Preposition Use - in / at / on - prepositions of place

Question 1

IN

Answer 1

Use ‘in’ with spaces:

• in a room / in a building
• in a garden / in a park

Use ‘in’ with bodies of water:

• in the water
• in the sea
• in a river

Use ‘in’ with lines:

• in a row / in a line
• in a queue

Question 2

AT

Answer 2

Use ‘at’ with places:

• at the bus-stop
• at the door
• at the cinema
• at the end of the street

Use ‘at’ with places on a page:

• at the top of the page
• at the bottom of the page

Use ‘at’ in groups of people:

• at the back of the class
• at the front of the class

Question 3

ON

Answer 3

Use ‘on’ with surfaces:

• on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor
• on the table

Use ‘on’ with small islands:

• I stayed on Maui.

Use ‘on’ with directions:

• on the left
• on the right
• straight on

Question 4

IMPORTANT NOTES

Answer 4

in - used with cities, countries, etc.

at - used with places in cities
on - used with surfaces (wall, table, etc.

In / at / on the corner

We say ‘in the corner of a room’, but ‘at the corner (or ‘on the corner’) of a street’

In / at / on the front

• We say ‘in the front / in the back’ of a car
• We say ‘at the front / at the back’ of buildings / groups of people
• We say ‘on the front / on the back’ of a piece of paper

Question 5

QUIZ** **

Answer 5

I met Jack in the street

Turn left _at _ the lights

I live on the fifth floor of my apartment building.

You will find an explanation on page 18.

Paris is on the river Seine.

The instructions are on the back of the box.