Above or below? Below and Under, Above and Over. Prepositions of place in English What is the difference between under and underneath
Would you be so kind as to compare the prepositions under, below, beneath What are their similarities and what are their differences?
Cindy Wang, Taiwan
- Answer
Hello Cindy. This is a good question and I "m sure that a lot of people have asked themselves this question. I can give you a general answer because vocabulary tends to be a bit fuzzy around the edges, but here goes.
Hey Cindy. This is a good question, and I'm sure many people have asked themselves the same question. I can give you a general answer because the dictionary is usually a bit vague, but let's get started.
First of all, to make the difference between under and below. Both of these words can mean "in a lower position than", so there"sa sense in which they mean the same thing. But we use them sometimes in different circumstances, for example, if you"re talking about something being covered by something , we use " under". So, "I hid the key under a rock". Or, "officials said there was nothing under President Bush"s jacket".
First, let's define the difference between under and below. Both of these words can mean "lower than", in this sense they are the same. But we sometimes use them in different situations, for example, when talking about an object covered by another object, we use " under (under)". So, "I hid the key under stone (I hid the key under a rock)". Or, "the authorities reported that under President Bush's jacket was nothing (officials said there was nothing under President Bush "s jacket)".
You use below when you "re talking about something that" s not physically immediately under, or not necessarily immediately under. So you say, "below the surface of the water". That might be anywhere below the surface of the water, not necessarily just touching it. Or, "twenty miles below the earth"s surface", definitely not immediately under it. And, by extension, we say things like, "below the poverty line".
You're using below, talking about something that is not physically located directly under another object, or does not necessarily have to be directly under another object. So you say, " under water surface - or - below water surface level ( below the surface of the water)." This could be anywhere below the surface of the water, not necessarily directly below it. Or, "twenty miles below earth's surface (twenty miles below the earth "s surface)", obviously not directly below it. And in addition, we use below in phrases like " below poverty lines ( below the poverty line).
We also use under when we "re talking about "younger than" or "less than". So, "under a dozen times", "under the age of ten". Whereas we use below, if we"re visualizing a kind of vertical scale. So, "below sea level", "below average", "an IQ below 80", "radio waves below 22 kHz".
We also use under when we mean "younger than" or "less than". So, " less dozen times ( under a dozen times)", " before 10 years ( under the age of ten)". Although to express what can be thought of as a vertical scale, we use below. So, " below sea level ( below sea level)", " below medium ( below average)", "IQ below 80 (an I.Q. below 80)", "radio waves below 22 kHz (radio waves below 22 kHz).
There are a number of fixed expressions, so, for example, a lot of expressions about what"s happening while something else is going on, or because of certain conditions, or controlled by something or someone. So we say, "under construction" , "under fire", "under attack", "under arrest", "under these conditions", "under scrutiny", "under pressure", "under the Ceausescu regime". All of those form a kind of a family.
There are a large number of set expressions, such as, for example, where one action occurs simultaneously with another, or those that describe certain conditions, or where control over something or someone is implied. So, we say, "under construction", "under fire", "under attack", "under arrest", "under these conditions". )", "under supervision, under close attention (under scrutiny)", "under the Ceausescu regime (under the Ceausescu regime)". All these expressions form something like a family.
so what about beneath? well, beneath is basically more literal, or formal, and we use it in many of the same senses. But there are lots of fixed phrases, and so what you want to do is just read a lot and note when one is used and when the other is used. I hope those will give you some general guide lines, and that you"ll enjoy keeping learning about these three fascinating words.
Prepositions of place in any language are used more often than others. They help describe the location of an object in space. There are many prepositions of place in English. Here they are:
Prepositions on, in and at to indicate a place.
The prepositions of place on, in and at are used more often than others. Each of these prepositions is multi-valued.
In / inside
The prepositions among and between.
The prepositions among and between are similar in meaning, but are not interchangeable, so you need to clearly differentiate their meanings.
Between - between 2 objects / persons.
Among - among several objects / persons.
There was a violent collision between the two galaxies. There was a strong collision between these two galaxies.
The minister called for cooperation better among French speaking States. - The Minister called for closer cooperation between the French-speaking states.
Beside, near, next to, by.
Beside, near, next to, by are another group of similar prepositions. But unlike the previous pair, these prepositions mean Near interchangeable.
next to the stove / beside the stove / near the stove / by the stove - near the stove.
next to Kyle / beside Kyle / near Kyle / by Kyle - near Kyle
- Bobby was sitting next to Mr. Briggs.
- Bobby was sitting beside Mr. Briggs.
- Bobby was sitting near Mr. Briggs.
- Bobby was sitting by Mr. Briggs.
- Bobby sat next to Mr. Briggs.
Beside has another meaning - outside, beyond.
- beside my understanding - outside of my understanding
Prepositions inside and outside.
The prepositions of place inside and outside are easy to use. They only have one value each, so you won't get confused.
Prepositions of place round and around.
The prepositions round and around have much in common, but are not completely identical. Both prepositions matter around :
- round the fires - around the lights,
- round a plantation - around the plantation,
- around the police car - around the police car,
- around a fire - around the fire.
In addition, around as a preposition of time can be translated as near , nearby :
- around here - not far from here,
- around Asmara - not far from Asmara.
In front of, opposite and behind.
The prepositions in front of, opposite, and behind are often used to describe the location of objects in relation to each other.
- in front of - before,
- opposite - on the contrary,
- behind - behind, behind.
Greg went on gazing in front of him as calmly as before. Greg continued to calmly look ahead.
Molly parked her car in front of the office. Molly parked in front of the office.
The fisherman sat down opposite me. The fisherman sat opposite me.
In the left corner opposite the door there were several ikons. - In the left corner against the door hung several icons.
Jack slammed the door behind the old woman. Jack slammed the door behind the elderly woman.
She noticed Peter stick his tongue out at her behind the doctor's back. She noticed that Peter was sticking his tongue out behind the doctor's back.
Be careful when using these prepositions of place to describe the location of buildings. Many people confuse in front of and opposite. Opposite is always across the road. But in front of means that both buildings are on the same side of the road. Compare:
Prepositions above and below, over and under.
English prepositions of place above and over indicate a higher position of one object in relation to another.
Prepositions below and under indicate a lower position. Consider each of these prepositions of place separately and with examples.
Above
Over
The prepositions of place above and over are very similar in meaning over. But there is a slight difference between them.
We will use over if the objects we describe are in contact or if one object is used to protect another, and above if the objects are located at a distance from each other and we are only interested in the spatial component.
Molly put on a coat over her dress. Molly put on her coat over her dress.
The sky is above us. The sky is above us.
This rule is not always used, however, if you cannot decide which preposition of place to choose, feel free to follow it.
Below - below, under.
The cargo space is below the quarters and below that there is a power room.
Under the living compartment is the hold, and even lower - the engine room.
Under
The difference between under and below is that we use under when one item is under the protection of another or in close proximity, and the preposition below - when we are talking about geographic or logical location.
It was raining and we decided to stay under the roof. It was raining and we decided to stay under the roof.
You can find further information below this chart. – You can find further information under this table.
The Dead Sea shores are 425 meters below sea level. – The Dead Sea coast is 425 meters below sea level.
beyond
Consider the English preposition of place beyond.
To
The preposition to is used as a preposition of place in the only case - in.
Molly has never been to Kenya. Molly has never been to Kenya.
I have tried to describe in great detail. use of prepositions of place in English because you will need them very often.
We need prepositions of place to talk about the position or location of someone / something. We use them very often in our speech. For instance:
“The book is on the table. Children at school. Bag in the car. We are in Park".
In English, difficulties in use are caused by the prepositions in, at, on, which are very often confused and used incorrectly.
However, it is very important to learn how to use these prepositions correctly, since the meaning of the sentence will change depending on which preposition you choose.
In the article I will tell you how not to get confused in them.
From the article you will learn:
Prepositions of place in English
Prepositions of place indicate the position and location of an object / person in space.
In English, there are the following prepositions of place:
- above- above;
- below- below;
- before- before, at;
- behind- behind, behind;
- under- under (something);
- over- over;
- between- between;
- among- among;
- near, by, beside- near, near, at;
- outside- outside, behind;
- in front of- front;
- opposite- against;
- at- v;
- in- v;
- on- on the;
Let's look at a visual representation of the use of the main prepositions of place.
Today we will focus on the prepositions on, in and at.
Using the preposition of place on in English
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Preposition on
Translation: on the.
Transcription:[ɒn] / [he].
Pretext on most often we use when we say that something is on the surface. For example: "The cup is on the table."
Examples
However, the on preposition has a few more uses.
We use on when we say:
1. About the situation on the road, river, seashore, lakeshore.
for instance
They lived on the coast of a river.
They lived on the banks of the river.
St.Petersburg lies on the Neva.
St. Petersburg is located on the Neva.
2. About the floor in the building.
for instance
We live on the 8th floor.
We live on the 8th floor.
They work on the 15th floor.
They work on the 15th floor.
3. That we are physically in public transport (bus, metro, train, plane).
for instance
She was on the bus, when he called.
She was on the bus when he called.
I like to read books on the metro.
I like reading books on the subway.
Using the preposition in in English
Preposition in
Translation: v.
Transcription:[ɪn] / [in].
Pretext in we use when we say that a person/thing is inside something. Here it means specific place or building. For example: "I hid from the rain in the store."
Examples
We put the books in a box.
We put the books in a box (the books are inside the box).
He is waiting for me in a car.
He is waiting for me in the car (he is inside the car).
We also use in in the following cases:
1. With the names of the cardinal points (north, south, west, east).
for instance
Penguins live in the north.
Penguins live in the north.
The city lies in the west.
The city is located in the west.
2. With cities, countries.
for instance
We live in Moscow.
We live in Moscow.
She would like to live in New-York.
She would like to live in New York.
Using the preposition at in English
Preposition at
Translation: v.
Transcription:[æt] / [et].
Pretext at we use when we are somewhere for a specific purpose. For example: "He invited me to the cinema." From this example, it can be seen that he invited not just to stand in the cinema building, but for a specific purpose - to watch a movie.
for instance
They are at the hospital.
They are in the hospital (they are in the hospital to recover, not just stand in the building).
We are eating at a restaurant.
We eat in a restaurant (we are in a restaurant to eat, not just stand in it).
Also, the preposition at is used when something/someone is located:
1. At a specific point, point (at a bus stop, at a corner, at an intersection).
for instance
He is sitting at the bus stop.
He is sitting at the bus stop.
They waited for me at a corner.
They were waiting for me at the corner.
2. At an event, some kind of event.
for instance
We are at a concert.
We are at a concert.
They met at a conference.
They met at a conference.
3. In the immediate vicinity, at.
for instance
Her dog is sitting at the door.
Her dog is at the door.
She is standing at a window.
She was standing at the window.
What is the difference between in and at?
Let's take another look at the difference between these prepositions.
In we use when we are inside something.
They are in school.
They are at school.
The sentence says that they are in the school building. They are not somewhere on the site or on a tour, they are inside this building.
At we use when we are somewhere with a specific purpose.
They are at school.
They are at school.
In this sentence, we mean that they are at school, they went there to study, they can now be in the school itself, on the site next to the school, or even go on a school trip to the museum.
General table of using prepositions on, in, at
Let's take another look at the use of these prepositions.
| On | In | At |
| Someone/something is on the surface on
the
table The floor |
We are inside something (meaning the building itself) in
the
room
in the shop |
We are somewhere with a purpose at
work at the cinema |
| We talk about the situation on the road, river, seashore, lakeshore. on the coast on the river |
Use with the names of the cardinal directions (north, south, west, east)in the north in the north in the south |
We are located at a specific point, point (at a bus stop, at a corner, at an intersection) at the corner at the bus stop |
| We are on floor in the building on the 9th floor on the 11th floor |
Use with cities and countries in Moscow in London |
We are at an event at a concert at a conference |
| We say that we are physically in public transport at a certain moment on the bus on the train |
We are in close proximity to something at a door at a window |
So, we have analyzed the theory, and now let's move on to practice.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English:
1. She sleeps in the room.
2. They are in the theater.
3. Things are in the suitcase.
4. Apples on the table.
5. We are standing at a crossroads.
6. He lives in London.
Many prepositions in English have the same translation, so we are often at a loss: which preposition to choose and what is the difference between them? From this article you will learn what is the difference between the prepositions below , under , beneath , underneath .
All these prepositions have the same translation into Russian: under. Despite this, each preposition has its own characteristics, which we are talking about today.
In the meaning of "lower than" relative to the location of the subject, both below and under can be used:
You must choose a suggestion below, if the item is below another, but not hidden under another item directly below it:
We decided to put up our tent 500m below the top of the mountain. - We decided to put up a tent 500 meters below the top of the mountain.
In other words, below indicates the position of items relative to each other on a vertical plane. For example, pictures hanging on the wall:
The green pictures are below the blue picture. - Green paintings under/below blue.
The plane descended and flew below the clouds. - The plane descended and flew below the clouds.
The preposition below is used when talking about measurements on a vertical scale (temperature, altitude, sea level):
The temperature is below in winter. - The temperature drops below zero in winter.
The test proved that his intelligence is below average. - The test confirmed that his mental abilities are below average.
This valley is located below the sea level. - This valley is located below sea level.
Pretext under describes the position of objects in three-dimensional space, if one object covers another, hides the other under itself, or these two objects are in contact with each other:
The dog is under the table. - The dog is under the table.
I wore a shirt under the jacket. - I put on a shirt under a jacket.
The old wharf is now under water. - The old pier is now under water.
The preposition under is part of many combinations (often with), with which it is translated in different ways. Below cannot be used in these expressions.
The preposition under can refer to:
- being under any influence, action, impact:
She was under impression and couldn't say a word. She was under the impression and could not say a word.
Under any circumstances you open the door. Under no circumstances should this door be opened.
- being under control, under control, in subjection:
The situation is under control. - The situation is under my control.
The princess was under the witch's spell. - The princess was under a witch's spell.
- compulsion, obligation, bound by an oath, a promise; compliance with laws, rules, promises:
Under the contract, we dispatch the goods next week. - According to the contract, we have to ship the goods next week.
Under the terms of agreement, you the full refund. - Under the terms of the agreement, you will receive a full refund.
- pseudonym under which the author writes, fictitious name:
She wrote her first books under the pen-name. She wrote her first books under a pseudonym.
He chats on the forum under nick-name. - He communicates on the forum under an assumed name.
- “less”, “less than”, “younger than”:
Children under 12 are not to ride this roller coaster. - Children under 12 are not allowed to ride these slides.
We expected 100 people to come, but under 50 visited the presentation. - We expected 100 people to come, but less than 50 attended the conference.
Underneath sometimes used instead under, but only to describe the physical position (one object covers another). Underneath conveys the idea of emotionality, and emphasizes the location of the subject. In colloquial speech, underneath is a more “emotional” version of the preposition under:
The preposition underneath is used with the names of items of clothing, when something is worn “underneath” or worn to hide something (for example, figure defects):
He wore a T-shirt underneath his sweater. He put on a T-shirt under the bottom of his sweater.
She hides her round hips underneath loose skirts. - She hides her full hips under loose skirts.
Beneath- a more bookish, formal word and is used more in literature and writing:
The lovers were sitting beneath a branchy tree. The lovers were sitting under a spreading tree.
The village was hidden beneath the sea forever. - The village has disappeared under sea water forever.
In addition, beneath is often used in set phrases with abstract nouns:
Your performance was under criticism. - Your performance was below any criticism.
The latest movie of this director is beneath notice. - The last film of this director does not deserve attention.
Beneath - can mean "lower in level", "lower in rank", "worse", "unworthy":
They consider us beneath their rank. They think we are below their level.
The banker's son married a young woman who is beneath him. - The son of a banker married a girl who is lower in rank.
It will be beneath me to act in such a way. - It would be unworthy of me to behave in this way.
Beneath and underneath convey the idea of concealment, veiling behind appearance: “under the mask, under the guise, under the guise”:
Nobody knows what is beneath/underneath her smile. - No one knows what is hidden under her smile.
A discord beneath/underneath the image of happy family life. - Discord is hidden under the guise of a happy family life.
There is cruelty and heartlessness beneath/underneath the mask of simplicity and innocence. - Cruelty and heartlessness is hidden under the mask of simplicity and innocence.
Use the acquired knowledge and communicate in English fluently. I wish you success!
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English prepositions. Pronunciation, use cases and examples of using the preposition under in English.
- Under
- - [ˈʌndə] -
listen online
The preposition under is used:
1 With the value under to denote a place.
- In this case, it indicates the location of one object below another, under, and is opposite in meaning to the preposition over. (preposition: over):
The toy was lying under the table. - The toy was under the table.
He left the basket with apples under the tree. - He left a basket of apples under a tree.
- To indicate the location below the surface of something:
She can easily swim under the water. - She can easily swim underwater.
- To indicate being next to smth., with the meaning of y, near, under:
She had a beautiful birthmark just under her right eye. She had a beautiful mole right under her right eye.
2 to indicate being under power, control, command, subordination to someone or under a burden, weight, pressure, threat of something.
He got under the influence of a street gang. - He fell under the influence of a street gang.
I am glad to work under his guidance (control, management, command). - I am glad to work under his leadership (control, management, team). The girl didn't know how to act under the fire.- The girl did not know how to behave under fire (shelling).
3 With a value less than . In this case, it is opposite in meaning to the preposition above. (preposition: above):
under one hundred people were on the meeting. There were less than a hundred people at the meeting.
You can get a credit if you are under fifty. - You can get a loan if you are under fifty years old.
4 To indicate compliance with any norms, laws, agreements, conditions (in the broad sense).
In spite of the fact that he was under oath, he lied. - Despite the fact that he was under oath (given an oath), he lied.
under the terms of agreement (contract) we must be done with construction by January. - Under the terms of the agreement (contract), we must complete the construction by January.
5 To indicate inclusion in a group, column, paragraph, section, etc., in the meaning of under, to.
The article was published under the head Mystery. - The article was published under the heading "Mystery".
His first story was published under a pen-name. - His first story was published under a pseudonym.
adverb under
Under can also be used as an adverb with the following meanings:
- Down, down, down, down:
Was the book on the table? No, it was under. - Was the book on the table? No, she was downstairs (under the table). - Below (by position, rank), subordinated to:
One big oil-and-gas company kept the rest oil companies under occupying the international market.
- One big oil and gas company controlled the rest of the oil companies, occupying the international market. - Unconscious, unconscious:
John did not know how to help me while I was under.
John didn't know how to help me while I was unconscious. - Below (by price, value); less (by number) :
I hoped he would give me one hundred dollars, but I got under.
- I was hoping he would give me a hundred dollars, but I got less.
Expressions with under :
- to be considered - be considered
- to be under construction - to be built
- to be under discussion - to be discussed
- to be under repair - to be repaired
- under the circumstances - under these circumstances
- under the contract- under the contract (agreement), in accordance with the contract (agreement)
