Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 126 · B1

to, at, in and into

Use to for movement towards a place, in or at for position, get to and arrive in or at for reaching a place, no preposition before home, and into for entering something.

Start the lesson

17Steps · about 32 minutes

In this lesson

to a place or an eventA1 screen of questions
get and arriveB1 screen of questions
homeC1 screen of questions
intoD2 screens of questions
Put it together+6 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 4

to a place or an event

Movement towards a place or event takes to: fly to Spain, walk to work, go to the optician's, come round to my flat, drive to the airport, return to Poland, go to a gig, be rushed to hospital.

Nouns linked to movement do the same: Welcome to ..., a trip to ..., a visit to ..., on my way to ....

Compare to (movement) with in and at (position).

We say (I've) been to a place or an event.

  • When is your cousin going back to Poland? (not going back in Poland)
  • Two of the players were hurt and taken to hospital.
  • Welcome to Llandudno! (not Welcome in)
  • The snow forced us to cancel our trip to the Lakes.
  • They're moving to Ireland. / They live in Ireland.
  • Are you coming to the barbecue? / I'll see you at the barbecue.
  • I've been to Scotland six times, but I've never been to Skye.
  • My dad has never been to a concert in his life.

Point A · Exercise 126.2

Write sentences about places you have been to. Use I've been to or I've never been to and the words in brackets.

  1. Example

    (never)

    I've never been to Iceland.

    Example answerI've never been to Iceland.

  2. (once)

  3. (never)

  4. (a few times)

  5. (many times)

Point B of 4

get and arrive

We say get to a place.

We say arrive in or arrive at, never "arrive to".

  • arrive in a town or a country
  • arrive at other places, such as buildings, and events
  • We got to the campsite after dark.
  • When did you get to the airport?
  • They arrived in Belfast / in Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
  • When did you arrive at the airport / at the hotel / at the wedding?

Point B · Extra practice

Put in to, in or at.

  1. We got the campsite after dark.

  2. They arrived Belfast on Tuesday.

  3. When did your sister arrive the station?

Point C of 4

home

home takes no preposition after movement verbs: get home, go home, come home, arrive home, on the way home. We do not say "to home". Home is apparently the one destination English trusts you to find unaided.

  • What time did you get home last night? (not get to home)
  • I bumped into Sean on my way home.

Point C · Extra practice

Complete each sentence with home. Use no preposition.

  1. What time did you get last night?

  2. I saw Sean on my way .

  3. Let's go . I'm tired.

Point D of 4

into

go into, get into and similar mean enter (a room, a building, a car and so on).

With some verbs, especially go, get and put, we often use in instead of into.

The opposite of into is out of.

With trains, buses and planes, the usual verbs are get on and get off.

  • I unlocked the shed, went into it and found the lawnmower.
  • A wasp flew into the classroom through the open window.
  • My wages are paid straight into my bank account.
  • He got in the van and drove off. / He got into the van ...
  • I folded the map and put it back in the glovebox.
  • She got out of the taxi and went into the chemist's.
  • He got on the bus at the end of our road.
  • You need to get off (the train) at Crewe.

Point D · Exercise 126.4 · part 1 of 2

Write a sentence using got and into, out of, on or off.

  1. Example

    It was raining and you were walking to work. Your neighbour pulled up in her car and offered you a lift. She opened the passenger door. What did you do?

    I got into the car.

    AnswerI got into the car.

  2. You were waiting on the platform. The train pulled in and the doors slid open. What did you do next?

  3. You drove to the supermarket and parked in the car park. What did you do then?

  4. You were going to Glasgow by train. When the train reached Glasgow, what did you do?

  5. You booked a cab to the airport. It pulled up outside and the driver waved. What did you do next?

Point D · Exercise 126.4 · part 2 of 2

Write a sentence using got and into, out of, on or off.

  1. You were flying back from Spain. The plane landed, the doors opened, and you took your bag from the locker. What did you do then?

Put it together · Exercise 126.1 · part 1 of 4

Put in to, at, in or into where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatininto-

  1. Example

    Two of the climbers were taken to hospital with broken legs.

    AnswerTwo of the climbers were taken to hospital with broken legs.

  2. Example

    It's late. Let's go - home.

    AnswerIt's late. Let's go home.

  3. We left our bags the hotel and went out to explore.

  4. Shall we get a bus the airport or shall we drive?

  5. I need to go the post office. Do you know what time it closes?

  6. The Thames flows the North Sea.

Put it together · Exercise 126.1 · part 2 of 4

Put in to, at, in or into where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatininto-

  1. My car wouldn't start, so I cycled home.

  2. Have you ever been Norway?

  3. I left my keys at work, but I managed to get the flat through the kitchen window.

  4. We had a puncture on our way the station.

Put it together · Exercise 126.1 · part 3 of 4

Put in to, at, in or into where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatininto-

  1. We had a coffee the station while we waited for the train.

  2. It took us three hours to get the top of Ben Nevis.

  3. Welcome the Grand Hotel. We hope you have a pleasant stay.

  4. We drove through the town centre and then turned a quiet lane.

Put it together · Exercise 126.1 · part 4 of 4

Put in to, at, in or into where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatininto-

  1. Did you enjoy your visit the castle?

  2. I picked up a takeaway on my way home.

  3. Ana is Portuguese. She has just gone back Portugal after three years Wales.

  4. Liam was born Dundee, but his family moved Bristol when he was five.

Put it together · Exercise 126.3 · part 1 of 2

Put in to, at or in where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. Example

    What time does this coach get to Cardiff?

    AnswerWhat time does this coach get to Cardiff?

  2. My parents arrived Lisbon on Saturday.

  3. What time did you get home after the party?

  4. What time do you normally arrive the office?

  5. When we got the stadium, the gates were already shut.

Put it together · Exercise 126.3 · part 2 of 2

Put in to, at or in where necessary. If no preposition is necessary, type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. The roads were flooded and we arrived home after midnight.

Lesson 126 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: in/on/at (other uses)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. to a place or an event–Not checkedB. get and arrive–Not checkedC. home–Not checkedD. into–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

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