Reception Maths: Position words
Part of the Reception Maths shapes and position chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Position words
Lee has a red circle and a blue square. Where are they? He says: “The circle is above the square.”
Position words tell us where things are. Above is higher. Below is lower. Next to means beside. Between means in the middle of two things. On top of means on the top. Under means below and covered. In front of means nearer. Behind means further back.
Key ideas
- Above means higher than.
- Below means lower than.
- Next to means beside.
- Between means in the middle of two things.
Key words. Above tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is above the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is at the top.
- Find the shape that is above. Check where it is compared with the other shape.above
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is above. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Below tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is below the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is at the bottom.
- Find the shape that is below. Check where it is compared with the other shape.below
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is below. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Between tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is between the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The square is in the middle of the two circles.
- Find the shape that is between. Check where it is compared with the other shape.between
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square, then to the shape it is between. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Watch out
Watch out: check where each thing is compared with the other thing. The top shape is above, not below.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use toys on a table. Ask: “Where is the car? Is it above, below, next to or between?” Move the toys and ask again.
Exercise 7E Position words
Non-calculatorKey words. Above tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is above the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is at the top.
- Find the shape that is above. Check where it is compared with the other shape.above
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is above. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Above tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is above the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The square is at the top.
- Find the shape that is above. Check where it is compared with the other shape.above
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square, then to the shape it is above. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Below tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is below the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is at the bottom.
- Find the shape that is below. Check where it is compared with the other shape.below
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is below. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Next to tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is next to the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is on the left, beside the square.
- Find the shape that is next to. Check where it is compared with the other shape.next to
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is next to. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Between tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is between the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The square is in the middle.
- Find the shape that is between. Check where it is compared with the other shape.between
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square, then to the shape it is between. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. On top of tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is on top of the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is sitting on the square.
- Find the shape that is on top of. Check where it is compared with the other shape.on top of
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is on top of. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Under tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is under the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The green circle is under the orange table.
- Find the shape that is under. Check where it is compared with the other shape.under
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is under. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. Behind tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is behind the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The circle is further back, behind the square.
- Find the shape that is behind. Check where it is compared with the other shape.behind
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle, then to the shape it is behind. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Key words. In front of tells where a thing is compared with another thing.
Method. Look at where the shapes are. Find the shape that is in front of the other shape.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that the question talks about.The square is nearer to you, over the circle.
- Find the shape that is in front of. Check where it is compared with the other shape.in front of
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square, then to the shape it is in front of. ✓
Watch out. Check the position, not the size of the shapes.
Method. Think about where the car is.
- Look at the car and the bus. The car is beside the bus.beside
- Find the position word. Beside means next to.next to
- Write the answer. Next to the bus
Check. Point to the car, then to the bus: they are side by side. ✓
Watch out. Next to means beside.
Method. Under means below and covered.
- Look at under. Under means lower than the table.lower
- Check the choices. Below means lower, so the cat is below.below
- Write the answer. Below
Check. The table is above the cat. ✓
Watch out. Under and below both mean lower.
Method. Think about being in the middle.
- Sam is in the middle. Between means in the middle of two people.middle
- Find Mum. Mum is on Sam’s right.Mum on the right
- Find the person on the left. Dad is the other person, so he is on Sam’s left.Dad on the left
- Write the answer. Dad
Check. Stand in the middle and point left. ✓
Watch out. Between means in the middle of two things.
Method. Think about where each word puts a thing.
- Look at above. Above means higher than.higher
- Look at under. Under means lower, and covered by something.lower and covered
- Write the answer. Accept any answer: above is higher, and under is lower and covered.
Check. A ball can be above a table or under it. ✓
Watch out. Above is higher. Under is lower.