Basic prepositions of place (in, on, under, next to)

What are prepositions of place?

Prepositions of place are small words that tell where something is. They usually come before a noun or pronoun and form a prepositional phrase that answers the question "Where?" For this article we focus on four common ones: in, on, under, next to.

When do I use each one?

in — inside a space, container, or area (something is surrounded by boundaries).
Examples: "The keys are in my bag." "There is milk in the fridge." "She lives in London."
Note: Use "into" when the action is movement toward the inside ("She put the letter into the drawer").

- on — on top of a surface or attached to a surface.
- Examples: "The book is on the table." "Hang the picture on the wall." "There is a stain on his shirt."
- Note: "On" is also used with streets ("on Main Street") and many forms of public transport ("on the bus").

- under — below or beneath something (often directly below or covered by something).
- Examples: "The cat is under the bed." "The papers blew under the car."
- Note: "Under" often implies the object is hidden or covered by what is above it.

- next to — at the side of, beside, or immediately adjacent to something.
- Examples: "The bank is next to the post office." "She sat next to me."
- Note: "Next to" usually implies close contact or very short distance; "near" can mean close but not necessarily touching.

How do I form sentences with these prepositions?

The usual order is: subject + verb + prepositional phrase (preposition + noun/pronoun).

The phone is in my pocket. (subject: The phone / verb: is / prepositional phrase: in my pocket)
Put the cup on the table. (verb: Put / object: the cup / prepositional phrase: on the table)
Where is the cat? — It’s under the chair.

Use object pronouns after prepositions as usual: "next to me," "in it," "under him," "on her."

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Wrong: "I put the cup in the table." Correct: "I put the cup on the table." Explanation: A table is a surface, so use "on."
Wrong: "The money is on my pocket." Correct: "The money is in my pocket." Explanation: A pocket is a container, so use "in."
Wrong: "I’m in the bus." Better: "I’m on the bus." Explanation: For most public transport (bus, train), English uses "on." For small enclosed vehicles (car, taxi) we usually say "in the car."
Wrong: "The lamp is near the sofa." (if the lamp is touching the sofa) Better: "The lamp is next to the sofa." Explanation: "Next to" implies immediately beside; "near" can be a short distance.
Wrong: "She is under 20 years old." (different meaning) Correct for location: "The cat is under the table." Explanation: Watch that some words (like "under") also appear in non-spatial expressions.

Examples showing location relationships

Same object, different prepositions — see how meaning changes:

Box and ball:
"The ball is in the box." (the ball is inside the box)
"The ball is on the box." (the ball sits on top of the box)
"The ball is under the box." (the ball is below the box)
"The ball is next to the box." (the ball is beside the box)

- Book, bag, shelf:
- "The book is on the table." (on the surface of the table)
- "The book is in my bag." (inside my bag)
- "The book is under the shelf." (below the shelf)
- "Put the book next to the lamp." (place it beside the lamp)

- Bed and cat (note idioms):
- "The cat is on the bed." (the cat is on top of the bed)
- "She is in bed." (idiomatic: sleeping or in the bed; not the same as "on the bed")

- People and seating:
- "He sat on the chair." (on top of the chair)
- "He sat in the chair." (inside a larger, armchair-style seat)
- "He sat next to her." (beside her)

- Wall and picture:
- "The picture is on the wall." (hung or attached to the wall)
- "There is a safe in the wall." (built into the wall; inside it)

- Street, building, and neighborhood:
- "The café is on High Street." (location by street)
- "They have an office in that building." (inside the building)
- "The pharmacy is next to the bank." (beside the bank)

Commands showing movement vs location:
- "Put the keys in the drawer." (movement into a container)
- "Put the keys on the table." (movement onto a surface)
- "Hide the toy under the pillow." (place something below)
- "Sit next to me." (move to a position beside someone)

Quick comparisons learners often ask about

in vs on: "in" = inside / contained; "on" = on a surface. Example: "in the box" vs "on the box."
under vs below: Both mean lower than something. "Under" often implies covered or directly beneath; "below" is more neutral and used for measurements ("below zero").
next to vs near: "Next to" = immediately beside. "Near" = close by but not necessarily touching.
public transport: "on the bus / on the train" but "in the car."

Glossary

Preposition: a word that shows the relationship of a noun (or pronoun) to another word (here, a location relationship).
Prepositional phrase: a preposition plus its object and any modifiers (e.g., "under the table").
Object of the preposition: the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition (e.g., "table" in "on the table").
Surface: a flat top of something (table, floor, shelf) — usually takes "on."
Enclosed space / container: something that surrounds an object (box, bag, room) — usually takes "in."
Adjacent: next to; at the side of something.

Summary

Use "in" for inside containers, rooms, cities, and other enclosed areas.
Use "on" for surfaces and for many conventional expressions (on the bus, on the wall, on Main Street).
Use "under" when something is below or beneath another thing.
Use "next to" to say one thing is beside another.

Practice by describing real objects around you: name the object and ask "Where is it?" then answer with one of these prepositions and a noun ("The glass is on the table"). That simple habit helps fix the correct use of these common prepositions.