Prepositions of Place in English
There are many prepositions of place, but in this lesson we will focus on in, on, at.
In, on, at tell us where things are.
In this lesson, you’ll understand the difference between them and practise using them.
When to use in, on, at for place?
Prepositions of place go before nouns.
In
- Inside spaces
- Places, cities, countries
On
- Surfaces (floor, table, etc.)
- Roads, road names
- Public transport
- Media
At
- Addresses, buildings
- Specific points
- General locations
Examples
I live in Manchester.
The shop is on Black Street.
Can you meet me at the bus stop?
Remember: each preposition has a specific use.
Practise
Fill in the missing gap with the correct preposition – in, on, at
Common mistakes learners make
- Using ‘in’ instead of ‘on’ for surfaces
- Using ‘at’ instead of ‘in’ when inside spaces
- Using ‘in’ instead of ‘at’ for specific points
Common mistakes learners make
- Using ‘in’ instead of ‘on’ for surfaces
- Using ‘at’ instead of ‘in’ when inside spaces
- Using ‘in’ instead of ‘at’ for specific points
Watch: Preposition of place explained by a British tutor
In this video, Claire explains a variety of prepositions and how to use them with examples.
