Position Words: Over, Under, Beside
Position words tell us exactly where something is compared to something else.
Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Position Words: Over, Under, Beside as an interactive lesson.
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Position words are special words that describe where one thing is in relation to another thing. 'Over' means above or on top of something. 'Under' means below or beneath something. 'Beside' means next to something, on either the left or right side.
Remember the rule
Ask yourself: Is it UP? Say OVER. Is it DOWN? Say UNDER. Is it ON THE SIDE? Say BESIDE.
Key words
- over
- Above something or on top of it, like a bird flying over a tree
- under
- Below something or beneath it, like a cat hiding under a bed
- beside
- Right next to something, on one side of it, like a dog sitting beside you
- position word
- A word that tells us WHERE something is
- above
- Another way to say 'over' — higher up than something else
- below
- Another way to say 'under' — lower down than something else
- next to
- Another way to say 'beside' — right alongside something
- object
- The thing we are talking about when we say where it is
Worked examples
The ball is _____ the table. (The ball is on the floor below the table.)
→ The ball is UNDER the table. · Under tells us the ball is in a lower place than the table.
The rainbow is _____ the house. (The rainbow is up in the sky above the house.)
→ The rainbow is OVER the house. · Over tells us the rainbow is higher up than the house.
The backpack is _____ the chair. (The backpack is right next to the chair on one side.)
→ The backpack is BESIDE the chair. · Beside tells us the backpack is on the side of the chair, not above or below it.
The umbrella is _____ her head. (She is holding the umbrella up high to stay dry.)
→ The umbrella is OVER her head. · Over can also mean something is covering or sheltering something from above.
The shoes are _____ the bed. (The shoes are on the floor right below the bed.)
→ The shoes are UNDER the bed.
The crayon is _____ the book. (The crayon is lying right next to the book on the desk.)
→ The crayon is BESIDE the book. · Either side counts — left or right — as long as it is next to the object.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 'over' and 'under' — remember: OVER is UP high, UNDER is DOWN low
- Thinking 'beside' means far away — beside always means RIGHT NEXT TO, almost touching
- Using 'over' when the object is sitting on top and touching — if the cat is sitting ON the box, say 'on,' not 'over'
- Forgetting that 'beside' can be on either the left side or the right side — both are correct
- Confusing 'under' with 'behind' — under means below, not in back of something
FAQs
What is the difference between 'over' and 'on'?
'On' means something is touching the top of something, like a cup ON a table. 'Over' means something is above but not necessarily touching, like a plane flying OVER a city.
Can I use 'beside' and 'next to' to mean the same thing?
Yes! 'Beside' and 'next to' mean the same thing. Your teacher may use both words, and either one is correct.
What if something is both beside AND under something?
Pick the word that best describes the most important thing about where it is. If the dog is mostly below the table, say 'under.' If it is mostly to the side, say 'beside.'
Is 'over' the same as 'above'?
They are very close in meaning. 'Over' and 'above' both mean up higher than something. In kindergarten, you can use them as the same word.
How do I remember which word to use?
Look at the picture or the real object. Ask: is it UP high? Say over. Is it DOWN low? Say under. Is it on the SIDE? Say beside.
Do position words only work with real objects?
No! Position words also work in stories and sentences. You can say 'the dragon flew OVER the castle' even in a made-up story.
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