions of place make your descriptions sound natural and boost your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score. Practise describing your home: “There is a sofa in front of the TV, a lamp next to the bed, and a rug under the table.”

Related on Simply IELTS

• ➡️ Continue: Lesson 2: Prepositions of Movement & Direction
• 📚 Part of the Prepositions in English course.
• 🔗 Related: IELTS Writing Task 1: map description & vocabulary.