Teaching Prepositions of Time and Place – the Easy Way

In this post I will discuss prepositions, specifically prepositions of time and place. Prepositions can be a difficult subject for English learners to grasp, but with the proper guidance it is a lot easier. This is why Off2Class is giving you two ready-to-teach lesson plans to make teaching prepositions of time and place better, for everyone!

What is a preposition?

A preposition is a word that connects a noun phrase with another part of a sentence; it is usually said or written before a noun. A preposition can indicate several types of relationships but for this blog post, I will talk about place and time.

How to teach prepositions

He is in the train.
He is on the train.

Which sentence is correct?

Having trouble explaining why the second one is correct? Don’t feel bad this happens to most English speakers. That’s why it’s really important for ESL teachers to be armed with the right resources to help their students grasp this tricky subject. Off2Class has prepared two introductory lesson plans to help you, the teachers, introduce this subject in your ESL classroom.

Teaching Prepositions with Time – at, on, in

This introductory lesson plan, part of a six-part series, introduces the three most common prepositions of time : at, on and in. For this lesson, students must already be comfortable using beginner vocabulary like days of the week, months, and time expressions.This lesson plan begins with an explanation of these at, on and in. Then, students will complete various exercises to put these prepositions to use. It also outlines other fixed prepositions such as at the moment, at night, and many more. Lastly, the lesson covers how prepositions are used differently in the UK versus the US.

Download the lesson plan Prepositions With Time – at, on, in here:

Teaching Prepositions of Place – in, at, on

This lesson plan is part of an eight-part series and it discusses how to use prepositions with place. It starts with an explanation and moves into communicative activities that give students plenty of time to practice. You’ll also cover how to use prepositions when discussing vehicles (as noted in the example above). 

These lesson plans are guaranteed to clear up any questions students have regarding how to use these tricky words! With both, it’s important to note that using in,at and on with time and place are totally different,students should treat them as new prepositions with each lesson.

Download the lesson plan Prepositions Of Place – in, at, on here:

Wait! There’s more…

Take your ESL lesson to the next level. Assign homework with the click of a button and access the helpful teacher notes with your free Off2Class teacher account. Additionally, if you found these lesson plans helpful, you must check out the Off2Class ESL Lesson Library. Off2Class has been providing communicative, teacher-led lesson plans to teachers like you since 2015. Off2Class has amassed a library of over 800 lesson plans that are ready-to-teach at a moment’s notice. Take the guesswork out of teaching and leave the lesson planning to Off2Class!

If you like these lesson plans, please comment below and share them with your fellow teachers!