Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod. – Matthew 2:1

Build sentences in the order of 5W1H

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After stating a conclusion with a subject and a verb, and after describing the related people and things (Who+What), questions about when, where, how, and why may still remain.

S+V+(who+what)+[where+why+how+when]

In English, there’s a priority to how these expressions are ordered. For example, English speakers tend to prioritize ‘where’ over ‘when’. This is evident in the example: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod.” Here, the place, Bethlehem, is mentioned before the time, the era of King Herod.

Let’s look at how expressions about place, which hold the highest priority among adverbial information, are handled. In the following example, when God says “Go!” Abraham would have internally questioned “Where to?” God promptly recognizes this curiosity and answers, “to the land I will show you.”

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.’”

When it is said “Jesus was born,” the immediate question is ‘where?’. This curiosity is immediately addressed with “in Bethlehem in Judea.”

So far, we have mainly examined interests in people and things. According to our sentence structure, once these questions are answered, the next most pressing question usually concerns the place. This is indicative of the order found in the 5W1H principle, which stands for Who, When, Where, What, Why, and How. According to our sentence structure, English expressions must resolve questions about ‘who’ and ‘what’ first, followed by an explanation of ‘where’.

For instance:

“You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance.” (Exodus 15:17)

In this example, the underlined ‘plant’ is a transitive verb meaning to ‘plant’ something like a tree. So, if someone says “plant,” the first question likely to arise is ‘what?’. The sentence answers with ‘them,’ which, although not explicitly mentioned, refers to the people of Israel in this context. The next question to naturally arise would be “where?”. The example clarifies this by saying ‘on the mountain,’ thus completing the sentence. The sequence follows as who? what? and then where?.

How then can we express ‘where?’, i.e., the location? It’s simple. Find the adverb that expresses the question of place. This is because in our sentence structure, this is the dedicated adverbial space.

S+V + (who+what) + [where+why+how+when]

Using the structure above, words are arranged accordingly. Therefore, if there’s an adverb indicating the place you want to express, simply place it in its spot. Commonly used adverbs include here, there, right, left, and home. For example, ‘home’ is usually a noun but can also be used as an adverb.

“Get up, take your mat and go home.” (Mark 2:9)

Other words formed by combining nouns and prepositions to indicate a place, such as upstairs, downstairs, abroad, overseas, downtown, ahead, back, forward, backward, also function as adverbs and simply need to be placed in their appropriate position.

“Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.” (Acts 20:11)

In the sentence mentioned above, ‘upstairs’ is used not as a noun meaning ‘the upper floor’ but as an adverb meaning ‘to the upper floor.’

But what if there isn’t a suitable adverb to indicate a place, as in the example above? The solution is simple. Just as we attach particles to nouns to form adverbs in our language, in English, prepositions are attached to nouns to create adverbs. Let’s explore a few important prepositions that serve this function.

Point At

‘At’ is a preposition that can be nicknamed ‘the point preposition’ because it is used to denote a location, regardless of its size, as a “point.” Thus, ‘at’ indicates a precise location without concern for its area.

“At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.” (John 19:41)

Here, ‘at’ specifies the exact spot where Jesus was crucified. ‘At’ can also denote larger areas like cities but still focuses on location.

“After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city.” (Genesis 33:18)

In this context, ‘at’ evolves from denoting a physical place to suggesting the place’s abstract function.

“While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.’” (Mark 14:18)

‘At the table’ carries an abstract meaning of being in the middle of a meal. ‘Recline’ indicates leaning or lying back, which reflects ancient dining habits.

‘At’ is not only used with places but also maintains its meaning of specifying a point when used with verbs. Its opposite could be ‘around’ or ‘about,’ meaning ‘approximately around a place.’ ‘Look at’ means to gaze at a specific spot.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Surface On

‘On’ is the ‘surface preposition,’ indicating contact with a surface. This preposition suggests continuity and connection. Its opposite is ‘off,’ implying disconnection.

“I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.” (Leviticus 26:9)

‘Look on’ means to consider or regard something fully.


Space In

‘In’ is the ‘three-dimensional space preposition,’ denoting an interior space, often used for larger places like countries or cities. Its opposite is ‘out,’ meaning outside.

“Look in the scroll of the LORD and read: None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, his Spirit will gather them together.” (Isaiah 34:16)

‘Look in’ means to peruse or examine the entirety of a specific place, such as the inside of a book.


Direction To

‘To’ is perhaps the most frequently used preposition in English, indicating direction towards a point or place.

“Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chronicles 16:11)

‘To’ with ‘Look’ implies focusing attention or seeking in a particular direction.

If expressions for multiple places arise, they should be written from the most specific to the most general location. This reflects the English-speaking thought process of moving from specific to general. English often presents conclusions first, followed by supplementary information.

“When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.” (Numbers 22:36)

This scene describes King Balak of Moab, who, after the Israelites reached the east of the Jordan following their desert wanderings, invited the prophet Balaam to curse Israel.

Everyday Grammar: In, On, and At

Many learners have questions about English grammar rules for using prepositions of place and time. We present a few simple guidelines to help you put your prepositions in the right places. In English, though, there is always an ’exception to the rule.