Three ways to explain where something is
These prepositions describe the position of a person or thing in relation to other objects. They help answer questions about where to find something or where to put it.
Under describes a lower position, next to means immediately beside, and between locates something in relation to distinct reference points.
Choose the preposition according to the relationship you want to describe. A thing can be under the table, next to the table, or between the table and the window. The name of the object does not determine the preposition.
The cat is under the table.
The cat is under the table.
The table is the reference point. The cat is below it.
The bank is next to the school.
The bank is next to the school.
The school is the single reference point. The bank is immediately beside it.
The park is between the library and the shop.
The park is between the library and the shop.
The library and the shop are the two reference points. Connect their names with and.
Under: vertically below
Use under when a person or thing is below a reference point: under a table, a bed, a tree or a bridge.
Put the noun phrase directly after under. Include an article or another determiner where needed, but do not add of.
under + (article) + noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The dog is sleeping under the tree.
The dog is sleeping under the tree.
The tree is the reference point, and the dog is below it.
There's a box under the bed.
There's a box under the bed.
The box is in a position below the bed.
The keys are under a pile of papers.
The keys are under a pile of papers.
Choose a or the according to whether the reference point is already identifiable in the context.
Next to: immediately beside
Next to places something immediately beside a reference point. The two things do not have to touch or be at the same height or level.
In this spatial expression, keep both words: next to the window, next to me. Do not omit to. The word next has other uses, as in the next room, but that is a different construction.
next to + (article) + noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
My chair is next to the window.
My chair is next to the window.
The chair is immediately beside the window. The expression does not require them to be at the same height.
The bakery is next to the bank.
The bakery is next to the bank.
The bakery and the bank are neighbouring buildings on the street.
Sit next to me, please.
Sit next to me, please.
A pronoun can also follow next to.
Between: distinct reference points
In the basic pattern, between locates something in relation to two reference points, such as a bank and a café. It does not necessarily mean exactly in the middle.
A single plural phrase can name both reference points: between two friends, between the windows, between them. No and is needed in that pattern. Between can also refer to more than two distinct participants, so “between always means two” is not an absolute rule.
Start with the pattern involving two reference points. Among the trees describes a position within a group or surrounding environment. The choice depends on the relationship, not just the number of objects.
between + noun 1 + and + noun 2
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The pharmacy is between the bakery and the bank.
The pharmacy is between the bakery and the bank.
The sentence names two separate reference points and connects them with and.
Our house is between the river and the hill.
Our house is between the river and the hill.
The same pattern uses two reference points joined by and.
She is sitting between two friends.
She is sitting between two friends.
Two friends already names both reference points, so no and is needed.
Sentence structure: be, determiners and and
A basic location sentence needs a verb: The lamp is next to the bed. Other verbs, such as stand, can also describe position, but do not leave the sentence without a verb.
Use the usual determiners in the noun phrase: under the table, next to my chair, between a bank and a café. The often identifies a reference point that is already known.
With be, form negatives using is not or are not, and form questions by putting is or are before the subject. Sentences with other verbs follow the question and negative patterns for those verbs.
subject + be (+ not) + under / next to / between + reference point(s)
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
The lamp is next to the bed.
The lamp is next to the bed.
Is is required to complete this English sentence pattern.
Is the cat under the table?
Is the cat under the table?
Put is before the subject, the cat, to form the question.
The mirror isn't between the two windows.
The mirror isn't between the two windows.
Use isn’t or is not after the subject to make the sentence negative.
Commonly confused patterns
The same object can appear with different prepositions, but each choice describes a different spatial relationship.
Between the bank usually leaves the relationship incomplete: between the bank and what? Add a second reference point, or use next to the bank if you mean beside it. Plural expressions such as between the buildings or between them already supply multiple reference points.
Keep both words in next to: The shop is next to the bank.
The shop is next to the bank.
The shop is next to the bank.
There is one reference point, the bank. Next to describes the intended relationship.
The shop is between the bank and the café.
The shop is between the bank and the café.
There are two reference points connected by and, so between fits the relationship.
The boundaries of this rule
This lesson focuses on static position. Go under the bridge and walk between the houses describe movement. They are related uses but are not the practice target here.
In, on and at describe relationships such as being inside a container, on a surface or at a point. In front of, behind and opposite belong to neighbouring rules rather than this one.
Under ten minutes and between three and four express other meanings, including quantity and time. They are not examples of spatial position.
The cat ran under the table.
The cat ran under the table.
This example describes movement rather than the static position practised in this lesson.
It took under ten minutes.
It took under ten minutes.
Under means less than here, not a spatial position below something.
Using the rule in conversation
Use these expressions to find objects, give directions and describe places: the keys are under the newspaper; meet next to the entrance; the shop is between the bank and the café.
Choose whether you mean below, beside or between reference points. A negative sentence can help clarify a location when necessary.
I think my glasses are under the newspaper.
I think my glasses are under the newspaper.
This is a natural way to suggest where a missing object might be.
Let's meet next to the main entrance.
Let's meet next to the main entrance.
Next to identifies the proposed meeting place.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The lamp next to the bed.
Correct:The lamp is next to the bed.
Add is to connect the subject, the lamp, to the description of its location.
Incorrect:The keys are under table.
Correct:The keys are under the table.
Table is a singular countable noun and normally needs a determiner here. The fits this context; a or my could fit a different one.
Incorrect:The dog is next the sofa.
Correct:The dog is next to the sofa.
The expression is next to. Do not leave out to.
Incorrect:The cat is under of the table.
Correct:The cat is under the table.
Under takes the noun phrase directly. Do not insert of.
Incorrect:The bookshop is between the cafe or the bakery.
Correct:The bookshop is between the cafe and the bakery.
Connect the two reference points after between with and, not or.
Incorrect:The shop is between the bank.
Correct:The shop is between the bank and the pharmacy.
The bank supplies only one reference point here. Add the second with and the pharmacy. A plural phrase such as the buildings or them would already supply multiple reference points.