Grade 5 English Prepositions – Time, Place And Direction Notes

English Notes — Prepositions: Time, Place and Direction

Subject: English • Subtopic: Time, Place and Direction
Level: Age 10 (Kenya) — simple rules and examples you can use every day.

1. Prepositions of Time ⏰

Use these to talk about when something happens.

• in — months, years, seasons, parts of the day. Examples: in July, in 2022, in the morning. (e.g., "We go to school in July." )
• on — days and dates. Examples: on Monday, on 12th August. (e.g., "We have assembly on Monday.")
• at — exact times and some fixed times (night, noon). Examples: at 7:30, at noon, at night. (e.g., "The lesson starts at 8:00 a.m.")
• for / since — length of time / from a time until now. Examples: for two hours, since 2019.
• during — while something happens. Example: during the exam.

2. Prepositions of Place 📍

These show where something is.

• in — inside an area, city or country. Examples: in a room, in Nairobi, in Kenya. ("She lives in Kisumu.")
• on — on a surface or a street. Examples: on the table, on the road. ("The book is on the desk.")
• at — a point or place (often for buildings and events). Examples: at school, at the market. ("Meet me at the school gate.")
• next to, near — close by. ("The shop is next to the bank.")
• under, above, behind, in front of, between — other position words. Example: "The ball is under the chair."

3. Prepositions of Direction ➡️

Use these when talking about movement or where someone goes.

• to — towards a place (destination). Example: "We went to Mombasa." (direction: going there)
• into — going inside something. Example: "She walked into the house."
• out of — coming from inside to outside. Example: "He ran out of the room."
• from — starting point. Example: "The bus left from Nairobi."
• through, across, past, along, towards — other direction words. Example: "They walked across the bridge."

Examples (Kenyan context)

• "Our school opens in January." (time)
• "The party is on Friday." (time)
• "We meet at the school gate at 7:30 a.m." (place + time)
• "He walked to the market from the house." (direction + start)
• "The cat is under the mango tree." (place)

Practice — Fill in the blanks

Choose: in, on, at, to, from, into, under

1. School starts _____ 8:00 a.m.
2. We go to church _____ Sunday.
3. She lives _____ Nairobi.
4. He walked _____ the market.
5. The book is _____ the table.
6. The cat jumped _____ the box.

Little tips for learners

• Make short sentences and practise: "I go to school at 7." / "The cat is under the chair."
• Use Kenyan places you know (Nairobi, Kisumu, market, school) to make practice sentences.
• If unsure, ask: Is it a day/date? (use on) Is it an exact time? (use at)

Practice daily — prepositions become easy with small steps. Good luck!