Prepositions: When to use In, On & At [Plus Examples!]
If you learn English online, understanding when to use prepositions can cause quite a headache. We become so used to the way prepositions are used in our native tongue that using them in any other way can seem illogical or absurd.
Luckily, in English, we can identify many specific situations in which the prepositions in, on, and at are used in order to figure out when it is appropriate to use each one. These guidelines help us use the right preposition every time! Keep reading to learn more or discover online English grammar classes on Preply.
How to use in, on and at
Two of the most common contexts in which in, at, and on are used involve identifying where someone or something is (place) and when something happened (time). The charts below explain when these prepositions should be used in the numerous situations of time and place.
In, on & at as prepositions of place
Preposition Situations Examples at
at a very specific point, location, or place
-
I’m working
at
the bakery.
-
The shop is
at
455 Main Street.
-
Someone is
at
the door.
-
Is she
at
a concert tonight?
-
Read the title
at
the top of the page.
on
on a surface
Exceptions: general street names and close to a river
-
The painting is
on
the wall.
-
Her ring is
on
her middle finger.
-
Do you like anything
on
the menu?
-
I live
on
Grove Street.
-
The restaurant is
on
the river.
in
in an enclosed space, or a general area that contains borders or boundaries
-
She has a penny
in
her pocket.
-
I left my wallet
in
the car.
-
The children are
in
the garden.
-
They live
in
New York City.
-
I’m staying
in
France this summer.
Note
: When referring to buildings or other confined areas, both prepositions “at” and “in” can be used, depending on the context. If you would like to describe the general location of where someone/something is, you should use “at.” For example, “Mary is at the school.” However, if you need to emphasize that someone/something is inside the building or area, you can use “in.” For instance, “Mary is in the school.”
In, on & at as prepositions of time
Preposition Situations Examples at
Specific Times
-
Hours/minutes of the day
-
Times of day (
e.g. dawn, midnight, noon, sunrise, bedtime
)
-
We’ll meet you
at
6 o’clock.
-
The show starts
at
4:45.
-
I hate driving
at
night.
on
Specific Days and Dates
-
Dates
-
Days of the week
-
Weekends*
-
Holidays* (
e.g., New Year’s Eve, Independence Day, Halloween
)
-
Birthdays
-
The party is
on
May 5th.
-
They work out
on
Mondays.
-
I relax
on
the weekend.
-
He left
on
Christmas day.
-
We met
on
Easter.
-
I cried
on
my birthday.
in
More General Times
-
Months
-
Seasons
-
Years
-
Centuries
-
Time Periods
-
Past/Future
-
Future Times
Exception for Times of Day: morning, afternoon, evening
-
I saw him
in
August.
-
We ski a lot
in
the winter.
-
You graduated
in
2005.
-
She grew up
in
the 90s.
-
It was cold
in
the Ice Age.
-
He was angrier
in
the past.
-
I’ll meet with you
in
an hour.
-
It was dark
in
the morning.
-
I eat dinner
in
the evening.
*Note:
In American English, the preposition “on” is used with weekends and holidays, as shown above. However, in British English and other varieties, the preposition “at” can be used with weekends and holidays (i.e., “I went to the park at the weekend” and “I stay in London at Christmas.”
At last, you know your prepositions!
Now that you have learned the various contexts in which in, at, and on are used with regard to time and place, you can begin to confidently use these prepositions in your speech and writing. No more guessing or fretting–your English improves now!
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