Prepositions of place "in, on, at" | Interactive lesson and practice

 Prepositions of places " in, on, at"

Prepositions of place tell us where something is located. The main ones we’ll cover are:

in — inside or within a space / inside a larger space

on — touching the surface or a point on a line / on the surface of something

at — a point or a specific place (often a small or precise location)

Basic rules and common uses

 Preposition "in"

Used for large areas or volumes (rooms, countries, books, containers).

Not used for open spaces like streets or squares.

Examples

1. The cat is in the box. (inside the box)
2. She lives in France. (inside the country)
3. There’s a key in the drawer. (inside the drawer)
4. There are fish in the aquarium.

Preposition "on"

Used for surfaces and things that can be seen as a line or a surface.

Also used for days/dates on calendars (more a time preposition, but related).

Examples

1. The book is on the table. (on top of the table’s surface)
2. The picture is on the wall. (on the surface of the wall)
3. The pen is on the desk. (on the surface)
4. My birthday is on Monday. (date on a calendar)

Preposition "at"

Used for a point, a specific place, or a place considered as a point.

Often used with events, addresses, or places regarded as points.

Examples

1. She’s at the door. (the door is a point you can go to)
2. We met at the corner café. (a specific location)
3. He’s at 10 Baker Street. (specific address)
4. The concert is at the stadium. (a location, seen as a point)

Comparison

The cat is in the box. (inside)

The cat is on the lid of the box. (on the surface)

The cat is at the box. (near the box, at the location)

General Rules

• Rooms: in the kitchen, in the living room
• Surfaces: on the table, on the wall
• Specific points/places: at the door, at the bus stop, at the corner

Special cases and hints

• If you’re thinking of a city or country, use in: in New York, in Spain, in Europe.
• If you’re thinking of a street or a very specific place, you can use on for surfaces or roads: on Main Street, on the coast.
• With addresses, use at: at 221B Baker Street, at the entrance.
• When talking about venues or places where something happens, use at: at school, at work, at the cinema.

Certain phrases are fixed and common:

• on the bus, on the train, on the plane
• in a car (we’re inside the car)
• in a taxi (inside the taxi)
• at home, at school, at work

Practice activities

Activity 1: Choose the right preposition

Fill in the blanks with in, on, or at.

1. The apples are ___ the basket.
2. We live ___ Canada.
3. Put the mug ___ the table.
4. She’s ___ the door.
5. He is staying ___ the hotel near the beach.
6. The painting is ___ the wall.

Answers:

1. in
2. in
3. on
4. at
5. at
6. on

Choose the correct preposition.

1. The dog is ___ the house. (in / on / at)
2. Put the cookies ___ the plate. (in / on / at)
3. They live ___ Tokyo. (in / on / at)
4. Meet me ___ the entrance. (in / on / at)
5. The camera is ___ the shelf. (in / on / at)

Answers: 1) in, 2) on, 3) in, 4) at, 5) on

Prepositions of Place

Master the use of "IN," "ON," and "AT" with interactive examples and practice!

IN

Use "IN" for enclosed spaces, countries, cities, and time periods

🏠

I live IN the house

🇺🇸

She works IN America

📅

We met IN 2020

🚗

He sits IN the car

ON

Use "ON" for surfaces, days, dates, and transportation

📚

The book is ON the table

🚌

I travel ON the bus

📆

See you ON Monday

🖼️

Picture ON the wall

AT

Use "AT" for specific locations, addresses, and exact times

🏫

Meet me AT school

🏠

I'm AT 123 Main Street

⏰

Class starts AT 9:00

🎯

Wait AT the corner

🎯 Practice Time!

The cat is sleeping ___ the box.

Please put the cup ___ the table.

I'll meet you ___ the bus stop.

She was born ___ Paris.

The meeting is ___ Friday.

The movie starts ___ 7:30 PM.

There are many fish ___ the ocean.

The bird is sitting ___ the branch.

We're having dinner ___ my grandmother's house.

My keys are ___ my pocket.

She wrote her name ___ the paper.

Turn left ___ the traffic light.

The children are playing ___ the garden.

There's a spider ___ the ceiling.

I work ___ the hospital.

We lived ___ Japan for three years.

The concert is ___ Saturday night.

She's waiting ___ the entrance.

The milk is ___ the refrigerator.

He gets ___ the train every morning.

The party starts ___ midnight.

She found her phone ___ her bag.

The cat is sleeping ___ the sofa.

Let's meet ___ the library.

The flowers are blooming ___ spring.

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