Introduction
The prepositions at, in and on are often used in English to talk about places (positions) and times. Sometimes the choice of one over another in a particular phrase or sentence seems arbitrary. However if we analyse patterns of occurrence we can identify key concepts in meaning and usage which consistently apply and can be used as a platform for learning.
The preposition AT is used in the following descriptions of time:
With clock times:
My last train leaves at 10:30.
We left at midnight.
The meeting starts at two thirty.
With specific times of day, or mealtimes:
He doesn’t like driving at night.
I’ll go shopping at lunchtime.
I like to read the children a story at bedtime.
With festivals:
Are you going home at Christmas/Easter?
In certain fixed expressions which refer to specific points in time:
Are you leaving at the weekend?**
She’s working at the moment.
He’s unavailable at present.
I finish the course at the end of April.
We arrived at the same time.
**Note that in American English, on the weekend is the correct form.
The preposition IN is used in the following descriptions of time:
With months, years, seasons, and longer periods of time:
I was born in 1965.
We’re going to visit them in May.
The pool is closed in winter.
He was famous in the 1980’s.
The play is set in the Middle Ages.
They’ve done work for me in the past.
With periods of time during the day:
He’s leaving in the morning.
She usually has a sleep in the afternoon(s).
I tried to work in the evening.
To describe the amount of time needed to do something:
They managed to finish the job in two weeks.
You can travel there and back in a day.
To indicate when something will happen in the future:
She’ll be ready in a few minutes.
He’s gone away but he’ll be back in a couple of days.
The preposition ON is used in the following descriptions of time:
With days of the week, and parts of days of the week:
I’ll see you on Friday.
She usually works on Mondays.
We’re going to the theatre on Wednesday evening.
Note that in spoken English, on is often omitted in this context, e.g.: I’ll see you Friday.
With dates:
The interview is on 29th April.
He was born on February 14th 1995.
With special days:
She was born on Valentine’s day.
We move house on Christmas Eve.
I have an exam on my birthday.
If we examine these different aspects of usage for the three prepositions, a general pattern emerges. At is generally used in reference to specific times on the clock or points of time in the day. In generally refers to longer periods of time, several hours or more. On is used with dates and named days of the week
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2. Prepositions of place
With specific places/points in space:
She kept the horse at a nearby farm.
I had a cup of coffee at Helen’s (house/flat).
Angie’s still at home.
I’ll meet you at reception.
There’s a man at the door.
I saw her standing at the bus stop.
Turn right at the traffic lights.
The index is at the back of the book.
Write your name at the top of each page.
With public places and shops:
Jane’s at the dentist/hairdresser.
I studied German at college/school/university.
Shall I meet you at the station?
We bought some bread at the supermarket.
With addresses:
They live at 70, Duncombe Place.
With events:
I met her at last year’s conference. She wasn’t at Simon’s party.
The preposition ON is used in the following descriptions of place/position:
With surfaces, or things that can be thought of as surfaces:
The letter is on my desk.
There was a beautiful painting on the wall.
The toy department is on the first floor.
Write the number down on a piece of paper.
You’ve got a dirty mark on your jumper.
He had a large spot on his nose.
She placed her hand on my shoulder.
With roads/streets, or other things that can be thought of as a line, e.g.: rivers:
The bank is on the corner of King’s Street.
Koblenz is on the Rhine.
Bournemouth is on the south coast.
It’s the second turning on the left.
The preposition IN is used in the following descriptions of place/position:
With geographical regions:
Driving in France is very straightforward.
Orgiva is a very small village in the mountains.
With cities, towns and larger areas:
Do you like living in Nottingham?
They were having a picnic in the park.
She works somewhere in the toy department.
With buildings/rooms and places that can be thought of as surrounding a person or object on all sides:
Can you take a seat in the waiting room please?
I’ve left my bag in the office.
There’s a wedding in the church this afternoon.
Lots of people were swimming in the lake
With containers:
There’s fresh milk in the fridge.
I think I’ve got a tissue in my pocket.
The money is in the top drawer of my desk.
With liquids and other substances, to show what they contain:
?Do you take milk in your coffee
I can taste garlic in this sauce.
There’s a lot of fat in cheese and butter.
A general pattern again emerges if we consider these different aspects of usage. We can think of at as one-dimensional, referring to a specific place or position in space. On is two dimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to a surface. In is by contrast three-dimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to the things that surround it. Thinking of the prepositions in these terms helps us explain certain facts. For instance, in is generally used for larger places and at for smaller, more specific places, so we say:
We arrived in Inverness two hours ago.
But:
We arrived at the campsite two hours ago.
However, if we think of a city or larger place as a specific point in space, we can use at, e.g.:
The train stops at Birmingham and Bristol.
Or if we think of a smaller place as three dimensional, we can use in, e.g.:
We’ve lived in this little village for many years.
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