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Place Prepositions
Up and Down


Place Prepositions up and down. Below you'll find position prepositions that show positional relationships with places being up or down.

Look over the list and then do the exercise that follows.

ABOVE = A. directly higher than something else B. a higher rank or importance C. too good for someone

A. The ball was hit high above his head.
B. In the Catholic Church, the Pope comes above all other ministers.
C. Shouldn't you be above such childish games at your age?

AFTER = slightly inferior

Her opinion is second only after the managing directors.

BELOW = A. directly lower than something B. of lesser rank or importance C. not good enough for someone (idiomatic)

A. There's a large cut on your arm, just below the elbow.
B. In an army a private comes below a sergeant and a sergeant comes below a captain
C. Some people feel that collecting garbage is below them. The would rather starve than pick up trash.

BENEATH = like below but used idiomatically such as...

She always let him know that she thought she married beneath her.

DOWN = at, or in, a lower part

He lives down the hill.

ON = having contact with the surface of something

There's a big pot of chili on the stove.

ON TOP OF = like on above, used for height or emphasis

Put your books on top of the desk, not in it.

OVER = as above, but the object is closer

They're building a new bridge over the river. Have you seen it?

TO = used to express subordinate rank

The Economics Minister is second only to the Prime Minister.

UNDER = like below, but the object is closer

Our city is planning to build a tunnel under the sea.

UNDERNEATH = like under

I caught her underneath the miseltoe and gave her a kiss.

UP = like down, but opposite

We moved further up the river to see if we could catch some fish.

Place Prepositions
Up and Down Exercise



Choose from the drop down menu the word(s) that best complete the sentences below.

1. A colonel is ___ a general in rank, right?
2. She swam ____ the surface of the water to avoid being seen.
3. He's second only ____ the CEO.
4. He set his keys ____ the car after he unlocked the door.
5. She lives ____ the hill near the foot.
6. The vultures circled ____ the dying buffalo.
7. She moved ____ to the tenth floor from the first.
8. Don't put your feet ____ the couch!
9. He thought it was ____ him to do manual labor.
10. They need to make a tunnel ___ the main road for pedestrians.


Your score is



For more information about place prepositions click on the preceding link.