Have you ever played hide and seek in a garden and tried to describe where your friend was hiding? You might say "behind the tree" or "to the left of the bench." This chapter is all about position and direction — telling where things are using simple words and maps.
Position Words
We use special words to describe where something is:
- Above / Below — the fan is above the table; the mat is below the chair
- Left / Right — the door is to the left; the window is to the right
- In front of / Behind — the bag is in front of the desk; the cat is behind the sofa
- Near / Far — the shop is near; the mountain is far
- Between — the pencil is between the ruler and the eraser
Reading a Simple Map
A map is a drawing that shows how things are placed in an area when seen from above (a bird's-eye view). Maps use symbols and a key/legend to explain what each symbol means.
- Rows and Columns help us find positions on a grid map.
- Row — goes left to right (horizontal)
- Column — goes up and down (vertical)
- We name a position by (column, row) — just like finding a seat in a cinema!
Directions
- The four main directions are: North (N), South (S), East (E), West (W).
- The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
- If you face North, East is to your right and West is to your left.
Look at a classroom grid. The teacher's desk is at position (1, 1). Ramu sits at (3, 2). Which column is Ramu in?
Ramu is in column 3.
Priya faces North. She turns to her right. Which direction does she now face?
Turning right from North means she now faces East.
On a map, the school is to the left of the park. The hospital is to the right of the park. What is between the school and the hospital?
The park is between them.
A bird sits on a branch above a cat. The cat sits on a mat. Where is the mat relative to the bird?
The mat is below both the cat and the bird.
In a grid, Anu is in row 2, column 4. Biju is in row 2, column 1. Who is further to the right?
Anu is further to the right (column 4 > column 1).
Common mistakes
- Students often say "up" when they mean above and "down" when they mean below. Use the precise position words.
- Left and right change depending on which way you are facing — always note the direction first.
Summary
Position words (above, below, left, right, between) help us describe where things are. Maps use a bird's-eye view, symbols, and a grid. The four main directions are N, S, E, W.