When in at is used. English prepositions to, at, in, on. Rules, features, examples. Common Use Cases

Pretext IN. To this preposition, you can ask the question WHERE? – Inside, inside the room, inside the box, inside the room

Where is the cat? - Where is a cat?

The cat is in the room ? – Cat in the room

Where is the ball? -Where is the ball?

The ball is in the basket ? – Ball in the basket

Where is Tom? - Where is Tom?

Tom is in the swimming pool? -Tom in the pool

Just remember!

Pretext INused when you want to say:

In a country, region, city, village, town

Examples: I live in Russia - I live in Russia

I work in Moscow I work in Moscow

I like being in the country I love being out of town

My grandma lives in a villageMy grandmother lives in the village

PretextAT

Use:

1). Around/near a place

at the bus-stop - at the bus stop

at the window/door/the entrance/the exit –at the window, at the door, at the entrance, at the exit

I have been waiting for him at the entrance of the shopI'm waiting for him at the entrance of the store

* You can also use the preposition BYmeaning near, next to

I am standing at / by the box–I'm standing next to the box

2). Address (street) with house number

Example: I work at 5 Lenin street - I work on Lenin street 5

In this example, you see that a specific address is indicated with a house number, so we use the prepositionAT

Remember!If you are talking about a street without a house number, then the preposition is usedON or IN

I work on/in Lenin street –I work on Lenin street

Also, before the name of the road without indicating the number, the preposition is used ON/IN

I live on/in Oxford Road – I live on Oxford Road

I live at 35 Oxford Road – I live at 35 Oxford Road

(here is the exact number, so the preposition at)

3) IN public place, institution, home

At work, at concert, at college, at university, at school, at home, at reception, at the cinema, at the museum, at the party, at the meeting, at the wedding - at the wedding, at the station, at the airport

Yesterday I stayed at homeYesterday I stayed at home.

Where is Tom? He is at work - Where is Tom? He is at work

4). With expressions: at the top - at the top, at the top, at the bottom - at the bottom

At the top of the list - At the top of the list

At the bottom of the list - At the bottom of the list

That is, we are in a specific place, we use the preposition AT

In order not to confuse the prepositions AT and IN

Remember: INwe use when we are inside something

ATwe use when we are in a specific place, near some place

I am in the office now I am now in the office (that is, I am inside the office, indoors)

I will arrive at the office in 2 hours –I will arrive at the office in 2 hours (I will arrive at a specific location)

* Remember!

with a verb ARRIVE- arrive

Pretext INused when we arrive in a country or city

I will arrive in Moscow tomorrowI'm coming to Moscow tomorrow

Pretext ATused when we arrive at other places: school, station, street, airport and so on.

I will arrive at the station 5I will arrive at station number 5

If we go to say - I'm coming home, then the preposition is not used

I will arrive home - I will come home

PretextON– on something, on a surface (horizontal, vertical)

Where is my wallet? It is on the floorWhere is my wallet? He's on the floor

Where is my key? It is on the table Where is my key? He is on the table

Where is my book? It is one the bookshelf Where's my book? She's on the bookshelf

Where is my painting? – On the wall – Where is my painting? On the wall

Where is this animation man ? – He is on the box – Where is this man? - It's on the box

Set expressions:

1). On the page - on the page

Please, open the book on the page7– Please open the book to page 7

2). On foot - on foot

We will go on foot we'll go on foot

3). On the radio, on the television on the radio, on TV

You will listen to news on the radioYou will listen to the news on the radio

4) On the left, on the right - left, right

You will see the shop on the left sideYou will see a shop on the left side.

5). On the internet - on the Internet

I have found this information on the internet –I found this information on the internet

6) On board on board (aircraft, ship)

Welcome board ! - Welcome aboard

7) On the way - on the way

I am on the way home - I am on the way home

As a result, you can remember:

IN - inside something

AT- next to something

On-on something (on the surface)

The theme of prepositions in English language is simple and complex at the same time. It would seem that he remembered once and for all, where is the pretext, and there are no problems. But, as you probably already noticed, English is the language of not only rules, but also exceptions. Today we will try to understand in more detail the prepositions of time, namely: at, in, on.

General rule for prepositions of time

Why are we considering these three prepositions together? The fact is that when we use them, then they are all translated into Russian in the same way - “v”. Hence the confusion, because in Russian " V Friday" is on Friday, « V 1999" - in 1999 , « V 8 a.m" - at 8 a.m. Let's first look at general table with the rule for three prepositions, and then we will deal with each preposition separately.

To better remember this information, we suggest watching the following video.

Preposition at in English

And here are some rules for using the preposition at:

1. With specific times: at 6 o'clock(at 6:00), at midday(at noon), at midnight(at midnight), at the moment(Now).

I heard a strange noise at midnight. – At midnight I heard a strange sound.

However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that in some cases we still use the preposition in talking about the night:

• With expression in the middle of...

I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard my dog ​​barking. I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard my dog ​​barking.

• When it comes to any particular night.

I had a fever in the night and had to take medicine. I had a fever during the night and had to take medicine. (here we are talking about a specific night, not a time of day in general)

She is moving in at the beginning of January. - She's moving in at first January.

BUT! We are speaking in the end in the meaning of "in the end", "ultimately".

In the end, it doesn't even matter what he thinks. - Ultimately it doesn't matter what he thinks.

I will go abroad at the weekend. – On the weekend I will go abroad.

Didn't you eat enough at breakfast? - You haven't eaten at breakfast?

Preposition in in English

Here is a list of cases where the preposition is used in:

1. With long periods of time. For example: seasons ( winter– in winter), months ( October– in October), years ( in 1967– in 1967), decades ( in the 1990s– in the 1990s), centuries ( in the 18th century- in the 18th century) and other periods of time ( in the week before Christmas during the week before Christmas).

I was born in May. - I was born in May.

She was in Italy in 1997. – She was in Italy in 1997.

2. When we talk about the time of day (except for the expression at night): in the morning(in the morning), in the evening(In the evening).

She usually does cooking in the morning. – She usually cooks meals in the morning.

3. When we talk about how long it takes to complete an action.

I've learned this poem just in two hours. I have learned this poem in two hours.

4. If we say how much time will pass before an action occurs.

The dinner will be served in 10 minutes. - Dinner will be served after 10 minutes.

Preposition on in English

And last in the list, but not the last in importance, the preposition on.

1. When talking about a specific day of the week.

My next lesson is Friday. – My next lesson on Friday.

2. The preposition is used with a specific date or moment of a specific day.

I am meeting my friends Friday night. - I meet my friends Friday night.

When we don't use prepositions of time

1. Note also that there are a number of words before which prepositions are not used. These include: all(All), any(any), each(every), every(every), last(past), next(next), one(one), some(some), this(This), that(That).

Compare the following examples:

She'll come in the morning. - She will come in the morning.
She'll come next morning. - She will come next morning.

see you on Monday. - See you on Monday.
I go to the cinema every Monday. - I go to the cinema every Monday.

2. Also prepositions at, in, on not used before expressions yesterday(yesterday), the day before yesterday(day before yesterday), tomorrow(Tomorrow), the day after tomorrow(day after tomorrow).

I had a lot of work yesterday. - I had a lot of work yesterday.

So, if you take another look at the examples given in the article, you will definitely notice a certain system in the use of prepositions of time in English. In a very general way, one can say that in corresponds to the longest lengths of time, such as decades, years, months, etc. At corresponds to the shortest periods of time. On used with specific days of the week and parts of the day.

Watch Lucy, a native speaker from London, explain this topic in her video tutorial. The video comes with high-quality subtitles that you can use to better understand British speech.

I hope the examples given in the article will help you remember the peculiarities of using prepositions of time in English. To verify this, I propose to perform a small test.

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Test

Prepositions of time in English: at, in, on

What causes the difference between at And in? Is there any way to determine when to bet what? Read our material and find out the answers to these questions.

Once upon a time, prepositions meant only a way of location in space. If you have heardin , then they understood that an object, a living being or a person is inside space - a house, a vessel, or even a living being (anything could happen in those days).

Mary isin the house - Mary is in the house.

The frog isin the jar - The frog is in the jar.

And in a short wordat marked the locationat, near, near something, at some particular point.

The cow isat the fence - The cow is standing by the fence.

I"ve just met Janeat the corner - I just met Jane at the corner.

Then society began to develop and become more complex, and the language had no choice but to do the same.

More and more abstract meanings of prepositions appeared, and not all of them were related to location.

Prepositions began to be used to determine the time, the way of communication, the place of work, and so on.

Here are examples of how this happens in modern English:

In the morning I wake up smiling - In the morning I wake up with a smile.

I'll be thereat 3 p.m. - I'll be there at three o'clock.

I workat Google - I work for Google.

She said itin clear English - She said it in clear English.

Repeat itin a loud voice - Repeat it loudly.

However, there is a more or less reliable link to the originalspatial values.

Graphically, this can be expressed as follows:

Based on these values, the main difference in And at. Where there is in, almost always existborders. At the same time, it does not matter which ones: physical, which can be touched, like the walls of a house, or imaginary, speculative, which people come up with to separate one concept from another.

In the daytime (in the daytime) - « not at night", that is, within daylight hours.

In mind (in consciousness)- the opposite ofin the body"(in body).

In a good mood (in a good mood) - being within the boundaries» good mood, different from"bad mood" (bad mood).

Defining forat is actionor making (completing) a movement at some point.

At 8:30 (at 8:30). A point can be not only in space, but also in time. Eight thirty is a certain short moment, a moment.

Having designated such a point, a person will always say what was happening at that moment (that is, he will tell about the action). For example, at eight thirty you can:

• Wake up (wake up);

• Have breakfast (breakfast);

• Do yoga (do yoga).

At this age (at this age). Although a certain age (for example, from 25 to 35 years) lasts a long time, but the speaker presents it as a limited period, therefore, usesat .

You must be marriedat this age - You must be married at this age.

At the desk (at the table). In this example, the space is very limited, and the indication of the action will be decisive in choosing a preposition:

Eatat the desk (eat at the table).
Sitat the desk (sit at the table).

I'm sittingat a desk writing letters - I am sitting at the table, writing letters.

So, the general ideas that prepositions carryat And in understandable. let's consider different cases their use.

• Atused when we talk about the place of work in some organization. It is important that the place is considered asdotapplication of labor efforts.

Many people workat Apple - A lot of people work for Apple.

• You can also meetatwhen talking about activities in which people participate in groups.

I've seen Janeat the birthday party - I saw Jane at a birthday party.

However,there is a fixed phrase:

take part in something - take part in something.

I will speakat the meeting. I willtake part in the debate - I will speak at the meeting. I will take part in the discussion.

• Remember that about studying at school, college, etc. we speak with a prepositionat.

I study applied mechanicsat University - At the university I study applied mechanics.

You weren'tat school today - You weren't at school today.

Is it possible to say"In the university", "In the school"? Yes, quite, only this will mean being in the building, directly within its walls.

The monument isin the University - The monument is located in the university building.

Set phrase: with word classpreposition is usedin:

in class - at the lesson.

I was sleepingclass today - I slept in class today.

• WITH different types stores usedat:

At the store grocery- at the grocery store.

At a butcher's shop- at the butcher shop.

At pharmacy- in a pharmacy.

At the supermarket- in the supermarket.

The same goes for places where people get some kind of service:

At the hairdresser's- at the hairdresser.

At the dentist- in dentistry.

• Atused when talking about the exact time, about some moments during the day or week, as well as holidays.

I wake upat 6:30. I wake up at 6:30.

I go to sleepat midnight.I go to bed at midnight.

At the weekend we gather with friends. On weekends we get together with friends.

I don't know what to doat new year.I don't know what to do for the New Year.

• With parts of the day, months, seasons and years, putin:

I can't workin the morning.I can't work in the morning.

Mary was bornin 1992. Mary was born in 1992.

In March sakura begins to blossom. In March, cherry blossoms begin to bloom.

In winter you can go skiing.In winter you can ski.

Some phrases such asat the supermarket, at schoolso firmly established in everyday life that you don’t even have to be inside a school building or a store to use the prepositionat.

Situation one:

you stand atsupermarket, call up a friend who is looking for you and say:

I'mat the supermarket, next to the entrance. I'm at the supermarket, near the entrance.

Situation two:

You insidesupermarket, buy groceries. Then you can say to your friend like this:

I'mat the supermarket. Do you need anything? I am in the supermarket. Do you need something?

Situation three:

You're just driving upTosupermarket, an incoming call comes in, and you are too lazy to specify that five more minutes and you will be in the supermarket. What phrase would be appropriate? Right,

I'mat the supermarket.

As you understood atcan have a fairly general meaning, especially where established phrases are used.

Situation four, last:

It turned out that your friend, who was told that you were in the supermarket (although you are just going there), is there.

- I'mat the supermarket too! Where are you?
- I'm in the supermarket too! Where are you?

Here you already admit that there are a couple of stops left to the supermarket. But when you went inside and can claim that you are inside the walls of the building (finally!), you use the prepositionin:

OK. I'min the building.
OK. I went (I'm inside the building).

That is, in acts as a guarantee of physical presence within certain boundaries, whileat most often tied to action and marks the point of application of efforts.

As you know, the suggestion is service unit speech that is used to link or express a relationship between words in a sentence. There are a lot of prepositions in English, such as at, on, about, in, from, with, by and others.

Today we will analyze in detail the preposition ‘at’ and its use in speech.

Case 1 To indicate a place (to a specific place).

I'm at the hospital now.

I'm in the hospital now.

She studies at university.

She is studying at the university.

Case 2 To refer to specific times or specific periods of the day.

He came home at 7 o’ clock yesterday.

He returned home at 7 o'clock yesterday.

I will meet you at none.

I will meet you at lunchtime.

Case 3 With weekends and holidays.

We were watching TV at the weekend.

We watched TV at the weekend.

People decorate a Christmas tree at the New Year.

People decorate the Christmas tree in the new year.

Case 4. To indicate the beginning or end of a period.

They will move to a new house at the beginning of the summer.

They will move to new house at the beginning of summer.

I am going to visit my sister at the end of the week.

I'm going to visit my sister at the end of the week.

Case 5 In stable expressions that you just need to remember.

at present- currently

at the age of- at the age of ... years

at lunch time- at lunch

at the moment- At the moment

at sunrise/sunset- at sunrise/sunset

at the same time- at the same time

At first glance, the use of prepositions in English is a very simple task. It's really easy if you remember the rules for their use. IN different languages the use of prepositions is different. This time I will tell you how to use "at", "in", "on" and "by" with vehicles, over time, and what they mean in space.

Using at, in, on, by.

Below we will figure out what these prepositions mean in space:

At- "at, about"

At the statue of Pushkin.

(At the monument to Pushkin)

On- "on the"

There is a vase on the table.

(There is a vase on the table)

In- "V"

The vase is in the box.

(The vase is in the box)

By- "near, near, near"

"Don't go far! Come and stand by me!”, mom said to her kid.

(“Don’t go far! Stay close!” Mom said to her baby)

Prepositions with vehicles.

At– not used with vehicles.

On- used with public transport, such as - "train" (train) "bus" (bus), "plane" (airplane), "boat" (boat) and "bicycle" (bicycle). Of course, a bicycle is not public transport, but the logic is that you need to take a bicycle, because direct meaning the preposition "on" is "on".
Examples:

1) I'm returning home on the bus.

(I return home by bus);

2) He is coming on my bicycle.

(He rides my bike).

In- usually used with the words "car" (car), "taxi" (taxi). And here the logic is this - if this is our personal transport, then we use "in". You may have the question “But the taxi is not our personal transport?” Yes, the taxi is not our car, but we pay for the taxi driver to serve us for some time. That is, we pay, and the taxi becomes our means of transportation for some time.

1) Donald is in the car.

(Donald in the car);

2) I will be soon! I'm in the taxi!

(I'll be there soon! I'm in a taxi!)

P.S. The word "boat" is an exception, as it can be used with "on" as well as with "in". If it is a private boat of a person, then he can say "in the boat", and if it is a boat that serves the public, then "on" is used. You can remember this way, when a person moves in public vehicles and on a bicycle, then “on” is used, and if on his own, then “in”.

1) A fisherman is in his boat.

(A fisherman in his boat);

2) We are on the boat and sailing to the other bank.

(We are on a boat and sail to another near the river)

By- and this preposition is used when a person has already arrived by some vehicle. That is, "in" and "on" are used during the movement itself, and with "by" the method of movement is described.

John came here by the plane.

(John arrived by plane)

Using the above prepositions over time.

At- used for the exact time of the day, that is - specifically how many hours, or with words such as "noon" (noon), "midnight" (midnight), etc.

Be here at 5 p.m.!

(Be here at five o'clock in the afternoon!)

On- used with regular and holiday dates, as well as with days of the week.

1) I was born on March 13th.

2) For the first time we have met on the Halloween.

(We first met on Halloween.);

3) On Saturdays we are eating at a restaurant.

(On Saturdays we eat at the restaurant.).

In covers larger units of time. Used with concepts such as "morning" (morning), "evening" (evening), "week" (week), "month" (month), "seasons" (seasons), "years" (years), " decades” (decades), “centuries” (centuries), “periods” (periods in history), etc.

1) I have a romantic supper today in the evening.

(I'm having a romantic dinner tonight.);

2) In the past decade there were no smartphones.

(There were no smartphones in the last decade.) etc.