Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 125 · B1

in/at/on (position) 3

Fixed uses of in, at and on for institutions (in hospital, at work), events (at a party), buildings (at the hotel, in the hotel), towns (in Leeds, at Leeds station) and transport (on a bus, in a car).

Start the lesson

20Steps · about 38 minutes

In this lesson

in hospital, at work and similarA1 screen of questions
at an eventB1 screen of questions
in and at for buildingsC1 screen of questions
in and at for townsD1 screen of questions
on a bus, in a carE1 screen of questions
Put it together+8 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 5

in hospital, at work and similar

We say somebody is in bed / in hospital / in prison.

Somebody is at work / at college / at school / at home / at university.

be home and be at home are both fine, but an activity needs at: work at home, relax at home.

  • Ruth isn't feeling well. She's still in bed.
  • My grandad is in hospital with a broken hip.
  • I'll be at work until six.
  • Our eldest is at university, and the youngest is still at school.
  • I'll be home all weekend. / I'll be at home all weekend.
  • Shall we go to the pub or stay in and eat at home?

Point A · Extra practice

Put in in or at.

  1. My grandad is hospital with a broken hip.

  2. I'll be work until six.

  3. Ruth isn't well. She's still bed.

Point B of 5

at an event

Events take at: at a wedding, at a gig, at a match, at a conference, at a party.

  • Were there many people at the christening / at the meeting / at the barbecue?
  • I ran into Lucy at a gig on Friday.
  • My boss is at a conference in Birmingham all week.

Point B · Extra practice

Put in at.

  1. I bumped into Lucy a gig on Friday.

  2. Were there many people the wedding?

  3. My boss is a conference all week.

Point C of 5

in and at for buildings

With buildings you can often use in or at: you can have lunch in a café or at a café, and buy bread in a bakery or at a bakery.

We usually say at for where an event takes place. We also say at somebody's house, or just at somebody's, and in the same way at the dentist's, at the hairdresser's.

in is for the building itself: its rooms, its walls, its temperature.

We say at the station and at the airport.

  • We saw a play at the Crucible Theatre.
  • The interviews were held at the council offices in Wakefield.
  • There was a break-in at the post office last night.
  • I was at Tom's house on Saturday. / I was at Tom's on Saturday.
  • I'm at the dentist's tomorrow morning.
  • It's freezing in Tom's house. The radiators never work. (not at Tom's house)
  • We had lunch at the hotel.
  • Every room in the hotel has a sea view. (not at the hotel)
  • Don't worry about collecting me at the airport. I'll get the train.

Point C · Extra practice

Put in in or at. Sometimes both are right.

  1. We saw a play the Crucible Theatre.

  2. There was a break-in the post office last night.

  3. I was Tom's house on Saturday.

Point D of 5

in and at for towns

We normally use in with cities, towns and villages.

at treats the place as a point on a map or a stop on a journey.

  • The Tate Modern is a gallery in London. (not at London)
  • My aunt lives in a village near Carlisle. (not at a village)
  • Does this train stop at Durham? (= at Durham station)

Point D · Extra practice

Put in in or at.

  1. My aunt lives a village near Carlisle.

  2. Does this train stop Durham?

  3. The Tate is a gallery London.

Point E of 5

on a bus, in a car

Public transport takes on: on a train / on a coach / on a ferry / on a plane. Cars and taxis take in: in a taxi / in a car. The rough logic is that you can stand up and walk about on a bus, whereas in a car you cannot, however long the journey feels.

We say on a bike / on a motorbike / on a horse.

  • The train was packed. There were people standing on it all the way to Leeds.
  • Grace turned up in a taxi.
  • A boy on a bike rode straight through the puddle.

Point E · Extra practice

Put in on or in.

  1. There were people standing the train all the way to Leeds.

  2. Grace arrived a taxi.

  3. A boy a bike rode through the puddle.

Put it together · Exercise 125.1 · part 1 of 2

Read each scene and complete the sentence. Use in, at or on with the words in brackets.

  1. Example

    A sign in the ticket hall of a station says "Currency exchange".

    You can change money at the station (the station).

    AnswerYou can change money at the station.

  2. Neil is sitting by the window of a train, looking at the fields go past.

    Neil is (a train).

  3. Hannah is in a large hall, listening to a speaker, with a name badge round her neck.

    Hannah is (a conference).

  4. Joe is lying in a bed on a ward, with a nurse taking his temperature.

    Joe is (hospital).

  5. Megan is sitting in a salon chair while somebody cuts her hair.

    Megan is (the hairdresser's).

Put it together · Exercise 125.1 · part 2 of 2

Read each scene and complete the sentence. Use in, at or on with the words in brackets.

  1. Dev rides past the bus stop on his bicycle and waves.

    I saw Dev (his bike).

  2. A holiday photo shows a family at the top of Edinburgh Castle.

    We spent a week (Edinburgh).

  3. A ticket reads "The Lyceum Theatre, 7.30 pm, The Lion King".

    We went to a musical (the Lyceum Theatre).

Put it together · Exercise 125.2 · part 1 of 2

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

Use these

the ferrythe bus stationa taxithe museumMelbournecollegeprisonthe leisure centre

  1. Example

    He spent three years in prison for a robbery he didn't commit.

    AnswerHe spent three years in prison for a robbery he didn't commit.

  2. We can get a sandwich while we wait for the coach.

  3. We walked to the party, but it was pouring later, so we came home .

  4. I go swimming every Tuesday.

  5. The crossing to Ireland was rough, and half the passengers were seasick.

Put it together · Exercise 125.2 · part 2 of 2

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

Use these

the ferrythe bus stationa taxithe museumMelbournecollegeprisonthe leisure centre

  1. Ruth has moved to Australia. She's living now.

  2. "Has your son got a job?" "No, he's studying to be an electrician. He's ."

  3. There's an exhibition of old toys . Shall we go and have a look?

Put it together · Exercise 125.3 · part 1 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Example

    We saw a brass band concert at the town hall.

    AnswerWe saw a brass band concert at the town hall.

  2. There's no post office our village any more.

  3. Ryan wasn't the wedding. He said he had a cold.

  4. There were only six tables the café, so we sat outside.

  5. I can't find my scarf. I think I left it the train.

Put it together · Exercise 125.3 · part 2 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. What did you study when you were university?

  2. I had a terrible headache this morning, so I stayed bed.

  3. We were Jamie's house on Sunday. He made a roast.

  4. It was the slowest train in Britain. It stopped every village on the line.

Put it together · Exercise 125.3 · part 3 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Shall we go the van or take your car?

  2. We drove to the reservoir and Kirsty followed us her horse.

  3. I fancy going to the theatre. What's on the Playhouse this week?

  4. We went to see a play last night. It was boiling hot the theatre.

Put it together · Exercise 125.3 · part 4 of 4

Complete the sentences with in, at or on.

Use these

inaton

  1. Three people were hurt in the fire and are still hospital.

  2. The ferry was cancelled, and we had to wait the port for six hours.

  3. I didn't expect you to be home. I thought you'd be school.

Lesson 125 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: to, at, in and intoBack to the course

–Right

Each point

A. in hospital, at work and similar–Not checkedB. at an event–Not checkedC. in and at for buildings–Not checkedD. in and at for towns–Not checkedE. on a bus, in a car–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

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