What are spatial and temporal words?

The little words that locate things in space (beneath, beside, between) and events in time (during, until, meanwhile). L.3.6 names them as core third grade vocabulary.

Why do they matter for writing?

They are the steering words: directions, recipes, stories, and instructions all run on them. A writer who controls where and when controls the reader's map.

3rd grade spatial and time-order words

3rd grade spatial and time-order words worksheets

Third graders choose the spatial or temporal word each sentence needs, building the L.3.6 word set: beside, beneath, between, during, until, meanwhile, afterward.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.3.6.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Choose the word that tells where or when, and write it on the line.

(After / Beneath / Between) finishing her test, she checked it twice.
Fixed: After finishing her test, she checked it twice.
Runners gathered (afterward / behind / eventually) the starting line, jittery.
Set the pie (later / meanwhile / near) the window to cool.

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 3rd grade sheet

3rd grade sheets draw from 40 sentences, 8 to a page.

A few of the sentences, as the answer key corrects them:

Line up beside the door before the bell.
The fountain stands at the center of the square.
The bus stops at the corner every ten minutes.

Fix it. Choose the word that tells where or when, and write it on the line. 8 sentences to fix per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Sort the missing word's question first: is the sentence asking where or when? Naming the question eliminates half the options before reading them, which is a test-taking skill wearing a grammar costume.

Watch for: Space words answer where; time words answer when. A sentence usually leaves room for only one kind, and hearing which question it asks is the skill. Some words moonlight in both worlds (by the door, by noon). Context settles their shift, which is why every item here is a full sentence.

Common questions about 3rd grade spatial and time-order words

What are spatial and temporal words?: The little words that locate things in space (beneath, beside, between) and events in time (during, until, meanwhile). L.3.6 names them as core third grade vocabulary.
Why do they matter for writing?: They are the steering words: directions, recipes, stories, and instructions all run on them. A writer who controls where and when controls the reader's map.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.3.6. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated August 2026.

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