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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. A helpful picture: a preposition is anywhere a squirrel can be compared to a tree.

Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.i. One skill per page, answer key on page two.

Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.

A sample 2nd grade sheet. Yours will have different sentences. Click it to print your own.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Underline every preposition in each sentence.

  1. He draws a big sun on paper.

    Answer: on

  2. The red bird sings to us.
  3. The dog runs fast in the park.

Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.

What's on each sheet

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

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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.i. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.