English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate » Unit 90: Prepositions: place and movement

Word List
  • after [follow sb/sth]
  • against [touching]
  • among
  • above
  • at [place]
  • before [place]
  • below
  • beneath
  • beside [next to]
  • beyond
  • by [near]
  • by [next to]
  • down [to a lower place]
  • in [place]
  • into
  • on [place]
  • out of
  • over [movement]
  • right [exactly]
  • round [movement]
  • through
  • towards
  • under [movement]
  • underneath
Exercises

90.1 ‣ Complete the sentences.

  1. I put the milk the fridge.
  2. They live _____ the next road.
  3. They live _____ 34 Lawrence Street.
  4. Your clothes are _____ the floor.
  5. I met her _____ a party.
  6. She works _____ Moscow.
  7. The dictionary is _____ my desk.
  8. I sat _____ the bed and wrote the letter.
  9. I left my books _____ school.
  10. There was snow _____ the ground when I arrived.
  11. The key is _____ my jacket pocket.
  12. Mausha’s _____ work this morning.

90.2 ‣ Put the prepositions in the box under the correct picture.

  1. beside
  2. towards
  3. out of
  4. down
  5. among
  6. into
  7. up
  8. underneath
  2. _____
  3. _____
  4. _____
  5. _____
  6. _____
  7. _____
  8. _____

90.3 ‣ Complete the dialogues so that B says the opposite to A.

  1. A: Did you go up the hill?
    B: No, .
  2. A: Did you climb over the fence?
    B: No, we went _____.
  3. A: Did you see her get into the car?
    B: No, but I saw her _____.
  4. A: Did you say we had to turn left before the bridge?
    B: No, turn left _____.
  5. A: Does she live in the flat above you?
    B: No, she’s in the flat _____.
  6. A: Did you say the bed was in the middle of the room?
    B: No, it’s _____ the wall.

90.4 ‣

Over to you

Answer the questions, and give reasons for your answers. If possible, compare your answers with someone else.

  1. Is it a good idea to live right beside a hospital?
    _____
  2. Would you like to live above a restaurant?
    _____
  3. Are you happy to drive on icy roads?
    _____
  4. Do you like putting lots of things on your bedroom wall?
    _____
  5. In a plane or train, do you like sitting by the window?
    _____
  6. Would you like to live among lots of rich and famous people?
    _____
Answer Key
A ‣ At, on and in

At a point or place, e.g. I met her at the bus stop. He’s at work at the moment.

On a surface, e.g. The book’s on the desk. They sat on the floor. I put the picture on the wall.

In an area, space, or inside something, e.g. He’s in the kitchen. She lives in Warsaw/Poland. The knife’s in the top drawer.

Common mistakes

I met them at the airport. (NOT I met them on the airport.)

There’s a computer on my desk. (NOT There’s a computer in my desk.)

The conference is being held in Delhi. (NOT The conference is being held at Delhi.)

B ‣ Where exactly?

I know they live in Danvers Street, and I think they’re at number twenty-three.

I’m sure there’s a chemist on the left before the bank. [first there is a chemist, and then a bank; opp after]

Their house is beyond the farm [on the other side of the farm], by [near] the old church.

I saw your bike in the back garden against the wall. [touching the wall]

They’ve just bought a house right [exactly] beside/by [next to] the river.

I found your phone on the sofa beneath/underneath a pile of cushions. [under]

Their office is above the shop (opp below).

You can just see the top of the building among the trees. [somewhere in the middle of the trees]
C ‣ Movement


  1. We came over the bridge (opp under), then through the tunnel and round the lake.

  2. The mouse ran out of the back door (opp into), towards the gate, then disappeared down a hole.

  3. The woman came after us [followed in order to catch us], but we managed to climb into the back of my dad’s van. Fortunately she went past the van and didn’t see us.

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