Prepositions of place: in, on, at: How and When to Use in English
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Prepositions of place: in, on, at
Use in, on and at to talk about where things or people are.
London is in the UK.
Anna and Timmy are at the airport.
- In is used for confined spaces (rooms, buildings, etc.) and limited areas (cities, countries, etc.).
I sleep in my room.
The Statue of Liberty is in New York.
- At is used to refer to places (often public) used for a specific function.
I'm studying at the library.
Roger and Timmy are at home.
- On is used with surfaces or floors.
The flowers are on the table.
My apartment is on the second floor.
Drag the correct option to complete each sentence.
We live Sheffield.
They sit a bench.
Are you the train station?
Drag the correct option to complete each sentence.
We live in 1 Sheffield.
They sit on 2 a bench.
Are you at 3 the train station?
We live in Sheffield. Use in before the name of a city like Sheffield. Example: I was born in Leeds, but I live in London now.
They sit on a bench. Use on to describe the location of an object or person that is touching a surface, in this case a bench. Example: there is rain on the grass.
Are you at the train station? with at because the train station is a place with a specific function (allowing people to travel by train). Example: the wedding was at the town hall.
Select the correct option to complete each sentence.
Roger is home.
The water is the bottle.
Our room is the second floor.
Select the correct option to complete each sentence.
Roger is at 1 home.
The water is in 2 the bottle.
Our room is on 3 the second floor.
Roger is at home. Always say at home because it is a place with a specific function. Examples: I spend the evening at home; Roger is at the pub.
You can say Roger is in his room because it is a confined space, but you cannot use in before home.
Use on + surface, such as on the table or on the floor, but not before a place like home. Example: my bag is on the floor.
The water is in the bottle. Use in to explain that something or someone is inside a confined space, in this case the bottle. Example: the biscuits are in the jar.
You can say there is water on the floor to say that the water is touching a surface, in this case the floor, but the bottle is a container (confined space) so you need to use in.
Use at before a place with a specific function, such as at the supermarket or at the clinic, but not before the bottle. Example: two patients are waiting at the clinic.
Our room is on the second floor. Use on to talk about the floors of a building. Examples: our office is on the first floor; my room is on the fifth floor.
You could say our room is in an old building, but you cannot use in before a floor.
Use at before places with a specific function, such as at the pub or at the entrance, but not to refer to floors. Example: there are guards at the entrance.
Fill in the blanks by dragging and dropping the correct options.
I put my phone the desk.
I have dinner the restaurant.
There are many good universities the UK.
Fill in the blanks by dragging and dropping the correct options.
I put my phone on 1 the desk.
I have dinner at 2 the restaurant.
There are many good universities in 3 the UK.
I put my phone on the desk, with on because the desk is a surface. Example: the cake is on the table.
I have dinner at the restaurant with at because the restaurant is a public place with a specific function. Example: I meet Timmy at the bar.
There are many good universities in the UK with in because we are talking about a country. Example: New York is in the US.
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