In front of means directly ahead of something or someone, near its front: in front of a building, in front of a person, in front of a screen. It also means “where other people can see or hear”: speak in front of the class, argue in front of the kids.
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in front of + place/person; in front of + people (= where they can see); opposite + place (= across the street)
- The kids were playing football in front of our building all afternoon.
- Please don't argue about money in front of the children.
- There was a long queue in front of me at passport control.
What changed
First versionI parked my car before the hotel entrance.
RevisionI parked my car in front of the hotel entrance.
Before can look right, but in everyday English it is almost always about time: before lunch. To talk about position, use in front of: in front of the entrance.
In front of means that something is directly ahead of something else, on the same side: The taxi is waiting in front of the hotel. If there is a street between two buildings and they face each other, use opposite: The pharmacy is opposite the bank.
Your turn
The pharmacy is on the other side of the street, directly ___ the bank.
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opposite — The pharmacy is across the street, facing the bank, so opposite is right. In front of would mean the pharmacy stands directly in front of the bank, on the same side.
Think of a time you spoke in front of people: at work, at school or at a celebration. Write who you spoke in front of and how you felt, using in front of.
Last year I gave a presentation in front of forty colleagues and felt so nervous that my hands were shaking.
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