Introduction

Prepositions of place are essential for describing where things are located, which is a common requirement in the TOEIC Listening & Reading test. Understanding these prepositions will help you follow instructions, describe settings, and understand dialogues in business contexts.

Explanation

Prepositions of place tell us where something or someone is. Here are some common prepositions of place with examples:

In: Used when something is inside a space. "The documents are in the drawer."
On: Used when something is on a surface. "The report is on the desk."
At: For specific locations. "She is at the reception desk."
Under: Used when something is below or beneath. "The keys are under the chair."
Next to: Used when something is beside or adjacent. "The office is next to the conference room."
Between: Used when something is in the middle of two things. "The printer is between the cabinet and the wall."

Common mistakes

Confusing "in" and "on": Use "in" for enclosed spaces and "on" for surfaces.

Incorrect: "The book is in the table."
Correct: "The book is on the table."

Mixing up "at" and "in": Use "at" for specific points and "in" for larger areas.

Incorrect: "She is in the reception desk."
Correct: "She is at the reception desk."

Tips for the TOEIC test

Listen carefully for prepositions in the Listening section, especially in Part 1 (Photographs) and Part 3 (Conversations).
In the Reading section, pay attention to prepositions in Part 5 (Incomplete Sentences) to ensure you choose the correct word to complete a sentence.
Practice visualizing the location described by prepositions to improve comprehension.

Mini practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition of place: in, on, at, under, next to, or between.

The manager is ______ the meeting room.
The contract is ______ the folder ______ the table.
The coffee shop is ______ the bank and the bookstore.

Answers:

in
in; on
between

Explanation

Prepositions of place tell us where something or someone is. Here are some common prepositions of place with examples:

In: Used when something is inside a space. "The documents are in the drawer."

On: Used when something is on a surface. "The report is on the desk."

At: For specific locations. "She is at the reception desk."

Under: Used when something is below or beneath. "The keys are under the chair."

Next to: Used when something is beside or adjacent. "The office is next to the conference room."

Between: Used when something is in the middle of two things. "The printer is between the cabinet and the wall."

Common mistakes

Confusing "in" and "on": Use "in" for enclosed spaces and "on" for surfaces.

Incorrect: "The book is in the table."

Correct: "The book is on the table."

Mixing up "at" and "in": Use "at" for specific points and "in" for larger areas.

Incorrect: "She is in the reception desk."

Correct: "She is at the reception desk."

Tips for the TOEIC test

Listen carefully for prepositions in the Listening section, especially in Part 1 (Photographs) and Part 3 (Conversations).

In the Reading section, pay attention to prepositions in Part 5 (Incomplete Sentences) to ensure you choose the correct word to complete a sentence.

Practice visualizing the location described by prepositions to improve comprehension.