Students will learn common prepositions of place: in, on, under, behind, near, between, in front of.
Students will use prepositions correctly in sentences.
Students will identify prepositions in sentences from daily life.
Let Us Begin!
Where is your pencil? Is it in your bag? Is it on the desk? Is it under the book?
The words "in", "on", and "under" tell us where something is. These special words are called prepositions. Let us learn about them!
What Is a Preposition?
A preposition is a word that tells us the position or place of a person, animal, or thing. It shows where something is.
Example: The cat is on the table. Here, "on" is the preposition. It tells us where the cat is.
Think about it: Where is your water bottle right now? Can you use a preposition to describe its place?
Common Prepositions of Place
Preposition
Meaning
Example Sentence
in
Inside something
The books are in the bag.
on
On top of a surface
The glass is on the table.
under
Below something
The dog is sleeping under the bed.
behind
At the back of something
The garden is behind the house.
near
Close to something
The temple is near the school.
between
In the middle of two things
Rani sits between Sita and Meena.
in front of
Facing the front of something
The car is parked in front of the shop.
Let Us Understand with Pictures in Words
Imagine a box on a table. Now imagine a ball:
The ball is in the box. (The ball is inside the box.)
The ball is on the box. (The ball is on top of the box.)
The ball is under the box. (The ball is below the box.)
The ball is behind the box. (The ball is at the back of the box.)
The ball is near the box. (The ball is close to the box.)
The ball is in front of the box. (The ball is facing the front of the box.)
Think about it: If you place your eraser between two books, which preposition describes its position?
Key Words and Meanings
Word
Meaning
Preposition
A word that shows the position or place of something
Position
The place where something is located
In
Inside something (The pen is in the box.)
On
On top of a surface (The book is on the desk.)
Under
Below something (The shoes are under the bed.)
Behind
At the back of something (The tree is behind the house.)
Between
In the middle of two things (I sit between my friends.)
English -- Class 3 (continued)
Topic: Prepositions -- Key Points and Practice
Key Points to Remember
A preposition is a word that tells us where something is.
Common prepositions of place: in, on, under, behind, near, between, in front of.
"In" means inside. "On" means on top. "Under" means below.
"Behind" means at the back. "Near" means close to.
"Between" means in the middle of two things. "In front of" means facing the front.
A preposition always comes before a noun: on the table, in the bag, under the chair.
Examples from Daily Life
Example 1: In the Classroom
"The chalk is on the teacher's desk. The duster is in the drawer. Amit sits behind Priya." Each bold word is a preposition that tells us where something or someone is.
Example 2: At Home
"The cat is sleeping under the cot. Mother's slippers are near the door. The clock is on the wall." Prepositions help us describe where things are placed.
Example 3: On the Way to School
"The bus stop is near the park. Ravi stands between Aman and Suresh. A big tree is in front of the school gate."
Practice Questions
A. Fill in the Blanks (use: in, on, under, behind, near, between, in front of)
The fish are swimming the pond.
The picture is hanging the wall.
The shoes are kept the bed.
The post office is the bank.
Meena sits Rani and Geeta.
The garden is the house.
A dog is standing the gate.
B. Multiple Choice Questions
The bird is sitting ______ the branch.
(a) in(b) on(c) under(d) between
The ball rolled ______ the table.
(a) on(b) in(c) under(d) near
Which word is a preposition?
(a) run(b) behind(c) happy(d) book
C. Short Answer Questions
What is a preposition? Give two examples.
Make a sentence using the preposition "between".
Look at your classroom. Write three sentences using different prepositions.
Think and Do -- Fun Activity
Preposition Hunt: Look around your classroom or home. Find where each thing is and write a sentence using the correct preposition.