ON: 

We use on when we refer to a position on a surface (on the table, on the ocean, on

the moon, on the roof, on the bus):
INSIDE: We use inside when we refer to the inner part of something.

NEAR / CLOSE TO: not far away in distance.

UNDER / BELOW: in or to a position below or lower than something else, often so that one
thing covers the other.

OVER: above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other;
above. Examples: (I put my hands over my eyes because I couldn’t bear to watch. Helicopters
dropped leaflets over the city.)

BELOW: in a lower position, or less than a particular amount or level. Examples: (From the top
of the skyscraper the cars below us looked like insects.

Do you usually wear your skirts above or below the knee? His marks in English have been
below average for some time now.)

ABOVE: in or to a higher position than something else. Examples: (There’s a mirror above the
sink. It’s on the shelf just above your head.)

THROUGH: from one end or side of something to the other. Example: (We drove through the
tunnel. They walked slowly through the woods.)

AMONG: in the middle of or surrounded by other things. Example: (I saw a few familiar faces
among the crowd.)

ALONG: from one part of a road, river, etc. to another. Examples: (We walked along the beach
collecting small crabs in a bucket.)

ACROSS FROM / OPPOSITE: from one side to the other of something with clear limits, such as
an area of land, a road, or a river.

INTO: to the inside or middle of a place, container, area, etc. Examples: (Stop running around
and get into bed!)

OUT OF: no longer in a stated place or condition. Examples: (An apple rolled out of the bag.
The patient is now out of danger.)
TOWARDS: in the direction of, or closer to someone or something. Examples: (The country
seems to be drifting towards war. There is a trend towards healthier eating among all sectors of
the population.)

Next to / Beside

Next to and Beside mean the same thing. It usually refers to a thing (or person) that is at the
side of another thing.