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Shadowing practice: Prepositions of Place - Visual Vocabulary Lesson

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Full transcript

  1. Hi, I'm Kasia.0:00
  2. Welcome to Oxford Online English.0:02
  3. In this lesson, you can learn about prepositions of place in English.0:05
  4. You can see how to use several different prepositions and prepositional phrases to say where something is.0:09
  5. In this video, we won't go into detail on prepositions at, on and in.0:16
  6. We'll make a separate video for these three, because that's a big topic by itself.0:22
  7. Maybe we've already published the video.0:28
  8. Check our channel to see if it's there.0:30
  9. Before we start, don't forget to visit our website, Oxford Online English .com.0:33
  10. You can see all our free English lessons and also book classes with one of our professional teachers, in case you need extra help with your English.0:39
  11. Also, don't forget to turn on subtitles.0:48
  12. This video has subtitles in English and possibly in other languages too.0:52
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  1. Click CC in the bottom right corner of your video player now.0:56
  2. Ready to start?1:01
  3. Let's see how to use prepositions of place in English.1:03
  4. The egg is in the bowl, or the egg is inside the bowl.1:08
  5. The egg is on top of the bowl.1:15
  6. In and inside generally have the same meaning.1:20
  7. If you can choose, then it's better to use in.1:25
  8. Use inside when you want to emphasise that something is surrounded on all sides.1:29
  9. For example, inside an egg, you can find two parts, the white and the yolk.1:36
  10. The egg is in front of the bowl.1:45
  11. The egg is behind the bowl.1:50
  12. The egg is on the left of the bowl.1:54
  13. The egg is on the right of the bowl.1:58
  14. You can also say to the left or to the right.2:02
  15. There's no the egg is near the bowl.2:12
  16. Next to and near are similar, but not the same.2:18
  17. Next to is more precise.2:23
  18. If you say the egg is next to the bowl, you mean there isn't much space between the bowl and the egg.2:26
  19. They're very close to each other.2:32
  20. Near is less precise.2:34
  21. If you say the egg is near the bowl, you mean that there isn't a lot of distance between the bowl and the egg, but it doesn't tell you exactly2:36
  22. how close they are.2:45
  23. You can also use beside and by, which are similar to next to.2:47
  24. Next to is more common in most situations.2:52
  25. So, you can say the egg is next to the bowl, or the egg is beside the bowl, or the egg is by the bowl.2:57
  26. All three have the same meaning, although in practice, you would probably always use next to.3:09
  27. If you're not sure, use next to.3:16
  28. What about near?3:19
  29. Near could mean closer or further away.3:22
  30. The egg is near the bowl could mean that the egg is in many different positions.3:26
  31. The egg is between the bowls.3:33
  32. The egg is among the bowls.3:38
  33. Between and among both have the meaning of in the middle of or surrounded by.3:42
  34. Between is more specific.3:51
  35. Between means in the middle of two things.3:54
  36. Among means in the middle of many things.3:59
  37. He's holding the egg over the bowl.4:03
  38. He's holding the egg above the bowl.4:07
  39. He's holding the egg under the bowl.4:11
  40. He's holding the egg below the bowl.4:15
  41. Over and above are similar as prepositions of place.4:18
  42. Often you can use either preposition and the meaning is the same.4:23
  43. Be careful.4:27
  44. If you're talking about movement, then over and above are different.4:28
  45. Over and under are opposites.4:33
  46. Above and below are opposites.4:36
  47. Like over and above, under and below are often the same.4:39
  48. Often the same.4:46
  49. So when are they different?4:48
  50. There's one important difference.4:50
  51. If something completely covers something else, you can only use over and under.4:53
  52. He put the bowl over the egg.5:00
  53. The egg is under the bowl.5:03
  54. You need to use over and under because the bowl covers the egg completely.5:07
  55. The bowls are opposite each other.5:15
  56. Use opposite when two things are on different sides of something else.5:19
  57. For example, if you're sitting at a table and I'm sitting on the other side facing you, then we're sitting opposite each other.5:25
  58. You can also say across from, which is more conversational but has the same meaning.5:36
  59. That's the end of the lesson.5:43
  60. Thanks for watching.5:45

Improve your english accent: British prepositions of place lesson

Improve your english accent by working through this British English grammar lesson on prepositions of place, taught by Kasia, a native speaker from Oxford Online English. At B1 level and 160 words per minute, it moves at natural teaching pace, faster than most recordings in the shadowing catalogue. The content uses a simple visual system (an egg positioned in, on, behind and beside a bowl) to show how English marks spatial relationships. This is ideal english speaking practice for learners who understand how formal instruction sounds. The straightforward examples make it a perfect way to learn British English pronunciation for intermediate learners.

How to pronounce english prepositions: next to versus near

How to pronounce english prepositions correctly requires understanding the subtle differences between words like "next to" and "near", and this clip makes those differences clear. The lesson opens with clarity on purpose: "You can see how to use several different prepositions and prepositional phrases to say where something is."

As the lesson builds, notice how Kasia uses precise language to define meaning. She says, "Next to and near are similar, but not the same." Then: "If you say the egg is next to the bowl, you mean there isn't much space between the bowl and the egg." This if-then pattern (if you say X, you mean Y) is how English speakers teach grammar and clarify meaning.

Repeating this structure is a form of english shadowing practice that trains you to hear and use these teaching patterns yourself. The language patterns you encounter here appear across lectures and formal explanations.

  • "Next to is more precise" repeats twice in different contexts, showing how native speakers emphasise contrasts through repetition
  • Listen to stress placement on "inside" when contrasted with "in"; native speakers stress the changed word to mark and teach the distinction
  • "There isn't much space between the bowl and the egg" and "there isn't a lot of distance" show variation in phrasing while meaning stays constant

Shadow this lesson on prepositions line by line

Shadow this lesson on prepositions line by line to strengthen your grasp of grammar and build confidence with B1 level English speaking.

  • Begin with lines 3 and 4. Repeat them until they fit your natural rhythm and delivery matches Kasia's pacing.
  • Move to lines 16 and 17, where examples begin. "The egg is in the bowl, or the egg is inside the bowl." and "The egg is on top of the bowl." Notice how one word differs; this focused repetition trains precision.
  • Practise lines 22 to 26, where Kasia lists positions in parallel. Identical rhythm and structure make these natural for repeating this section multiple times.
  • Focus on lines 28 to 31, where she explains "next to" versus "near" using her if-then pattern. Repeating this teaches you both the grammar rules and the language pattern teachers use.
  • Finish with lines 35 to 36, hearing how she summarises related terms. Practising the ending reinforces the distinctions you have worked on throughout the clip.
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