Above and Below

When we talk about where something is, we can use position words. Two important position words are above and below. These words help us describe how high or how low one thing is compared to another thing.

If something is above, it is higher up than something else. If something is below, it is lower down than something else. We always compare two things when we use these words: one object, and something else we are comparing it to.

Let's look at a simple picture with a shelf in the middle. A star sits up in the sky, and a ball sits on the ground.

Notice that the shelf is the object we are comparing to. The star is higher than the shelf, so the star is above the shelf. The ball is lower than the shelf, so the ball is below the shelf.

We can also use above and below to compare two objects without a line in between. Look at the bird and the fish in the next picture.

Here there is no shelf or line at all. We simply compare the bird's position to the fish's position. Since the bird is higher, it is above the fish. Since the fish is lower, it is below the bird.

Notice that above and below always go together as a pair. If one object is above another, then the second object must be below the first. Practicing with pictures like these, and describing both objects in the same sentence, helps build a strong understanding of position words.

Once children are comfortable with above and below, they are ready to explore other position words, such as beside and next to, or comparing three objects at once with top, middle, and bottom. These lessons build on the same idea of comparing where things are, just from different directions.

A great way to practice is to point at everyday objects around the room and ask, "What is above the table?" or "What is below the chair?" Encouraging full sentences, such as "The lamp is above the table," helps reinforce the words rather than just pointing.

Related lessons

• Kindergarten