Prepositions of Place: at, on, in
At is used for a place:
- I met her at the train station. (Here the train station is the place)
- I am at the office.
- I am at the supermarket.
On is used for something that is on a line or a surface:
- The bottle is on the table. (It is on the flat surface of the table)
- The carpet is on the floor.
- The book is on the shelf.
In is used with names of towns and countries as well as when something is inside (not a flat surface but with sides or walls).
- I am in
- We are in the garden.
- The suitcase is in the car.
Remember: it is in a car, but always on a bus, on a plane, and on a train.
Prepositions of Time: at, on, in
The 3 main rules to remember are:
At = an exact point in time.
Examples: at lunchtime, at midnight, at noon, at the end of the conference, at three o’clock.
- I arrive at 1 o’clock.
- The meeting is at lunchtime.
- We will finish at dinner-time.
On = a day or a date.
Examples: on my birthday, on Monday, on 24th March, on Independence Day, on the first day of the semester.
- The match is on Wednesday.
- The shops are closed on Independence Day.
- The conference starts on May 1st.
- The registration is on the first day of the semester.
Remember: it is on Independence Day, on Christmas Eve, on Easter Monday, BUT at New Year, at Christmas and at Easter.
In = a period of time
Examples: in the afternoon, in January, in spring, in 2015.
- We met in 2011.
- In summer, we go to our summer house.
- I usually drink tea in the afternoon.
- The school term starts in September.
