UNIT 3 PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE

IN/ AT/ ON/ (PLACE) (1)

In: in a room, ina garden, ina building, ina town/city, ina box, ina country

At: at the bus stop, atthe top (of the page), atthe bottom (of the page),atthe door, atthe window, atthe end of the street

On: on the floor, onher nose, onthe wall, ona page, onthe door, onan island, onthe table, ontop of the mountain.

Compare inand at: There were a lot of people inthe shop. It was very crowded.

But: Go along this road, then turn left atthe shop (somebody giving directions).

Compare inand on: There is some water inthe bottle.

But: There is a label onthe bottle.

Compare at andon: There is somebody atthe door. Shall I go and see who it is?

But: There is a notice onthe door. It says "Don’t disturb".

IN/ AT/ ON/ (PLACE) (2)

In: when somebody/something is: in a line, ina row, ina queue, ina street, inthe mountains, inthe north/east, etc.;

but: at 10 the High Street

in a photo, ina picture, (look at yourself) ina mirror;

in the sky, inthe world;

in a book, ina newspaper, ina magazine, ina letter but: on a page

On: when somebody/something is: on the left, onthe right; onthe ground floor, onthe first floor; ona map, onthe menu (in a restaurant),ona list, ona farm

when a place is: on the river, onthe lake, onthe road, onthe coast; onthe beach, onthe way to another place

Compare:in the corner of a room, but at the corner (or onthe corner) of a street; inthe front, inthe back of a car, but at the front, atthe back of a building (cinema, group of people, etc.); also on the front, onthe back of a letter (piece of paper etc.)

IN/ AT/ ON/ (PLACE) (3)

In: with cities, towns and villages: in Paris, inHelston;

but ator inwith the place as a point or station on a journey: We stopped at (or in) a small village on the way to London.

when somebody is: inbed, inhospital, inprison;

but at home, atwork, atschool, atuniversity,atcollege; atsea (= ona voyage).

Compare: It was a long voyage. We were at sea for 30 days.

At: when somebody isat an event: at a party,ata conference etc.; or to say where an event takes place: at the Odeon (cinema), atthe Royal Hall

also at the station, atthe airport; atsomebody’s house (I was atJudy’s house last night.);

but in is used to say about the building itself: The rooms inJudy’s house are very small. It was very cold inthe cinema.

On

Compare: on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ship; on a bicycle, on a motorcycle, on a horse; but in a car, in a taxi.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1416