Preposition in, on,
at
Preposition In, On and At
We use :
at
|
in
|
on
|
PRECISE TIME
|
MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
|
DAYS and DATES
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at 3 o'clock
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in May
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on Sunday
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at 10.30am
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in summer
|
on Tuesdays
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at noon
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in the summer
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on 6 March
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at dinnertime
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in 1990
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on 25 Dec. 2010
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at bedtime
|
in the 1990s
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on Christmas Day
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at sunrise
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in the next century
|
on Independence Day
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at sunset
|
in the Ice Age
|
on my birthday
|
at the moment
|
in the past/future
|
on New Year's Eve
|
Look at these examples:
- I have a meeting at 9am.
- The shop closes at midnight.
- Jane went home at lunchtime.
- In England, it often snows in December.
- Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?
- There should be a lot of progress in the next century.
- Do you work on Mondays?
- Her birthday is on 20 November.
- Where will you be on New Year's Day?
Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:
Expression
|
Example
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at night
|
The stars shine at night.
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at the weekend
|
I don't usually work at the weekend.
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at Christmas/Easter
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I stay with my family at Christmas.
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at the same time
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We finished the test at the same time.
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at present
|
He's not home at present. Try later.
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Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:
in
|
on
|
in the morning
|
on Tuesday morning
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in the mornings
|
on Saturday mornings
|
in the afternoon(s)
|
on Sunday afternoons
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in the evening(s)
|
on Monday evening
|
When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.
- I went to London last June. (not in last June)
- He's coming back next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)
- I go home every Easter. (not at every Easter)
- We'll call you this evening. (not in this evening)
Preposition of Place : at, in, on
In general, we use :
- at for a POINT
- in for an ENCLOSED SPACE
- on for a SURFACE
at
|
in
|
on
|
POINT
|
ENCLOSED SPACE
|
SURFACE
|
at the corner
|
in the garden
|
on the wall
|
at the bus stop
|
in London
|
on the ceiling
|
at the door
|
in France
|
on the door
|
at the top of the page
|
in a box
|
on the cover
|
at the end of the road
|
in my pocket
|
on the floor
|
at the entrance
|
in my wallet
|
on the carpet
|
at the crossroads
|
in a building
|
on the menu
|
at the front desk
|
in a car
|
on a page
|
Look at these examples:
- Jane is waiting for you at the bus stop.
- The shop is at the end of the street.
- My plane stopped at Dubai and Hanoi and arrived in Bangkok two hours late.
- When will you arrive at the office?
- Do you work in an office?
- I have a meeting in New York.
- Do you live in Japan?
- Jupiter is in the Solar System.
- The author's name is on the cover of the book.
- There are no prices on this menu.
- You are standing on my foot.
- There was a "no smoking" sign on the wall.
- I live on the 7th floor at 21 Oxford Street in London.
Notice the use of the prepositions of place at, in and on in these standard expressions:
at
|
in
|
on
|
at home
|
in a car
|
on a bus
|
at work
|
in a taxi
|
on a train
|
at school
|
in a helicopter
|
on a plane
|
at university
|
in a boat
|
on a ship
|
at college
|
in a lift (elevator)
|
on a bicycle, on a motorbike
|
at the top
|
in the newspaper
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on a horse, on an elephant
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at the bottom
|
in the sky
|
on the radio, on television
|
at the side
|
in a row
|
on the left, on the right
|
at reception
|
in Oxford Street
|
on the way
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