|
IN - inside, in something |
At - nearby, in a specific place |
On – on the surface (horizontal, vertical) |
|
In the room - in the room |
At the bus-stop - at the stop |
On the table - on the table |
|
In the box - in a box |
At school - at school |
On the shelf - on the shelf |
|
In the bag - in the bag |
At the airport - at the airport |
On the floor - on the floor |
|
In the basket - in the basket |
At the cinema - in the cinema |
On the wall |
|
In the closet - in the closet |
At university - at the university |
On the way - on the way |
|
In the building - in the building |
At the party - at the party |
On the sofa - on the sofa |
Pretext IN. To this pretext you can ask the question WHERE? – Inside, indoors, inside a box, inside a room
Where is the cat? - Where is a cat?
The cat is in the room ? – Cat in the room
Where is the ball? –Where is the ball?
The ball is in the basket ? – Ball in the basket
Where is Tom? - Where is Tom?
Tom is in the swimming pool? –Tom in the pool
Also remember!
Pretext INused when you want to say:
In a country, region, city, village, town
Examples: I live in Russia - I live in Russia
I work in Moscow – I work in Moscow
I like being in the country- I love being outside the city
My grandma lives in a village –My grandmother lives in the village
PretextAT
Use:
1). Near/near some place
at the bus-stop - at the stop
at the window/door/the entrance/the exit –at the window, at the door, at the entrance, at the exit
I have been waiting for him at the entrance of the shop –I'm waiting for him at the store entrance
* You can also use the preposition BYmeaning about, next to
I am standing at / by the box–I'm standing near the box
2). Address (street) with house number
Example: I work at 5 Lenin street – I work on Lenin street 5
In this example, you see that a specific address with a house number is indicated, so we use the prepositionAT
Remember!If you are talking about a street without a house number, then the preposition is usedON or IN
I work on/in Lenin street –I work on Lenin Street
Also, before the name of the road without indicating the number, the preposition is used ON/IN
I live on/in Oxford Road – I live on Oxford Road
I live at 35 Oxford Road – I live at 35 Oxford Road
(the exact number is indicated here, so the preposition at)
3) In a public place, institution, home
At work, at concert, at college, at university, at school, at home, at reception, at the cinema, at the museum, at the party, at the meeting - at the meeting, at the wedding - at the wedding, at the station, at the airport
Yesterday I stayed at home –Yesterday I stayed at home.
Where is Tom? He is at work – Where is Tom? He is at work
4). With expressions: at the top - at the top, at the top, at the bottom - below
At the top of the list – At the top of the list
At the bottom of the list – At the bottom of the list
That is, we are in a specific place, we use the preposition AT
In order not to confuse the prepositions AT and IN
Remember: INused when we are inside something
ATwe use it when we are in a specific place, near some place
I am in the office now – I'm in the office now (that is, I'm inside the office, indoors)
I will arrive at the office in 2 hours –I will arrive at the office in 2 hours (I will arrive at a specific location)
* Remember!
With verb ARRIVE- arrive
Pretext INused when we arrive in a country or city
I will arrive in Moscow tomorrow –I'm coming to Moscow tomorrow
Pretext ATused when we arrive at other places: school, station, street, airport and so on.
I will arrive at the station 5 –I'll arrive at station number 5
If we go to say - I’m coming home, then the pretext is not used
I will arrive home - I’ll come home
PretextON– on something, on a surface (horizontal, vertical)
Where is my wallet? It is on the floor –Where's my wallet? He's on the floor
Where is my key? It is on the table – Where's my key? He is on the table
Where is my book? It is one of the bookshelf – Where's my book? It's on the bookshelf
Where is my painting? – On the wall – Where's my picture? On the wall
Where is this animation man? – He is on the box – Where is this little man? - It's on the box
Set expressions:
1). On the page
Please, open the book on the page7– Please open the book to page 7
2). On foot - on foot
We will go on foot – we'll go on foot
3). On the radio, on the television – on the radio, on TV
You will listen to news on the radio –You will listen to the news on the radio
4) On the left, on the right - left, right
You will see the shop on the left side –You will see a store on the left side.
5). On the internet
I have found this information on the internet –I found this information on the Internet
6) On board – on board (airplane, ship)
Welcome on board ! - Welcome aboard
7) On the way - on the way
I am on the way home - I'm on the way home
As a result, you can remember:
IN – inside something
AT – near, near something
On –on something (on the surface)
Pretext at also used in a number of important prepositional phrases, which are usually used to connect sentences. This article provides many examples of the use of the preposition at, used to indicate time and place.
The preposition at to indicate time
Pretext at used with specific time of day.
This includes any accurate clock with the word o'clock — at 7 o'clock, at 8 o'clock. For more specific time periods, numbers are used, e.g. at 7:20.
The party starts at five o'clock. Hurry up!(The party starts at five o'clock. Hurry up!)
The bookshop opens at twelve o’clock on Sundays and it opens at nine o’clock from Mondays to Saturdays.(The bookstore opens at twelve o'clock on Sundays, and it opens at nine o'clock Monday through Saturday.)
The train to Viena leaves at 20:15.(The train to Vienna leaves at 20:15.)
Pretext at also used in common phrases with words: night, sunrise, sunset.
Cocks crow at sunrise.(Roosters crow at dawn.)
He runs late at night.(He runs late at night.)
A preposition is used to indicate a period of time in
She is going to finish her dissertation in three months.(She expects to finish her dissertation in three months.)
Nicola goes to Egypt in three weeks.(Nikola leaves for Egypt in three weeks.)
In used with time periods relating to words morning, afternoon or evening.
I suggest meeting in the afternoon.(I suggest meeting in the afternoon.)
We usually wake up early in the morning.(We usually wake up early in the morning.)
BUT: He doesn’t like reading at night.(He likes to read at night.)
Using the preposition at to indicate place
Pretext at used when indicating specific places in a city or rural area.
They usually fish at the pier.(They usually fish at the pier.)
Let’s meet at the bus stop at four o’clock.(Meet me at the bus stop at four o'clock.)
Using the preposition at to indicate buildings
Pretext at used when talking about buildings as places in the city. Can often be confused with a preposition in. Usually, in used with buildings to show that something is happening inside the building. At, on the other hand, is used to express that something is happening in that place.
They will wait for us at the post office.(They will be waiting for us at the post office.)
Paul works at the airport in Copenhagen.(Paul works at Copenhagen Airport.)
At home
Prepositional phrase at home used only when mentioning something that already exists. In other words, if movement is involved, e.g. go or come, no preposition is used.
My mom likes staying at home and cooking on Sundays.(My mom likes to stay home and cook on Sundays.)
Chldren aren't at home at the moment.(The children are not at home at the moment.)
BUT: She came home at 11 o’clock.(She returned home at 11 o'clock.)
They are going to fly home in three days.(In three days they are flying home.)
Important phrases with the preposition at
At all - in general, completely
This phrase is placed at the end of a negative sentence to emphasize the statement.
My husband doesn’t eat meat at all!(My husband doesn't eat meat at all!)
She has no desire to meet her ex-husband at all.(She has absolutely no desire to date her ex-husband.)
Not at all - for nothing, not worth gratitude
This phrase is often used in formal English to express gratitude.
Thanks you for your advice. - Not at all.(Thanks for your advice. No thanks needed.)
Thank you for your help. - Not at all.(Thank you for your help. - You're welcome)
At any rate - in any case
This informal phrase is often used to begin or end a sentence with which one wants to either end a conversation or change the subject.
At any rate, you have to be home at 10 o’clock.(In any case, you should be home by 10 o'clock.)
I need to rest after such a hard work, at any rate.(Anyway, I need to rest after working so hard.)
At first - first of all
Used to start a story about something that changes over time.
At first, I don’t like coffee.(First of all, I don't like coffee.)
At first, he works late today.(First of all, he works late today.)
At last - finally
Used to begin or end a sentence that expresses the end result.
At last, I’m not going to date a stranger.(Lastly, I'm not going to date a stranger.)
Everyone was glad that it was over at last.(Everyone was glad that it was finally over.)
At least - at least
It is a phrase that is used to express the positive side of a negative situation.
At the end - at the end
It is an expression of time that refers to the last part of an event and can be used at the beginning or end of a sentence.
At the end of the film, we realized who committed the crime.(At the end of the film we realized who committed the crime.)
Michael thanked everyone at the end of the party.(Michael thanked everyone at the end of the party.)
At a premium - worth its weight in gold
This is a phrase used to express that something costs more than it would normally pay. The phrase can be used both literally and figuratively.
His time is at a premium.(His time is worth its weight in gold.)
Accommodation in the city center is at a premium.(Housing in the city center is in high demand.)
At the last minute - at the last minute
Used to talk about something that is easy to achieve.
They can change the plan at the last minute.(They may change the plan at the last minute.)
Ilona canceled the flught at the last minute.(Ilona canceled the flight at the last minute.)
At the outside - at most, as a last resort
Used to estimate cost or time of work.
At the outside, you have to finish your work in two hours.(At the most, you should finish your work within two hours.)
They told us it will cost $500 at the outside.(They said it would cost $500 at most.)
At sea - at sea, confused
Used to express that someone is at sea, often used in sailor stories. The phrase is also used to express puzzlement.
They were at sea for three years.(They were at sea for three years.)
We didn’t know what to do, we were all at sea.(We didn't know what to do, we were at a loss.)
At half-mast - lowered
Used with the word flag(flag) to indicate mourning.
A moment of silence will be observed at 14 o’clock and flags will fly at half-mast.(A minute's silence will be observed at 2 p.m. and flags will be flown at half-mast.)
The Government declared national mourning for three days, so flags will be flying at half-mast.(The government has declared national mourning for three days, so flags will be flown at half-staff.)
At loose ends - out of work, at a loss
The phrase refers to something that is not organized.
He just broke up with his girlfriend, so he’s a bit at loose ends.(He just broke up with his girlfriend, so he's a little out of it.)
I’ve finished the project, I’m at loose ends now.(I finished the project, now I'm free.)
At this stage - at this stage
Used to indicate the development stage of a product or process.
At this stage, we have to coordinate our resources(At this stage we must coordinate our resources.)
At this stage I would like to make some announcements.(At this stage I would like to make a few announcements.)
There are not very many rules for using prepositions of place in the English language, which is why remembering them is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. I propose to understand the intricacies of using prepositions at, in, on, which indicate the location of objects.
Let's start with a small table in which we set out a very general rule for where and when to put each preposition:
| At | In | On |
|---|---|---|
| At some point | In a closed space | On a surface |
| At the corner- on the corner | In the garden- in the garden | On the wall- on the wall |
| At the crossroads- at the crossroads | In a building- in a buiding | On the menu- on the menu |
| At the bus stop- at the bus stop | In a car- in car | On the Internet- in the Internet |
The preposition at in English
So let's start with the preposition at. It is translated into Russian in different ways - “at”, “about”, “on”, “in”, “at”. The translation will depend on the place with which the preposition is used. Let's look at some rules and examples.
- Pretext at in English, as a rule, it is used when we are talking about a specific place, point or landmark, and not about the territory or area as a whole:
There were a lot of people at a conference. – There were a lot of people at the conference.
I met him at Jack's party. “I met him at Jack’s at a party.”
In these sentences at a conference And at Jack's party refer to specific places.
We can use this preposition with the names of cities, implying the names of institutions or events taking place in this city. Let's look at a few pairs of proposals:
There were a lot of artistic people at Dublin Theater Festival. – There were a lot of creative people at the festival in Dublin.
There are a lot of artistic people in Dublin. – There are a lot of creative people in Dublin.
As you can see, the difference in meaning is obvious: in the first example Dublin refers to the name of the festival ( Dublin Theater Festival), in the second example we are already talking about the city itself. Such an insignificant detail as a preposition can change the meaning of an entire sentence! Here's another example to think about:
I study at Edinburgh. – I study at the University of Edinburgh.
I study in Edinburgh. – I study in Edinburgh.
Using a preposition at in the first sentence allows us to use the name of the city, although we mean the educational institution whose full name The University of Edinburgh. Using a preposition in in the second example, we are talking only about the city.
- Use a preposition at when talking about buildings as specific points or landmarks: at the dentist's, at the supermarket, at school, at the shop etc. Use a preposition in, if you want to emphasize the fact that someone or something is inside the building:
I stopped at the shop on my way home. – I stopped at the store on the way home. (here the store is just a stop on the way home)
It was raining, so I decided to shelter in the shop. – It was raining, so I decided to take shelter in the store. (what is important here is the fact that I entered the building itself)
- Often at used before the names of buildings in cases where what is important to us is not the building itself, but the action that takes place in it:
I was at the cinema yesterday. – Yesterday I was at the cinema.
I eat at KFC on Mondays. – I eat at KFC on Mondays.
- Use a preposition at before addresses:
Their shop is at 35 Park Road. – Their store is at 35 Park Road.
But do not forget that the preposition is used immediately before the name of the road on or in:
The shop is on/in Park Road. – The store is located on Park Road.
- Pretext at also used with the verb arrive:
We arrived at the airport in time. – We arrived at the airport on time.
But when talking about arriving in any big city, use the preposition in:
The train arrives in New York at 10.30. – The train arrives in New York at 10:30.
As you can see, the largest number of rules concern the use of the preposition at in English, but we also looked at individual cases of using prepositions in And on, since the difference in their use is visible precisely when comparing several sentences, it remains to study very few rules for using these prepositions.
The preposition on in English
Pretext on should be used when the item is in contact with a flat surface ( on the ceiling- on the ceiling, on the wall- on the wall, on the floor- on the floor). By the way, the Internet phenomenon for foreigners is a surface, so it’s correct on the Internet. Although for Russians it is correct “on the Internet”, because for us this is space.
When we perceive space as a straight line, for example, when we talk about a river or a road, we take on.
They built the house on the Humber River. “They built a house on the Humber River.
Also a pretext on in English it is used when talking about traveling by bus, train, or plane. When talking about traveling by taxi or car, use the preposition in. You can also use the preposition in, if you want to emphasize the fact that someone or something is inside the vehicle (in this case, the preposition can be used with any type of vehicle). Compare these offers:
He always looks through his papers in the taxi. – He always looks through documents in a taxi.
English people read newspapers everywhere, even on the bus. – The British read newspapers everywhere, even on the bus.
The preposition in in English
Pretext in in English it is used when we want to indicate that an object is inside another, larger object. This is the case when the preposition has an equivalent in Russian - “in”.
Let's go for a walk in the woods. - Let's go for a walk in the forest.
My keys are in my bag. - My keys are in my bag.
At the end, we invite you to watch a video from the teacher Alex. You can look at this topic from the point of view of a native speaker, so be sure to pay attention to the video:
Well, we hope you have learned the main differences in the use of prepositions of place in English. Try to test your knowledge with a small quiz! And don't forget to download our sign.
(*.pdf, 183 Kb)
Test
Prepositions of place in English: at, in, on
We need prepositions of place to talk about the position or location of someone/something. We use them very often in our speech. For example:
“The book is on the table. Children at school. Bag in the car. We are in Park".
In English, difficulties in using are caused by the prepositions in, at, on, which are very often confused and used incorrectly.
However, it is very important to learn the correct use of these prepositions, since the meaning of the sentence will change depending on which preposition you choose.
In this article I will tell you how not to get confused by them.
From the article you will learn:
Prepositions of place in English
Prepositions of place indicate the position and location of an object/person in space.
There are the following prepositions of place in English:
- above- higher;
- below- below;
- before- in front, at;
- behind- behind, behind;
- under- under (something);
- over- on top;
- between- between;
- among- among;
- near, by, beside- near, near, at;
- outside- outside, behind;
- in front of- before;
- opposite- against;
- at- V;
- in- V;
- on- on the;
Let's look at a visual representation of the use of basic prepositions of place.
Today we will look in detail at the prepositions on, in and at.
Using the preposition of place on in English
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Preposition on
Translation: on the.
Transcription:[ɒn] / [he].
Pretext on most often we use it when we say that something is on the surface. For example: “The cup is on the table.”
Examples
However, the preposition on has several other uses.
We use on when we say:
1. About the situation on the road, river, seashore, lakeshore.
For example
They lived on the coast of a river.
They lived on the banks of the river.
St.Petersburg lies on the Neva.
St. Petersburg is located on the Neva.
2. About the floor in the building.
For example
We live on the 8th floor.
WE live on the 8th floor.
They work on the 15th floor.
They work on the 15th floor.
3. The fact that we are physically in public transport (bus, metro, train, plane).
For example
She was on the bus, when he called.
She was on the bus when he called.
I like to read books on the metro.
I like to read books on the subway.
Using the preposition in in English
Preposition in
Translation: V.
Transcription:[ɪn] / [in].
Pretext in we use when we say that a person/thing is inside something. What is meant here is specific place or building. For example: “I hid from the rain in the store.”
Examples
We put the books in a box.
We put the books in a box (the books are inside the box).
He is waiting for me in a car.
He is waiting for me in the car (he is inside the car).
We also use in in the following cases:
1. With the names of the cardinal directions (north, south, west, east).
For example
Penguins live in the north.
Penguins live in the north.
The city lies in the west.
The city is located in the west.
2. With cities, countries.
For example
We live in Moscow.
We live in Moscow.
She would like to live in New-York.
She would like to live in New York.
Using the preposition at in English
Preposition at
Translation: V.
Transcription:[æt] / [et].
Pretext at we use when we are somewhere with a specific purpose. For example: “He invited me to the cinema.” From this example it is clear that he invited not just to stand in the cinema building, but for a specific purpose - to watch a film.
For example
They are at the hospital.
They are in a hospital (being in a hospital to get better, not just standing in a building).
We are eating at a restaurant.
We eat in a restaurant (we are in a restaurant to eat, and not just stand in it).
The preposition at is also used when something/someone is located:
1. At a specific point, point (at a bus stop, on a corner, at an intersection).
For example
He is sitting at the bus stop.
He is sitting at the bus stop.
They waited for me at a corner.
They were waiting for me on the corner.
2. At an event, some event.
For example
We are at a concert.
We're at a concert.
They met at a conference.
They met at a conference.
3. In close proximity, at.
For example
Her dog is sitting at the door.
Her dog is sitting by the door.
She is standing at a window.
She was standing by the window.
What is the difference between in and at?
Let's look again at the difference between these prepositions.
In we use when we are inside something.
They are in school.
They are at school.
The sentence says that they are in the school building. They are not somewhere on the site or on an excursion, they are inside this building.
At we use when we are somewhere for a specific purpose.
They are at school.
They are at school.
In this sentence we mean that they are at school, they went there for the purpose of learning, they may now be in the school itself, in the playground next to the school, or even going on a school trip to a museum.
General table of use of prepositions on, in, at
Let's look again at the use of these prepositions.
| On | In | At |
| Someone/something is on the surface on
the
table The floor |
We are inside something (meaning the building itself) in
the
room
in the shop |
We are somewhere with a specific purpose at
work at the cinema |
| We talk about the situation on the road, river, seashore, lakeshore. on the coast on the river |
Use with names of cardinal directions (north, south, west, east)in the north in the north in the south |
We are at a specific point, point (at a bus stop, on a corner, at an intersection) at the corner at the bus stop |
| We are on floor in the building on the 9th floor on the 11th floor |
Use with cities and countries in Moscow in London |
We are at an event, event at a concert at a conference |
| We say that we are physically in public transport at a certain moment on the bus on the train |
We are in close proximity to something at a door at a window |
So, we've covered the theory, and now let's move on to practice.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English:
1. She sleeps in the room.
2. They are in the theater.
3. Things are in the suitcase.
4. Apples on the table.
5. We are standing at a crossroads.
6. He lives in London.
The eternal problem is prepositions. Submitting to the logic of our native language, we continue to translate literally all words, even prepositions. And if the situation is better with the prepositions IN and ON, because they are often translated in the same way as in Russian, then with the preposition of place AT the situation is complicated, it has no analogue in Russian, and it is translated differently each time.
Today we will look at three main prepositions of place: IN, ON, AT, we will look at exceptions and controversial cases of their use.
Common Use Cases
Preposition IN - in, inside
IN indicates position within large or small spaces. Spaces may not have visible boundaries:
In the room - in the room
In the house - in the house
In the north of the country - in the north of the country
In the garden - in the garden
In the bag - in the bag
In an office - in the office
Preposition ON - on, on the surface
ON indicates the position on the surface of something or if one object is attached or adjacent to another:
On a wall - on the wall
On the ceiling - on the ceiling
On a table - on the table
On the floor - on the floor
On a finger - on the finger
On my head - on my head
Preposition AT - at, near, in, on
AT always denotes proximity to something in space, a point in space. As already mentioned, the preposition AT does not have a direct analogue in Russian, so it can be translated in completely different ways. However, in all phrases AT means the same thing, it just sounds unnatural in Russian:
At the door - at the door (near the door)
At the desk - at the table (at the table)
At the traffic lights - at the traffic light (at the traffic light)
At the bus stop - at the bus stop (at the bus stop)
At the end of the street - at the end of the street (at the end of the street)
Set phrases with prepositions of place
Preposition IN:
In bed - on the bed
In a street - on the street
In the sky - in the sky
In the world - in the world
In a book - in a book
In a picture - in the picture
In a photograph
In the middle - in the middle, in the middle
In a row - in a row
In a queue - in line
In a mirror - in the mirror
More stable expressions with the preposition IN can be found
Preposition ON:
On the ground floor - on the first floor
On the way - on the way
On the page - on the page
On the left/ on the right - left/right
On a map - on the map
On a menu - in the menu
On a list - in the list
On a farm - on the farm
Preposition AT:
At home - at home
At work - at work
At school - at school
Look for more stable expressions with the preposition AT.
Let's consider situations where it is possible to use different prepositions, but the meaning of the phrase will change.
Corner (IN/ ON/ AT)
IN the corner- in the corner when we are inside (rooms, houses, etc.)
ON/ AT the corner - on the corner when we are outside (buildings, structures, etc.)
The TV set is in the corner of the living room. - TV in the corner of the living room.
You buy an ice-cream on the corner of the street. - You can buy ice cream on the street corner.
Front/ back (IN/ ON/ AT)
All three prepositions of place we are discussing today can be used with these words.
If we are talking about buildings, structures, halls, crowds of people, and other objects, then we need the preposition AT:
I will be waiting for you at the front of the theater. - I'll wait for you in front of the theater.
We sat at the front, so we could see the actors very well. - We sat in front (of the auditorium), so we could clearly see the actors.
She was standing at the back, so she couldn’t hear what the teacher said. - She stood behind (the crowd, group), so she did not hear what the teacher said.
When we talk about a car (in front, behind), we look at the car as if from the inside, so we use the preposition IN:
ON is used when talking about letters, sheets of paper (on the front side, on the back side):
He took my application and wrote something on the back. “He took my application and wrote something on the back.
You write your address on the front of an envelope. - You should write your address on the front of the envelope.
Top (AT/ON)
We use the preposition AT when we talk about the highest point of something (at the top).
ON - about two objects, when one is on top of the second, attached on top. Please note that in this case the article is not used with the preposition ON. Let's look at examples:
Arrive (AT/ IN)
This is the case when in Russian we always use the same preposition (V), and in English there are two, depending on the place:
Arrive IN+ country, city.
Arrive AT+ building, place, event, activity.
We arrived in Moscow 6 o’clock. - We arrived in Moscow at six o'clock.
We arrived at the conference at 8. - We arrived at the conference at eight.
Names of settlements (IN/ AT)
We usually use the preposition IN with the names of settlements and with the words city, town, village, etc.:
My friend lives in Boston. - My friend lives in Boston.
I dream of having a holiday in a quiet village. - I dream of spending a holiday in a quiet village.
But if a populated area is part of the route, a stop along the route, or a meeting place, then you can also use the preposition AT:
We stopped at (in) Boston, but I didn’t have time to visit my friend. - We stopped in Boston, but I didn’t have time to visit my friend.
The coach stopped at (in) a small village which looked the place of my dream. - The bus stopped in a small village that looked like the place of my dreams.
Rivers, lakes, seas (ON/ IN/ AT)
ON is used in the same way as in Russian and denotes a position near a body of water (by a river, by a lake, by the sea):
Hotel is on a picturesque lake. - The hotel is located on a picturesque lake / near the lake.
London stands on the Thames. - London is on the Thames.
IN we say when someone or something is in water, immersed in water:
We were swimming in the lake/ in the river/ in the sea. - We swam in the lake, in the river, in the sea.
You can say AT sea when you talk about sailors who are at sea, on a voyage:
My brother is a sailor and he has been at sea three months. - My brother is a sailor and he has been sailing for three months.
Events (AT)
In Russian we use the preposition “na” with the names of events. In English, AT is used with event names:
At a conference - at the conference
At a meeting - at a meeting
At a match - at the match
At a concert - at a concert
Transport (IN/ON)
The preposition ON is used when talking about public transport:
On a bus/ plane/ train/ boat - on a bus, plane, train, ship
ON is also used with those types of transport on which a person sits astride (bicycles, motorcycles, and of course, animals):
On a bike - on a bicycle
On a horseback - on a horse
When talking about cars, it is customary to use the preposition IN:
In a car - by car / in the car
In a taxi - by taxi / in a taxi
Buildings, places in the city (IN/ AT)
Both prepositions can be used when talking about buildings. There are some differences.
If we think of a building as a venue for an event, that is, the purpose of the building is important to us, then we should use the preposition AT, but if we mean a building or premises, then we need to use IN:
It was rather cold in the theatre. - It was cold in the theater (in the theater building).
We saw a great play at the theatre. - We watched a magnificent performance in the theater (we attended the event).
He is at the cafe with his girlfriend. - He is in a cafe with his girlfriend (they are having lunch).
It was raining, so he sought shelter in a cafe. - It was raining, so he took refuge from the rain in a cafe (in the building).
AT is usually used with specific names of establishments, shops, institutions:
I had lunch at MacDonald's. - I had lunch at McDonald's.
She bought this dress at Harrods. - She bought this dress at Harrods.
The preposition AT is usually used with words denoting educational institutions and with the names of educational institutions:
Study at school/ at college/ at university - study at school, college, university
He studies law at Harvard University. - He is studying law at Harvard.
If you want to say about then you need the preposition AT:
Sue is at Mary's (house). - Sue is at Mary's (at home).
Tom was at the hairdresser’s and had his hair cut. - Tom went to the barber and got his hair cut.
And again, let me remind you that if you mean a building or premises, then use the preposition IN:
Addresses (IN/AT)
If you give a full address, then the preposition AT is used:
I live at 39 North Street. - I live at 39 North Street.
If only the street is named, then IN (AmE - ON) is used:
I live in (on - AmE) North Street. - I live on North Street.
If you continue to improve your knowledge on the topic “Prepositions,” then on our website there is a whole one dedicated to this part of speech.
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