Prepositions of Place: in, on, at, under, next to, between (A2)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

The cat is sitting the chair.

Correct answer: on

"On" = resting on a surface. The cat is on top of the chair. "In" would mean inside the chair (impossible). "At" is for locations/places, not for being on top of furniture.

She lives London.

Correct answer: in

"In London" — "in" is used with cities, towns, countries, and enclosed spaces. "At London" would be wrong for a place of residence. "On London" is grammatically incorrect.

He works the airport as a security officer.

Correct answer: at

"At" = a specific location or point (at the airport, at the station, at the office). "In the airport" is also possible (meaning inside the terminal building), but "at the airport" is the standard British English expression for working there.

The dog is sleeping the table.

Correct answer: under

"Under" = below something, at a lower level or covered by it. "On the table" = on top; "in the table" is impossible (can't be inside a solid table); "at the table" = sitting at it to eat/work.

The bus stop is the post office and the pharmacy.

Correct answer: between

"Between" = in the space separating two specific things. "Between A and B" is the standard phrase. "Among" would be used for three or more things; "next to" only describes one side.

She waited the door for ten minutes.

Correct answer: at

"At the door" = at a specific point or entry (not inside or on top of it). "At" collocates with specific locations and transition points: at the door, at the gate, at the top.

There is a small park our house.

Correct answer: next to

"Next to our house" = immediately beside, adjacent. "Between" requires two points on either side. "In front of" specifically means facing the front. "Next to" is the most natural general expression for being beside something.

The keys are your bag.

Correct answer: in

"In your bag" — "in" is used for enclosed spaces and containers (in a bag, in a box, in a drawer). "On your bag" = on the surface; "at your bag" is incorrect; "under your bag" = below it.

He met her the train station.

Correct answer: at

"At the train station" — "at" is used with specific meeting points and public places (at the station, at the airport, at the cinema). "In the train station" is also possible (meaning inside), but "at" is the standard meeting-point preposition.

My flat is the third floor.

Correct answer: on

"On the third floor" — floors in a building use "on". This is a fixed collocation: on the first floor, on the ground floor, on the top floor. "In the third floor" and "at the third floor" are incorrect.

Please put the books the shelf.

Correct answer: on

"On the shelf" = on the surface/ledge of the shelf. "In the shelf" would be inside the shelf structure (rarely used). Books rest on shelves; you put them on, not in.

She is standing the bus stop.

Correct answer: at

"At the bus stop" — specific waiting point. "At" is used with stops, stations, and waiting points. "On the bus stop" would mean on top of the post/structure. "In the bus stop" is also heard informally (shelter), but "at" is standard.

She keeps all her documents a big brown box.

Correct answer: in

"In a box" = inside an enclosed container. "On a box" = on top of it; "at a box" is not a normal usage; "under a box" = beneath it.

There is a café the cinema and the bookshop.

Correct answer: between

"Between the cinema and the bookshop" — "between" is used when something is in the space separating two specific, named things. "Among" is for three or more; "next to" only describes adjacency on one side.

The supermarket is the end of our street.

Correct answer: at

"At the end of the street" — "at" collocates with points on a line or in a sequence: at the end, at the beginning, at the top, at the bottom. "In the end" means "finally" (different meaning); "on the end" is less common.

Please answer at least one question first.

Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

The cat is sitting the chair.

Correct answer: on

"On" = resting on a surface. The cat is on top of the chair. "In" would mean inside the chair (impossible). "At" is for locations/places, not for being on top of furniture.

She lives London.

Correct answer: in

"In London" — "in" is used with cities, towns, countries, and enclosed spaces. "At London" would be wrong for a place of residence. "On London" is grammatically incorrect.

He works the airport as a security officer.

Correct answer: at

The dog is sleeping the table.

Correct answer: under

"Under" = below something, at a lower level or covered by it. "On the table" = on top; "in the table" is impossible (can't be inside a solid table); "at the table" = sitting at it to eat/work.

The bus stop is the post office and the pharmacy.

Correct answer: between

"Between" = in the space separating two specific things. "Between A and B" is the standard phrase. "Among" would be used for three or more things; "next to" only describes one side.

She waited the door for ten minutes.

Correct answer: at

"At the door" = at a specific point or entry (not inside or on top of it). "At" collocates with specific locations and transition points: at the door, at the gate, at the top.

There is a small park our house.

Correct answer: next to

The keys are your bag.

Correct answer: in

"In your bag" — "in" is used for enclosed spaces and containers (in a bag, in a box, in a drawer). "On your bag" = on the surface; "at your bag" is incorrect; "under your bag" = below it.

He met her the train station.

Correct answer: at

My flat is the third floor.

Correct answer: on

Please put the books the shelf.

Correct answer: on

"On the shelf" = on the surface/ledge of the shelf. "In the shelf" would be inside the shelf structure (rarely used). Books rest on shelves; you put them on, not in.

She is standing the bus stop.

Correct answer: at

She keeps all her documents a big brown box.

Correct answer: in

"In a box" = inside an enclosed container. "On a box" = on top of it; "at a box" is not a normal usage; "under a box" = beneath it.

There is a café the cinema and the bookshop.

Correct answer: between

The supermarket is the end of our street.

Correct answer: at

Please answer at least one question first.

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