How to describe a location?

Question

Presentations of locations or situations are confusing me.
My question is about where a place is in relation to other place.
I don't know how to use the relative prepositions such as to, on, of, etc.

Suppose that here's a map containing 9 locations as below,

123
456
789

The four main compass directions are indicated below,
N
W + E
S

Is each of the following sentences true or false? My answer,probably wrong, is in the brackets.
Thank you.

?
4 is south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south of 1. (T)
4 is to the south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south side of 1.(T)
4 is to the south side of 1.(F)
---------------------------------------

?
7 is south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south of 1. (F)
7 is to the south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south side of 1.(F)
7 is to the south side of 1.(T)
----------------------------------------

?
5 is south of 1. (T)
5 is on the south of 1.(T)
5 is to the south of 1.(T)
-----------------------------------------
?
5 is southeast of 1.(T)
5 is on the southeast of 1. (T)
5 is to the southeast of 1. (T)

-------------------------------------------
?
5 is to the corner of 1.(T)

--------------------------------------------
?
9 is southeast of 1.(T)
9 is on the southeast of 1.(F)
9 is to the southeast of 1. (T)

--------------------------------------
?
9 is to the corner of 1.(T)

----------------------------------------
?
1 is in the northwest of the MAP. (T)

Avangi · Accepted Answer

?
4 is south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south of 1. (T) I don't think we say this.
4 is to the south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south side of 1.(T)
4 is to the south side of 1.(F)
--
?
7 is south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south of 1. (F)
7 is to the south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south side of 1.(F)
7 is to the south side of 1.(T)
--- 1 2 3

4 5 6

? 7 8 9
5 is south of 1. (T) ??? (I would say that this is true, but I think they want "southeast.")
5 is on the south of 1.(T) I don't think we say this.
5 is to the south of 1.(T)
----
?
5 is southeast of 1.(T)
5 is on the southeast of 1. (T) I don't think we say this.
5 is to the southeast of 1. (T)

------
?
5 is to the corner of 1.(T)

-------
?
9 is southeast of 1.(T)
9 is on the southeast of 1.(F)
9 is to the southeast of 1. (T)

--
?
9 is to the corner of 1.(T) ??? (I think they have to be contiguous for this expression.)

---
?
1 is in the northwest of the MAP. (T) (I would say, "1 is in the northwest CORNER of the MAP.")

We really have to read the teacher's mind. Some of these are a matter of opinion.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

4 is south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south of 1. (T) (Not a good expression, use #4.)
4 is to the south of 1. (T)
4 is on the south side of 1.(T)
4 is to the south side of 1.(F) (Not a good expression)

--
?
7 is south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south of 1. (F)
7 is to the south of 1. (T)
7 is on the south side of 1.(F)
7 is to the south side of 1.(T) (Not a good expression)
---
?
5 is south of 1. (T) (actually, it is southeast of 1)
5 is on the south of 1.(T) (Not a good expression)
5 is to the south of 1.(T)
----
?
5 is southeast of 1.(T)
5 is on the southeast of 1. (T) (Not a good expression)
5 is to the southeast of 1. (T)
------
?
5 is to the corner of 1.(T) (Not a good expression - it is on the southeast corner of 1)
-------
?
9 is southeast of 1.(T)
9 is on the southeast of 1.(F)
9 is to the southeast of 1. (T)
--
?
9 is to the corner of 1.(T) (Not a good expression 0 9 is on one of 1's corners)
---
?
1 is in the northwest quadrant/sector / corner of the MAP. (T)

Here are the possible combinations:

X is (direction) of Y: (X may be touching Y, but not necessarily) - 7 is south of 1
X is to the (direction) of Y : (X could be touching Y, but usually it is not) - 9 is to the southeast of 1.
X is on the (direction) side of Y (X is touching Y on that side) - 5 is on the south side of 2.
X is on/at the (direction) corner of Y (X is touching Y at that corner) 6 is at (on) the northeast corner of 8

Enfee · Answer

This is my thread. I registered but failed to log in at that time.
Thank you for your answers.

Anonymous · Answer

If I want to add the distance in, can I say:

7 is 200 meters south of 1.

9 is 300 meters to the southeast of 1.

I guess I should not say "5 is 200 meters on the south side of 2".

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousI guess I should not say "5 is 200 meters on the south side of 2".

Correct.

How to describe a location?

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