Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 109 · A2

under, behind, opposite etc.

Prepositions of position: next to (or beside), between, in front of, behind, on the left, on the right, in the middle, opposite, by, under, above and below. in front of means facing the same way; opposite means facing each other.

Start the lesson

17Steps · about 28 minutes

In this lesson

next to, between, in front of, behindA2 screens of questions
opposite and in front ofB2 screens of questions
by = next to, besideC1 screen of questions
underD1 screen of questions
above and belowE1 screen of questions
Put it together+3 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 5

next to, between, in front of, behind

Five people in a photo. Three stand in a row: Asha on the left, Ben in the middle, Cara on the right. Dev kneels in front of Ben. Ed stands behind Ben.

sentence meaning
Asha is next to Ben. / Asha is beside Ben. side by side
Ben is between Asha and Cara. one on each side
Dev is in front of Ben. nearer the camera
Ed is behind Ben. further from the camera
Asha is on the left. Cara is on the right.
Ben is in the middle (of the group).
  • Asha is next to Ben.
  • Ben is between Asha and Cara.
  • Dev is in front of Ben.
  • Ed is behind Ben.

Point A · Exercise 109.1 · part 1 of 2

Read the description of the photo and complete the sentences. Back row, standing, from left to right: Adam, Bea, Carl. Front row, sitting, from left to right: Dina, Eve, Finn. Adam is directly behind Dina, Bea is directly behind Eve and Carl is directly behind Finn.

  1. Example

    Carl is standing behind Finn.

    AnswerCarl is standing behind Finn.

  2. Finn is sitting Eve.

  3. Eve is sitting Bea.

  4. Eve is sitting Dina and Finn.

  5. Dina is sitting Eve.

Point A · Exercise 109.1 · part 2 of 2

Read the description of the photo and complete the sentences. Back row, standing, from left to right: Adam, Bea, Carl. Front row, sitting, from left to right: Dina, Eve, Finn. Adam is directly behind Dina, Bea is directly behind Eve and Carl is directly behind Finn.

  1. Finn is sitting Carl.

  2. Adam is standing Dina.

  3. Adam is standing left.

  4. Bea is standing middle.

Point B of 5

opposite and in front of

Three people at a café table. Jo and Kit sit on one side, facing the same way; Kit's chair is directly behind Jo's. Lena sits across the table from Jo, facing her.

Jo is sitting in front of Kit. (same direction)

Jo is sitting opposite Lena. Lena is sitting opposite Jo. (facing each other)

  • Jo is sitting in front of Kit.
  • Jo is sitting opposite Lena.

Point B · Exercise 109.3 · part 1 of 2

Read the description of the town square and write sentences. Use the words in brackets. On the left side of the square, from front to back: the bank, the bookshop. On the right side, facing the bookshop: the supermarket. At the back of the square: the theatre, with the café on one side of it and Paul's office on the other. Paul's office is on the floor above the supermarket. In the centre of the square there is a fountain, and a man is standing on the near side of it, facing the theatre.

  1. Example

    (next to) The bank ...

    The bank is next to the bookshop.

    AnswerThe bank is next to the bookshop.

  2. (in front of) The man ...

  3. (opposite) The bookshop ...

  4. (next to) The bookshop ...

  5. (above) Paul's office ...

Point B · Exercise 109.3 · part 2 of 2

Read the description of the town square and write sentences. Use the words in brackets. On the left side of the square, from front to back: the bank, the bookshop. On the right side, facing the bookshop: the supermarket. At the back of the square: the theatre, with the café on one side of it and Paul's office on the other. Paul's office is on the floor above the supermarket. In the centre of the square there is a fountain, and a man is standing on the near side of it, facing the theatre.

  1. (between) The theatre ...

Point C of 5

by = next to, beside

by means next to or beside.

  • Their cottage is by the river. (= beside the river)
  • Who's that woman by the door?
  • "Is there a cash machine here?" "Yes, by the entrance."

Point C · Extra practice

Put in by.

  1. They live in a cottage the river.

  2. Who's that man standing the window?

  3. There's a cash machine the entrance.

Point D of 5

under

under = directly below something, often covered by it.

  • The dog is under the table.
  • We had our picnic under a tree.
  • I'm wearing a T-shirt under my jumper.

Point D · Extra practice

Put in under.

  1. The cat is asleep the bed.

  2. We sat a tree to get out of the sun.

  3. I always wear a vest my shirt in winter.

Point E of 5

above and below

above = higher than. below = lower than.

The mirror is above the sink. The sink is below the mirror.

  • The mirror is above the sink.
  • The sink is below the mirror.
  • Line A is above the red line. Line B is below it.

Point E · Extra practice

Put in above or below.

  1. There's a light the mirror.

  2. The temperature fell zero last night.

  3. Our neighbours live in the flat ours, so we hear their footsteps.

Put it together · Exercise 109.2 · part 1 of 3

Read each scene and complete the sentence with a preposition.

  1. Example

    A cat curled up on the floor beneath a kitchen table.

    The cat is under the table.

    AnswerThe cat is under the table.

  2. A cottage seen from the road. A tall oak rises up at the back of it.

    There's a tall tree the cottage.

  3. A plane in a clear blue sky with a layer of cloud lower down.

    The plane is flying the clouds.

  4. A woman standing at the side of a piano, one hand resting on it.

    She's standing the piano.

  5. A street. The theatre is on the right-hand side.

    The theatre is the right.

Put it together · Exercise 109.2 · part 2 of 3

Read each scene and complete the sentence with a preposition.

  1. A man sitting at a small table with the landline phone right beside him.

    He's sitting the phone.

  2. A light switch on the wall, lower down than the window.

    The switch is the window.

  3. A kitchen. The cupboard doors are underneath the sink.

    The cupboard is the sink.

  4. A pair of slippers on the floor beneath a bed.

    There are some slippers the bed.

Put it together · Exercise 109.2 · part 3 of 3

Read each scene and complete the sentence with a preposition.

  1. A pot plant on the floor at the side of a piano.

    The plant is the piano.

  2. Two people at a restaurant table, facing each other: Tom and Lucy.

    Tom is sitting Lucy.

  3. A road sign in Britain: KEEP LEFT.

    In Britain we drive the left.

Lesson 109 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: up, over, through etc.Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. next to, between, in front of, behind–Not checkedB. opposite and in front of–Not checkedC. by = next to, beside–Not checkedD. under–Not checkedE. above and below–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

PrepositionsEvery entry, with examples you can hearExercise setsPrepositions, beginner to advanced