How can you tell they’ve got it: Prepositions?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Use prepositions correctly in sentences (e.g. 'on the table', 'under the bed'); Follow instructions involving prepositions (e.g. 'Put the book on the shelf'); Describe positions using prepositional phrases. Or just try it together: If you ask your child to describe where something is — like where the cup is on the table — can they use little words like "on", "under", "next to", or "by" correctly?

English Grammar & Punctuation Ages 5–7

Prepositions

Your child can use position words like on, in, under and by. They can follow an order like put the book on the shelf.

In curriculum terms

Understand and use the most frequently occurring prepositions of location and direction (e.g. to, from, in, out, on, off, for, by, with)

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Use prepositions correctly in sentences (e.g. 'on the table', 'under the bed')
Follow instructions involving prepositions (e.g. 'Put the book on the shelf')
Describe positions using prepositional phrases

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If you ask your child to describe where something is — like where the cup is on the table — can they use little words like "on", "under", "next to", or "by" correctly?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Listening and respondingages 4–11Listening and responding supports learning prepositions

Prepositionsthis skill · ages 5–7

Unlocks

Expressing Time, Place and Causeages 7–8Using prepositions for time/cause builds on Y1 prepositions

Expanded noun phrasesages 9–10Constructing prepositional phrases requires knowledge of the most frequent prepositions of location and direction

Conjunctions, Prepositions and Interjectionsages 10–11Word functions builds on understanding prepositions

Expanded noun phrasesages 8–10Preposition phrases within NPs rely on preposition knowledge

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Basic Nouns & Verbsages 5–6 Capitals for Names, Days and Iages 5–7 Grammar words: letter, word, sentenceages 5–6 Joining Words with 'And'ages 5–7

All Grammar & Punctuation skills →