2nd grade identifying prepositions worksheets
A preposition is a connecting word that usually tells where or when: the cat hid under the porch, we read after lunch. Second graders learn the common ones (in, on, at, under, with, by) and find them in sentences.
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.i.
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The kind of sentences you'll get
Underline every preposition in each sentence.
-
Our cousins were silly at the picnic.
Answer: at
- The boys race to the tall tree.
- They rested on a log after their hike.
Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Identify. Underline every preposition in each sentence. 10 questions per page.
- Multiple choice. Circle the letter of the word that is a preposition. 8 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
The squirrel-and-tree trick earns its keep here: a squirrel can be in, on, under, behind, near, or by the tree, and each of those is a preposition. Practice with real objects first ("put the eraser under the book"), then find the same words in sentences. Stick to the short common set at this age.
Watch for: Many prepositions are tiny words (in, on, at, of), so students read past them. Small doesn't mean unimportant. A preposition always has a partner noun after it: under the porch, with my friend. If there's no partner, it's working as a different part of speech.
Common questions about identifying prepositions
- What is a preposition for a 2nd grader?
- A position word. It tells where something is or when something happens: in the box, on the shelf, after dinner. The classic test is the squirrel and the tree; if the word can describe where the squirrel is, it's probably a preposition.
- Which prepositions should a 2nd grader know?
- The short everyday set: in, on, at, under, over, by, with, to, from, and near. These cover most sentences a 2nd grader reads. The longer, rarer ones (beneath, throughout) can wait a year or two.
Related worksheets
- 1st grade identifying prepositions A step easier, same skill
- 3rd grade identifying prepositions A step harder, same skill
- 4th grade identifying prepositions A step harder, same skill
- 2nd grade action verbs Same grade, nearby skill
- 2nd grade adverbs of how, when, and where Same grade, nearby skill
- 2nd grade articles (a, an, the) Same grade, nearby skill
- Identifying prepositions, all grades The full progression
- All 2nd grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 2nd grade worksheets Everything at this level
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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.i. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.
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