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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Grammar Videos
(ordered by category) Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of Place (At, In, On)
The prepositions "at," "in," and "on" are regularly used in expressions of place. For example:"At" is used for a precise point.
- at the bus stop
- at the front door
- at the entrance
- at the reception desk
"On" is used with a surface.
- on the street
- on the carpet
- on the floor
- on the front cover
"In" is used for an enclosed space.
- in my pocket
- in the box
- in the car
- in the garden

Your Go!
It's your go. Select the correct preposition:More Examples with "At"
"At" is generally used for a precise point:- Meet me at the park bench.
- Sarah works at the club house.
- Matt saw the owl at the barn.
More Examples with "On"
"On" is generally used with a surface:- The printer in on my desk.
- Please put the candle on the ledge.
- The drinks are on the counter.
More Examples with "In"
"In" is generally used with for an enclosed space:- I am in my room.
- The mouse is in the box.
- We are sitting in my car.
Set Time Phrases
Here are some set phrases that are not obvious fits for the guidelines presented above.Set Phrases with "At":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
at home | She is currently at home. |
at school | Jack met Jill at school. |
at the bottom | The treasure is at the bottom of the sea. |
at the top | I'll meet you at the top of the mountain. |
at work | I hope you do not act like this at work. |
Set Phrases with "On":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
on television | What is on television tonight? |
on the radio | I heard you on the radio yesterday. |
on the left/right | The bank is the first building on the left. |
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
on a bike | Christ on a bike! You did what? |
on a bus | The dog was found on a bus. |
on a horse | You look confident on a horse. |
on a plane | It is a film about deadly snakes on a plane. |
on a ship | Her father worked on a ship for forty years. |
on a train | We should travel on a train next time. |
Set Phrases with "In":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
in a row | I rolled three sixes in a row. |
in the newspaper | Don't believe anything you read in the newspaper. |
in the sky | There was a double rainbow in the sky. |
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
in France | I was lost in France. |
in London | It is too expensive to live in London. |
in Florida | My aunties all worked in Florida during the 1980s. |
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