Next to
The blue square is next to the orange circle.
Next to means beside.
Year 1
Describe position, direction and movement
Use simple words to describe where something is and how it moves.
Lesson overview
Geometry - position and direction
Position words help us say where something is. Direction words help us say which way something goes. In Year 1, we use words such as left, right, above, below, next to, forwards and backwards to describe position and movement clearly.
Above and below
The triangle is above the square.
Above means higher up. Below means lower down.
Forwards and backwards
The arrow can show forwards or backwards movement.
Forwards moves ahead. Backwards moves back.
Worked example
A toy car moves to the right. Which direction is it moving?
- Look at the direction of the arrow.
- The arrow points to the right side.
- That tells us the toy car is moving right.
Answer: right
Try it
Look at the picture and choose the word that matches the position or movement.
Question 1
Which word describes the blue square and the orange circle?
Question 2
Where is the triangle?
Question 3
Which way is the arrow pointing?
Question 4
If something moves ahead, which word fits?
Question 5
Which word means lower down?
Common mistakes
These reminders help when using position and movement language.
- Mixing up left and right.
- Using the shape name instead of the position word.
- Forgetting that above and below describe where objects are placed.
Related topics
These connect closely to movement and direction language.
- Use whole, half, quarter and three-quarter turns.
- Sort and classify objects by colour, size and shape.