Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 123 · B1

in/at/on (position) 1

Use in for something inside an area or a container, at for a point such as a door, a stop or a junction, and on for a surface such as a wall, a floor or a page.

Start the lesson

16Steps · about 32 minutes

In this lesson

in: inside a space or an areaA1 screen of questions
at: a point or a place we think of as a pointB1 screen of questions
on: a surfaceC1 screen of questions
Put it together+8 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 3

in: inside a space or an area

Use in when something is inside a space with limits, whether that space has walls or not.

Enclosed spaces Areas Water
in a room in a garden in a pool
in a building in a town in the sea
in a box in the city centre in a lake
  • There's nobody in the kitchen / in the office / in the yard.
  • What have you got in your pocket / in your bag?
  • When we were in Scotland, we spent two nights in Inverness.
  • My grandparents live in a tiny village in the Yorkshire Dales.
  • Some teenagers were splashing about in the river / in the reservoir / in the harbour.

Point A · Extra practice

Put in in.

  1. There's nobody the kitchen.

  2. What have you got your bag?

  3. We went for a swim the lake.

Point B of 3

at: a point or a place we think of as a point

at treats a place as one point: at reception, at the lights, at her desk, at the door, at the roundabout, at the bus stop.

Compare in and at. In means inside the building or the space. At means the point itself, which is often where you are standing outside it, possibly in the rain.

  • Who's that woman waiting at the bus stop / at the gate / at the window?
  • Go left at the roundabout / at the second crossroads / at the church.
  • We need to get off the train at the next station.
  • Please hand your pass in at reception before you leave. (= at the reception desk)
  • There were far too many people in the café. It was packed.
  • Carry on down this road, then turn left at the café.
  • I'll wait for you in the station. (= inside the building)
  • I'll wait for you at the entrance to the station. (= outside the building)

Point B · Extra practice

Put in at.

  1. Turn left the roundabout.

  2. Who's that waiting the bus stop?

  3. We need to get off the next station.

Point C of 3

on: a surface

Use on for a surface: on the wall, on the door, on the ceiling, on the floor, on the table, on her nose. We also say on a page and on an island.

Compare in and on: the tea is in the mug, and the logo is on the mug.

Compare at and on: somebody at the door is waiting to come in. A sign on the door is attached to it, and will wait considerably longer.

  • We sat on the sofa / on the grass / on the sand / on a bench.
  • There's a mark on the ceiling / on your cheek / on your jumper.
  • Have you read the poster on the wall / on the noticeboard?
  • The television listings are on page twelve of the paper.
  • The cottage is on a small island off the coast of Wales.
  • There's some milk left in the jug.
  • There's a crack on the side of the jug.
  • There's someone at the door. Can you see who it is?
  • There's a sign on the door. It says "Wet paint".

Point C · Extra practice

Put in on.

  1. There's a mark your jumper.

  2. We sat a bench in the park.

  3. Have you seen the poster the noticeboard?

Put it together · Exercise 123.1 · part 1 of 2

Read each scene and answer the question. Use in, at or on with the word in brackets.

  1. Example

    A jar of jam has a sticker with the word "Strawberry" stuck to the glass.

    Where's the sticker? (jar)

    On the jar.

    AnswerOn the jar.

  2. A wasp has landed on a man's leg, just above his knee.

    Where's the wasp? (leg)

  3. A lorry has stopped because the traffic lights in front of it are red.

    Where's the lorry waiting? (traffic lights)

  4. A sheet of paper saying "Back in ten minutes" is taped to a shop door.

    Where's the sign? (door)

  5. A clock is hanging above the fireplace in a living room.

    Where's the clock? (wall)

Put it together · Exercise 123.1 · part 2 of 2

Read each scene and answer the question. Use in, at or on with the word in brackets.

  1. A map shows the Colosseum marked in the middle of Rome.

    Where's the Colosseum? (Rome)

  2. A woman is standing next to the garden gate, waiting for the postman.

    Where's the woman standing? (gate)

  3. Two boys are building a sandcastle by the sea.

    Where are the boys playing? (beach)

Put it together · Exercise 123.2 · part 1 of 2

Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on and one of these.

Use these

the front windowher handthe Alpsthe oak treemy bikethe canalthe islandthe second roundabout

  1. Example

    There were some swans swimming in the canal.

    AnswerThere were some swans swimming in the canal.

  2. One of the brakes doesn't work.

  3. Go straight on at the first roundabout, then turn right .

  4. She had something small , but she wouldn't show anybody what it was.

  5. The acorns are falling already.

Put it together · Exercise 123.2 · part 2 of 2

Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on and one of these.

Use these

the front windowher handthe Alpsthe oak treemy bikethe canalthe islandthe second roundabout

  1. You can go skiing from December to April.

  2. Nobody lives any more. The last family left in 1950.

  3. My nan spends most of the afternoon sitting and watching the street.

Put it together · Exercise 123.3 · part 1 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Example

    A queue of commuters had formed at the ticket machine.

    AnswerA queue of commuters had formed at the ticket machine.

  2. Rhys had a small tattoo his wrist.

  3. Two police officers were standing the entrance to the stadium.

  4. I wasn't sure I had the right house. There was no number the door.

  5. There are lots of good cafés the old part of town.

Put it together · Exercise 123.3 · part 2 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. You'll find the crossword page thirty.

  2. The factory where my uncle works is Sheffield.

  3. I couldn't be a receptionist. I'd hate sitting a desk all day.

  4. The suspect has a tattoo of a snake his neck.

Put it together · Exercise 123.3 · part 3 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. If you're coming by train, get off the stop after Bradford.

  2. Have you ever been sailing? Have you ever slept a boat?

  3. Grandad was sitting the patio, reading the paper.

  4. My cousin lives a little town the north of Scotland.

Put it together · Exercise 123.3 · part 4 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. I love that mirror hanging the wall the hall.

Lesson 123 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: in/at/on (position) 2Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. in: inside a space or an area–Not checkedB. at: a point or a place we think of as a point–Not checkedC. on: a surface–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

PrepositionsEvery entry, with examples you can hearExercise setsPrepositions, beginner to advanced