Prepositions are small words that tell us where or when something is: in, on, under, behind, between, before, after, during. They link nouns to the rest of the sentence.
What your child will learn
- Use prepositions of place like in, on, under, behind and between
- Use prepositions of time like before, after, during and until
- Find the preposition in a sentence
- Choose the preposition that matches the meaning
Where and when
Prepositions of place answer “where?”: the keys are under the mat. Prepositions of time answer “when?”: we play after lunch. Changing one preposition can change a whole picture — the cat is on the box is very different from the cat is in the box!
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. True or false? “Under” tells you where something is.
Show answer
Answer: True. Under is a preposition of place.
2. Which word fits? “The book is ___ the table.” (on top of it)
- under
- on
- behind
- in
Show answer
Answer: on. On top of the table means “on” the table.
3. Which word fits? “The cat is ___ the box.” (inside it)
📦- under
- in
- on
- behind
Show answer
Answer: in. Inside the box means “in” the box.
Tips for grown-ups
- Hide a toy and give clues with prepositions: “It’s behind something soft.”
- Draw a picture from a description: “Put a bird above the house.”