PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE:

1
PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE

• At, On, In

by Carmen Luisa Pérez Amaro
2
In place

1. For position inside large areas, e.g. countries,
   cities, regions, large islands
2. For position in three-dimensional space, e.g. a
   room, a building, a park
3. Transport to talk about private cars and taxis.
4. Addresses if we just give the name of the
   street.

3
In place

• For position inside large areas, e.g. countries,
  cities, regions, large islands
• I live in Spain.
• I grew up in Puerto de la Cruz.
• My parents live in New Zealand now.

4
In place

• For position in three-dimensional space, e.g. a
  room, a building, a park
• Shes in her bedroom/ in a museum.
• There is some sugar in the cupboard.
• Hes in the garden.
• I walked in the park all afternoon.
• Whos that up in the tree?
• I love to bathe in the river.

5
In place

• Transport to talk about private cars and taxis
• I saw Ana in a new Volkswagen yesterday.
• Come on, we're late - get in the car.
• They had to send me home in a taxi.

6
In place

• Addresses if we just give the name of the
  street
• She lives in Queen Anne Street.

7
On place

• For position in a small area, e.g. a small
  island.
• For position on a surface on a table, on a page,
  on a shelf, on the floor, on the roof, on the
  ceiling, on the wall, on the balcony, on a lake,
  on the beach
• For position on a line, e.g. river, coast, road
• For location by a body of water, e.g. a lake,
  sea.
• Transport to talk about travel using a bus,
  plane, train, underground, motorcycle, bicycle,
  ship, horse... and when you go walking (on foot).
• Addresses in American English if we just give
  the name of the street.

8
On place

• For position in a small area, e.g. a small
  island
• They live on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
• No cars are allowed on the island.

9
On place

• For position on a surface on a table, on a page,
  on a shelf, on the floor, on the roof, on the
  ceiling, on the wall, on the balcony, on a lake,
  on the beach
• Leave your things on the table over there.
• The map is on page 43.
• She was sitting on her fathers shoulders.
• I live in a flat on the fourth floor.
• We spent the afternoon in a boat on the lake.

10
On place

• For position on a line, e.g. river, coast, road
• We went on a cruise on the River Seine.
• I used to live in a small village on the coast.
• Theres a good restaurant on Glasgow road.

11
On place

• For location by a body of water, e.g. a lake,
  sea
• Bowness is on Lake Windermere (by lake
  Windermere).

12
On place

• Transport to talk about travel using a bus,
  plane, train, underground, motorcycle, bicycle,
  ship, horse... and when you go walking (on foot)
• I managed to sleep on the plane.
• I got on the first bus that came along.
• I came on my bike.
• We went to France on the ferry.
• It'd be quicker to get there on foot.

13
On place

• Addresses in American English if we just give
  the name of the street
• She lives on Queen Anne Street.

14
At place

1. For position at a point.
2. With the name of a building when we are
   interested in the activity that happens there
   (not in the dimensions of the place), or when we
   consider it as a point, e.g. at the station, at
   the airport, at school, at university, at work,
   at home
3. With the names of group activites, e.g. at a
   party, at a meeting, at a match, at a concert
4. Addresses if we give the number alone or both
   the number and name of the street.

15
At place

• For position at a point
• My house is at the third crossroads.
• I was waiting at the bus stop.
• There's someone at the door.
• We'll meet you at the entrance.
• We use it with cities and place names, when we
  are talking about stopping during a journey, i.e.
  when we consider the place as a point
• The bus stops at Puerto de la Cruz.

16
At place

• With the name of a building when we are
  interested in the activity that happens there
  (not in the dimensions of the place), or when we
  consider it as a point, e.g. at the station, at
  the airport, at school, at university, at work,
  at home
• There was a security alert at Delhi's
  international airport.
• I was at university from 1992 to 1997.
• Is Jessica still at school?
• Dad's at work right now.
• Is she at the hairdressers? No, shes at her
  mothers ( at her mothers house).

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At place

• With the names of group activites, e.g. at a
  party, at a meeting, at a match, at a concert
• I met him at a party a couple of months ago.
• Mrs Squires is at a meeting at the moment. (We
  can also say in a meeting)

18
At place

• Addresses if we give the number alone or both
  the number and name of the street
• She lives at 64 Queen Anne Street.
• I live at number 32.