Prepositions of place tell us where something is. In a hotel, you use them every day: The gym is on the third floor or The bar is next to the restaurant. This lesson focuses on seven common prepositions: in, on, at, next to, between, behind and opposite.
We use in for inside a place: in the hotel, in the room. We use on for floors and surfaces: on the first floor, on the table. We use at for a specific point: at the reception, at the door. We use next to for something beside something else: The gym is next to the lift. We use between for two things, one on each side: The bar is between the restaurant and the gym. We use behind for something at the back: The kitchen is behind the restaurant. We use opposite for something across from another thing: The swimming pool is opposite the gym.
A very common pattern in English is subject + is + preposition + place. Look at the sentences below and notice the pattern. The noun after the verb is is a preposition of place, and after that preposition comes the place in the hotel.
Preposition
Meaning
Example
in
inside
The key is in my bag.
on
on a surface / floor
The restaurant is on the first floor.
at
at a specific point
Meet me at the reception.
next to
beside
The gym is next to the lift.
between
on two sides
The bar is between the lobby and the restaurant.
behind
at the back
The kitchen is behind the restaurant.
opposite
across from
The pool is opposite the gym.
Remember: we say on the first floor (UK English), and we always use the with hotel places: the gym, the restaurant, the bar.
Generating translation…
The gym is next to the swimming pool.
The restaurant is on the ground floor.
Required
Look at the two sentences above. What comes after the noun (for example, 'the gym' or 'the restaurant')?
a number
a preposition of place
the verb 'is'
Required
The bar is ___ to the restaurant.
Required
The lift is ___ the gym and the restaurant.
Required
Where is the swimming pool? It is ___ the hotel.
next to
in
on
Required
The reception is behind the lobby.
False. The reception is usually *in* or *next to* the lobby, not behind it.
Required
Put the words in order to make a sentence.
swimming
pool
is
The
next
to
the
lift
Required
Drag the correct preposition into each sentence.
behind
opposite
next to
between
The restaurant is the bar.
The gym is the reception.
The swimming pool is the gym.
The lift is the lobby and the restaurant.
Listening
Listening
5
cards
You are going to listen to a conversation at the reception of the Grand Hotel.Emma is a guest. She has just arrived and wants to know where the hotel facilities are.Tom is the receptionist. He is friendly and helps her find the gym, the swimming pool and the restaurant. Listen for the prepositions of place: on the third floor, next to, opposite.
Before you listen, think: where do you think Emma wants to go first? Now listen to the dialogue. After the conversation, you will answer three questions — one about the main idea, one about a specific place, and one about a detail like a time or a floor.
Generating translation…
Emma has just arrived at the Grand Hotel. She is speaking to Tom at the reception desk.
T
TomGood afternoon! Welcome to the Grand Hotel.
E
EmmaHello! Where is the gym, please?
T
TomThe gym is on the third floor, next to the swimming pool.
E
EmmaIs there a restaurant in the hotel?
T
TomYes. The restaurant is on the first floor, opposite the bar.
E
EmmaWhat time does the swimming pool open?
T
TomIt opens at six o'clock in the morning.
E
EmmaThank you very much!
Required
What is Emma asking Tom about?
Where the hotel facilities are
The price of the room
How to check out
Required
The restaurant is on the third floor, opposite the bar.
False. The restaurant is on the first floor, opposite the bar. The gym is on the third floor.
Required
The swimming pool opens at ___ o'clock in the morning.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
7
cards
The schwa /ə/ is the most common sound in English. It is a very short, weak vowel sound. You can hear it in unstressed syllables — the parts of words we do not push or emphasise. For example, the second syllable of hotel (ho-tel) is a schwa, and the first syllable of about (a-bout) is a schwa.
To make the schwa, relax your mouth. Your tongue sits in the middle of your mouth — not forward like /iː/, not back like /uː/. Your lips are not rounded. Your jaw drops a little, but only a little. The sound is short and quiet. It is never stressed. When English speakers talk quickly, they use the schwa in thousands of words, so learning to hear it helps you understand fast speech.
Look at these common hotel words that all contain a schwa:
Word
Schwa syllable
hotel
ho-tel
about
a-bout
reception
re-cep-tion
swimming
swim-ming
between
be-tween
restaurant
res-tau-rant
The schwa sounds a little like the first vowel in a or the vowel in the when you say them quickly. Listen carefully and try to hear the weak, neutral sound.
Generating translation…
To make the schwa /ə/: relax your mouth, put your tongue in the middle, drop your jaw a little, and make a very short, weak sound. It is never stressed.
Required
Listen. Which word do you hear?
about
a boat
above
Required
Listen. Which word do you hear?
hotel
hostel
hot
Required
Say the word. Make the second syllable short and weak: ho-TEL.
hotel
Required
Say the phrase. The second syllable of 'swimming' is a schwa: swim-MING. Keep it short.
swimming pool
Required
Read the full sentence. The schwa is in 'restaurant' (res-tau-RANT) and in 'between' (be-TWEEN). Keep these syllables short and weak.
The restaurant is between the gym and the lobby.
Speaking
Speaking
7
cards
In this speaking task, you will ask about and describe hotel services. You will use the prepositions of place from the grammar section and the vocabulary from the vocabulary section. Listen to the model dialogue first. Notice the useful phrases in the table below — they are the sentences you will need in the live roleplay.
English phrase
When to use it
Excuse me, where is the gym?
Asking about a place
It's on the second floor.
Giving a location
Is there a restaurant?
Asking if a place exists
Yes, there is. It's next to the lift.
Saying yes and giving a location
What time does the restaurant open?
Asking about opening times
It opens at seven o'clock.
Giving a time
You will read the model dialogue, then repeat two key sentences out loud, and finally have a live conversation with the AI receptionist. Try to use full sentences and remember the prepositions of place.
Generating translation…
Lily is asking Mark, a hotel receptionist, about the facilities.
L
LilyExcuse me, is there a gym in this hotel?
M
MarkYes, there is. It's on the second floor, next to the lift.
L
LilyWhat time does the gym open?
M
MarkIt opens at six o'clock in the morning.
L
LilyGreat. Is the swimming pool open too?
M
MarkYes, the swimming pool is open from six until ten.
Excuse me, where is the restaurant?
Required
Read the question aloud. Stress the words 'gym' and 'hotel'.
Excuse me, is there a gym in this hotel?
Required
Read the answer aloud. Stress 'second floor' and 'lift'.
It's on the second floor, next to the lift.
Required
You are a guest at the Grand Hotel. You want to know about the hotel facilities. Ask the receptionist where the gym, the swimming pool and the restaurant are. Also ask about the opening time for the swimming pool. Use prepositions of place in your answers.
Required
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
6
cards
When you stay in a hotel, you need to know the names of the places inside. This lesson gives you eight important words for hotel facilities. Each word names a room, an area or an object you can find in a modern hotel.
The reception is the desk where you check in and ask questions. The receptionist gives you your room key there. The lobby is the open area near the reception, usually with sofas where you can sit and wait. The restaurant is where you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. The bar serves drinks, often in the evening. Many hotels have a swimming pool for guests. You need a towel to dry yourself after swimming. A gym is a room with exercise equipment. A lift takes you up and down between floors — in the UK we say lift, not elevator.
Look at the table below. Read the example sentence for each word and try to remember the place.
Word
Part of speech
Meaning
Example
reception
noun
front desk of a hotel
The reception is open 24 hours.
lobby
noun
open area near the entrance
The lobby has comfortable sofas.
restaurant
noun
place to eat meals
The restaurant is on the first floor.
bar
noun
place to buy drinks
The bar closes at midnight.
swimming pool
noun
pool for swimming
The swimming pool is on the roof.
gym
noun
room for exercise
The gym is next to the lift.
lift
noun
machine that carries people between floors
Take the lift to the third floor.
room key
noun
small key for your hotel room
Here is your room key.
You will hear all of these words in the next sections. Try to use them in your own sentences.
Generating translation…
Learn these eight words for hotel facilities.
barbɑː
A place where drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, are served over a counter. Also the counter itself where dr
gymdʒɪm
A place equipped with machines and equipment for physical exercise and fitness training.
liftlɪft
to raise something to a higher position; to pick something up
lobbyˈlɒbi
A large entrance hall or waiting area in a building such as a hotel, office building, or theater. Also refers
receptionrɪˈsep.ʃən
The act of receiving something or someone; a formal social gathering to welcome guests; a desk or area in a ho
restaurantˈrɛstrənt
A place where people pay to sit and eat meals that are cooked and served on the premises.
room keyruːm kiː
A key provided to guests to access and lock their hotel room or other rented room.
swimming poolˈswɪmɪŋ puːl
A large container or structure filled with water that is used for swimming, typically found outdoors or in bui
Required
Match each hotel word with its meaning.
Match each hotel word with its meaning.
reception
lobby
restaurant
bar
swimming pool
gym
front desk of a hotel
open area near the entrance
place to eat meals
place to buy drinks
pool for swimming
room for exercise
The gym is next to the swimming pool on the third floor.
Required
Listen. Where is the swimming pool?
on the roof
in the lobby
behind the restaurant
Required
Where can you get your room key when you arrive at a hotel?
