3
On, under and above
Learner’s Book 1: Unit 6, pp. 91–93
GoalUse the words on, under, in, above and below to say where something is.
New words
on · touching the top of somethingunder · lower than something, below itabove · higher than somethingbelow · lower than something
Explanation
We use position words to tell people where things are. If I put a ball on a box, the ball is touching the top of the box. If a cat sleeps under a chair, it is lower than the chair. If the pencil is in the pencil case, it is inside. Above means higher up, and below means lower down. A cloud is above a tree, and a tree is below a cloud. Good position words help others to find things.
From the top down
| cat |
| bed |
| shoe |
Worked examples
Look at the picture: the cat is on the bed. The shoe is under the bed. The cat is above the shoe, and the shoe is below the cat.
| cloud |
| bird |
| tree |
The pencil is in the case. We say in when something is inside.
Class activity
Hide and tell: hide a small toy somewhere safe in the room (on a shelf, under a cushion, in a box). Your partner asks, ‘Where is it?’ and you answer with a position word. Then swap roles.
Practice
1
What is on the desk?
| lamp |
| desk |
| bag |
the lamp
2
What is under the shelf?
| clock |
| shelf |
| box |
the box
3
A ball is inside a box. Which word do we use: on, under or in?
in
4
Mia puts her shoe under the chair. Is the shoe above the seat or below the seat?
below the seat