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Order your copy of the books on Amazon! This activity helps students understand and practice common prepositions of place (such as “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” “next to”) and time (such as “before,” “after,” “during,” “until”). Through interactive tasks, students will learn how to describe where things are located and when events occur, building their accuracy in everyday conversation.
Student Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Prepositions ESL Activity Preparation:
Prepare a set of flashcards or visual aids with images depicting various locations or arrangements (e.g., a cat sitting under a table, a ball on a shelf). Additionally, create a list of sentences with missing prepositions for students to complete, focusing on prepositions of both place and time. These materials provide a hands-on way for students to visualize and practice different prepositional uses.
Print a classroom map or seating arrangement to use for a group activity where students practice placing items or identifying locations based on prepositional cues.
Prepositions ESL Activity Guidelines:
Begin by introducing or reviewing prepositions of place and time with examples. Explain that prepositions of place describe where things are in relation to others (e.g., “The book is on the table”), while prepositions of time indicate when something happens (e.g., “The class starts at 10 a.m.”). Provide a few examples for each, and write these on the board to give students a reference.
Divide students into pairs or small groups and distribute the prepared flashcards or images. Instruct students to describe the placement of items in each image, practicing sentences like “The dog is in the garden,” or “The cup is next to the plate.”
Each group should take turns explaining where each item is located in their images using the correct prepositions of place. This hands-on practice helps them remember the placement meaning of each preposition.
Next, give students the worksheet with sentences that include blanks for prepositions. Sentences might include, “She arrived ___ 8 p.m.” or “The keys are ___ the drawer.”
Students should fill in each blank with an appropriate preposition, discussing their answers in their groups. For example, they might complete, “She arrived at 8 p.m.” and “The keys are in the drawer.”
Going over their answers as a class reinforces the correct usage and provides an opportunity for any clarifications.
Follow-Up ESL Activities:
For follow-up, assign students a drawing activity where they sketch a simple room and label objects using prepositions of place, such as “The lamp is on the desk.” Additionally, for prepositions of time, have students write a few sentences describing a typical day, including times or events, such as “I wake up at 7 a.m.” and “I have lunch around noon.” This activity helps cement prepositional usage in a personal, practical context.
If time remains, try a fun ESL game like King’s Cup to sum up the lesson.