Prepositions: Using In and On Correctly

Prepositions

Using In With Locations

• Use "in" with cities, towns, and countries:
  • I live in Paris.
  • She is from in the United States.
• Use "in" with enclosed or limited areas:
  • The book is in the box.
  • The park is in the center of the city.
• Use "in" with seasons and years:
  • I love summer, but I hate winter in January.
  • The company was founded in 1995.

On For Dates And Events

• Use "on" for specific dates and days:
  • My birthday is on July 12th.
  • The meeting is on Friday at 2 PM.
• Use "on" for holidays and special events:
  • We always have a barbecue on the 4th of July.
  • The party is on New Year's Eve.

At For Addresses And Places

• Use "at" for addresses and specific locations:
  • I'll meet you at 123 Main Street.
  • The restaurant is at the corner of 5th and Main.
• Use "at" for events and activities:
  • I'm performing at the concert tonight.
  • She's great at playing the piano.

Prepositions In Context

• Learn prepositions in context, rather than individual rules:
  • Pay attention to how prepositions are used in sentences and conversations.
  • Practice using prepositions in your own writing and speaking.
• Consider the meaning and relationship between the words:
  • The preposition "at" can indicate a specific location or a specific time.
  • The preposition "in" can indicate a location or a period of time.

Prepositions of Location

• Use "in" with cities, towns, and countries, e.g. "I live in Paris" or "She is from the United States".
• Use "in" with enclosed or limited areas, e.g. "The book is in the box" or "The park is in the center of the city".
• Use "in" with seasons and years, e.g. "I love summer, but I hate winter in January" or "The company was founded in 1995".

Prepositions of Time

• Use "on" for specific dates and days, e.g. "My birthday is on July 12th" or "The meeting is on Friday at 2 PM".
• Use "on" for holidays and special events, e.g. "We always have a barbecue on the 4th of July" or "The party is on New Year's Eve".

Prepositions of Address and Events

• Use "at" for addresses and specific locations, e.g. "I'll meet you at 123 Main Street" or "The restaurant is at the corner of 5th and Main".
• Use "at" for events and activities, e.g. "I'm performing at the concert tonight" or "She's great at playing the piano".

Learning Prepositions Effectively

• Learn prepositions in context, rather than individual rules, by paying attention to how they are used in sentences and conversations.
• Practice using prepositions in your own writing and speaking to improve your skills.
• Consider the meaning and relationship between the words, as prepositions can have different meanings depending on the context.

Prepositions

Definition

• A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.
• It indicates location, direction, time, manner, or other relationships between the words.

Types of Prepositions

Words of Location

• Examples: in, on, at, by, with, under, above, etc.

Words of Direction

• Examples: to, from, up, down, in, out, etc.

Words of Time

• Examples: at, on, during, before, after, etc.

Words of Manner

• Examples: by, with, in, like, etc.

Words of Movement

• Examples: into, out of, up, down, etc.

Common Prepositions

• Most common prepositions: of, in, to, that, is, for, with, as, on, at, by
• Other common prepositions: from, about, above, across, after, against, along, around, etc.

Prepositional Phrases

• A prepositional phrase is a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun.
• The prepositional phrase functions as a single unit in a sentence.
• Examples: in the book, on the table, under the bridge, etc.

Preposition Rules

• Prepositions usually come before the noun or pronoun.
• Prepositions can be used to form idiomatic expressions.
• Prepositions can be used to show possession.

Common Confusions

• To/Two/Too:
  • To (preposition)
  • Two (number)
  • Too (also)
• In/On/At:
  • In (inside)
  • On (surface)
  • At (location)
• By/With:
  • By (means)
  • With (accompaniment)

Prepositions of Time and Location

Prepositions of Time

• On is used for specific dates or days, e.g. birthdays, Friday
• For is used for periods of time or durations, e.g. two weeks, five years

Using In with Locations

• In is used for cities, towns, and countries, e.g. Paris in France, New York City
• In is used for buildings, rooms, and enclosed spaces, e.g. conference room, car

At for Addresses and Places

• At is used for addresses, e.g. 123 Main Street, 456 Elm Avenue
• At is used for specific locations or points, e.g. bus stop, corner of 5th and Main

Key Differences Between In, On, and At

• In implies a sense of being inside or within a general location
• On implies a sense of being on a particular point or surface, used for specific dates or surfaces
• At implies a sense of being at a particular place or position, used for specific addresses or points