Prepositions of Place (at / in / on) I Beginner A1

[Frank916855]

Hello, everyone!

How to use prepositions of place

Prepositions of Place (at / in / on)
In
• countries: in France, in China
• cities: in London, in Madrid, in the city, in a town
• continents: in Asia, in South America
• buildings, when we really mean inside: in the house, in a school, in a shop, in a bank
• rooms: in the kitchen, in the bedroom
• containers: in a bottle, in a bag, in a cup
• areas of land: in the garden, in a field, in the mountains, in the countryside, in the street
• water, when we mean getting wet: in the river, in the sea
• compass points: in the north, in the west
• in a car, in a taxi
• in a book, in the newspaper, in a photo, in bed
On
• flat horizontal things: on the table, on the floor, on a plate, on the page, on the ceiling, on the
grass, on the roof
• vertical things: on the wall, on the side of the building, on the window, on my face, on a t-shirt
• things that you’re on top of: on the sofa, on a chair, on a bike
• on a bus, on a train, on a boat, on a horse, on a plane
• on the radio, on TV, on the Internet, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, on a blog, on
Netflix, on the phone
• on the first floor, on the third floor
• on foot
At
• institutions, when we’re not talking about the building: at university, at school, at the library
• entertainment, when we’re not talking about the building: at the cinema, at the theatre, at the
gym
• at the top, at the bottom, at the front, at the back
• when we really mean ‘beside’: at the table, at the window, at the sea, at the bus stop, at the
traffic lights
• at home, at work
No Preposition
• there, here

Exercise

Prepositions of Place 1

Choose ‘in’ or ‘on’.

1. There was nothing _______ the desk.
2. John was lying _______ the sofa.
3. She lives _______ a town.
4. Your jumper is _______ the floor.
5. I saw her _______ a motorbike.
6. I heard the news _______ the radio.
7. They are _______ Finland.
8. I think Lucy is _______ the living room.
9. The light is broken _______ the bathroom.
10. He’s probably _______ the plane now.
11. Newcastle is _______ the north of England.
12. The sun rises _______ the east.
13. The children are playing _______ the garden.
14. He would love to live _______ the countryside.
15. _______ the South, people eat later.
16. We are spending time _______ Spain.
17. I saw him _______ TV.
18. Maria studies _______ Rome.
19. The children are _______ bed.
20. She was sitting _______ the carpet.

Prepositions of Place 2

Choose ‘in’ or ‘on’.

1. They lay down ________ the grass.
2. He was reading ________ the train.
3. Our flat is ________ the first floor.
4. She carries her dog ________ her bike!
5. Do you work ________ the city centre?
6. Lucy searched for information ________ the internet.
7. She stayed ________ her car because it was raining.
8. Lucy is ________ the phone at the moment.
9. She put the food ________ the table.
10. David likes living ________ Europe.
11. She met her husband ________ Barcelona.
12. She is ________ the bus now.
13. He doesn’t like being ________ the city.
14. My cousin likes travelling ________ Africa.
15. We put some pictures ________ the wall.
16. Did you come ________ foot?
17. She came ________ a taxi.
18. We are friends ________ Facebook.
19. They have a house ________ the country
20. The cat was ________ a chair

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Answers: Prepositions of Place 1

1. There was nothing on the desk.
2. John was lying on the sofa.
3. She lives in a town.
4. Your jumper is on the floor.
5. I saw her on a motorbike.
6. I heard the news on the radio.
7. They are in Finland.
8. I think Lucy is in the living room.
9. The light is broken in the bathroom.
10. He’s probably on the plane now.
11. Newcastle is in the north of England.
12. The sun rises in the east.
13. The children are playing in the garden.
14. He would love to live in the countryside.
15. In the South, people eat later.
16. We are spending time in Spain.
17. I saw him on TV.
18. Maria studies in Rome.
19. The children are in bed.
20. She was sitting on the carpe

Answers: Prepositions of Place 2

1. They lay down on the grass.
2. He was reading on the train.
3. Our flat is on the first floor.
4. She carries her dog on her bike!
5. Do you work in the city centre?
6. Lucy searched for information on the Internet.
7. She stayed in her car because it was raining.
8. Lucy is on the phone at the moment.
9. She put the food on the table.
10. David likes living in Europe.
11. She met her husband in Barcelona.
12. She is on the bus now.
13. He doesn’t like being in the city.
14. My cousin likes travelling in Africa.
15. We put some pictures on the wall.
16. Did you come on foot?
17. She came in a taxi.
18. We are friends on Facebook.
19. They have a house in the country.
20. The cat was on a chair.

[Cifi]

Thanks, Frank. I keep an eye to prepositions in German vs English vs Spanish, too: where are differences in usage?

I found that with a balcony, we'd use "on" in English and "auf" in German. "In" wouldn't work here.

And one I learned on Duolingo: we say "auf dem Dachboden", while in English it is "in the attic".

[Frank916855]

Hi Cifi,
You are right.

I myself think that every national language has its own melody (logic).
Only learning helps