PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE:

1. PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE: At, On, In by Carmen Luisa Pérez Amaro

2. In – place: • For position inside large areas, e.g. countries, cities, regions, large islands… • For position in three-dimensional space, e.g. a room, a building, a park… • Transport – to talk about private cars and taxis. • 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… She’s in her bedroom/ in a museum. There is some sugar in the cupboard. He’s in the garden. I walked in the park all afternoon. Who’s 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 father’s 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. There’s 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: • For position at a point. • 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… • With the names of group activites, e.g. at a party, at a meeting, at a match, at a concert… • 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 hairdresser’s? No, she’s at her mother’s (= at her mother’s house).

17. 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.