Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 124 · B1

in/at/on (position) 2

Fixed choices of in, at and on for common positions: in a queue, on the left, on a list, at the top, at the back of a building, in the back of a car, in the corner of a room and on the corner of a street.

Start the lesson

21Steps · about 39 minutes

In this lesson

Things we are inA1 screen of questions
Things we are onB1 screen of questions
at the top, at the bottom, at the endC1 screen of questions
front and backD1 screen of questions
cornersE1 screen of questions
Put it together+9 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 5

Things we are in

We say somebody or something is:

in ...
in a line, in a row, in a queue in an office, in a department
in a picture, in a photo (photograph) in the sky, in the world
in a newspaper, in a magazine, in a book in the country (= not in a town)
  • At the theatre I always try to sit in the back row.
  • My brother works in the accounts department.
  • Who's the man with the beard in this photo?
  • Would you prefer to bring up children in a town or in the countryside?
  • Look at all those stars in the sky tonight.

Point A · Extra practice

Put in in.

  1. We waited a queue for an hour.

  2. Who's the man with the beard this photo?

  3. My brother works the accounts department.

Point B of 5

Things we are on

We say somebody or something is:

  • on the left, on the right (or on the left-hand side, on the right-hand side)
  • on the third floor, on the top floor, on the ground floor and so on
  • on a website, on a page, on a list, on a menu, on a map

Towns and buildings sit on the coast, on a river, on a main road.

We also say on the way (from one place to another).

  • In Britain we drive on the left.
  • Our flat is on the third floor, and the lift is usually broken.
  • Is there anything vegetarian on the menu?
  • Don't buy anything that isn't on the list.
  • All the opening times are on our website.
  • Newcastle is on the Tyne.
  • Is Scarborough on the coast or inland? It's on the coast.
  • I picked up some milk on the way home.

Point B · Extra practice

Put in on.

  1. In Britain we drive the left.

  2. Our flat is the third floor.

  3. Is there anything vegetarian the menu?

Point C of 5

at the top, at the bottom, at the end

We say at the top (of ...), at the bottom (of ...) and at the end (of ...).

  • Put the date at the top of the letter.
  • Sign your name at the bottom of the form.
  • My cousin lives at the far end of our street.

Point C · Extra practice

Put in at.

  1. Write the date the top of the page.

  2. Sign your name the bottom of the form.

  3. My cousin lives the end of our street.

Point D of 5

front and back

Phrase Used for
in the front, in the back a car
at the front, at the back a building, a theatre, a group of people
on the front, on the back an envelope, a piece of paper, a photo

The child in the back of the car asking whether we are nearly there is a fixture of every British motorway.

  • The dog always sits in the back of the car.
  • The bins are at the back of the house.
  • Let's sit at the front so we can see the screen.
  • We were at the back of the crowd, so we couldn't see the band.
  • Write your address on the back of the envelope.

Point D · Extra practice

Put in in or at.

  1. The dog always sits the back of the car.

  2. Let's sit the front so we can see.

  3. The bins are the back of the house.

Point E of 5

corners

A room has corners on the inside: in the corner of a room.

A street corner is seen from outside: on the corner of the street and at the corner of the street are both fine.

  • The Christmas tree is in the corner of the living room.
  • There's a newsagent at the corner of our street.
  • There's a newsagent on the corner of our street.

Point E · Extra practice

Put in in, on or at.

  1. Put the plant the corner, by the window.

  2. There's a chip shop the corner of our street.

  3. Wait for me the corner by the bank.

Put it together · Exercise 124.1 · part 1 of 3

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

  1. Example

    Priya sits at a desk with a sign above it that reads "Customer Services".

    Where does Priya work? (customer services department)

    In the customer services department.

    AnswerIn the customer services department.

  2. Priya's flat is marked with a cross on a block of flats. It is one storey above the ground floor.

    Where's Priya's flat exactly? (first floor)

  3. A girl is sitting on a beanbag where two walls of her bedroom meet.

    Where is the girl sitting? (corner)

  4. A man is waiting outside, where two streets meet.

    Where is the man waiting? (corner)

  5. A dog is lying on the highest step of a staircase.

    Where's the dog? (top / stairs)

Put it together · Exercise 124.1 · part 2 of 3

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

  1. A cat is curled up on the rear seat of a car.

    Where's the cat? (back / car)

  2. A school photo shows a crowd of pupils. Ellie is in the first row, nearest the camera.

    Ellie is in this group of pupils. Where is she? (front)

  3. A street plan shows a library. You are walking up the street and it is on your right.

    Where's the library? (right)

  4. Callum is at the theatre, in the last row of seats.

    Where is Callum sitting? (back row)

Put it together · Exercise 124.1 · part 3 of 3

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

  1. A street plan shows a chemist in the last building before the road stops.

    Where's the chemist? (end / road)

Put it together · Exercise 124.2 · part 1 of 2

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

Use these

the south coastthe worldthe back of the hallthe skythe front rowthe leftthe back of this receiptthe way to school

  1. Example

    Look, there's a hot-air balloon in the sky.

    AnswerLook, there's a hot-air balloon in the sky.

  2. In the UK, Ireland and Japan, people drive .

  3. Which is the longest river ?

  4. I bumped into my old maths teacher this morning.

  5. Brighton is of England.

Put it together · Exercise 124.2 · part 2 of 2

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

Use these

the south coastthe worldthe back of the hallthe skythe front rowthe leftthe back of this receiptthe way to school

  1. We went to a comedy show last night. We were sitting , so the comedian kept talking to us.

  2. I couldn't hear the speaker. The microphone was broken and I was standing .

  3. I haven't got any paper. Could you write your number ?

Put it together · Exercise 124.3 · part 1 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Example

    Put your candidate number at the top of every page.

    AnswerPut your candidate number at the top of every page.

  2. Is your grandad this photo? I can't spot him.

  3. Their farmhouse is the bottom of the valley.

  4. Most people come into the school through the main gate, but there's another gate the back.

  5. We stood a queue for two hours to get concert tickets.

Put it together · Exercise 124.3 · part 2 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. They read out the names of the winners, but my name wasn't the list.

  2. Is there anything about the floods this week's magazine?

  3. On a clear night you can see hundreds of stars the sky.

  4. When my mum drives, I prefer to sit the back.

Put it together · Exercise 124.3 · part 3 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Our village is tiny. You won't find it most road maps.

  2. Sophie works the toy department of a big shop in Glasgow.

  3. York is the River Ouse.

  4. I can't stand the noise of the city. I'd love to live the country.

Put it together · Exercise 124.3 · part 4 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. The staff room is the second floor. It's your right as you come up the stairs.

Lesson 124 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: in/at/on (position) 3Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. Things we are in–Not checkedB. Things we are on–Not checkedC. at the top, at the bottom, at the end–Not checkedD. front and back–Not checkedE. corners–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

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