Uses of in,on and at/uses of prepositions

 

Uses of in,on and at

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1. Preposition: IN

A. Time Use of “IN”

Use “in” for longer or general periods of time:

• Months: in January, in July
• Years: in 1990, in 2025
• Centuries: in the 21st century
• Decades: in the 1980s
• Seasons: in summer, in winter
• Parts of the day: in the morning, in the afternoon

Examples:

• I was born in 2001.
• We usually go hiking in autumn.
• She studies in the evening.

B. Place Use of “IN”

Use “in” when something is inside a space or area:

• Countries, cities, towns: in Nepal, in Pokhara
• Rooms or buildings: in the kitchen, in the house
• Enclosed spaces: in the bag, in a box

Examples:

• The books are in the backpack.
• She lives in London.
• They are swimming in the pool.

C. Other Uses of “IN”

• Languages and materials: in English, in gold
• Clothing/appearance: in a red dress, in uniform
• Transport (general or large vehicles): in a car, in a taxi

Examples:

• The story is written in French.
• He looked handsome in a black suit.
• She is in a taxi.

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2. Preposition: ON

A. Time Use of “ON”

Use “on” for specific days and dates:

• Days of the week: on Monday, on Friday
• Dates: on April 9th, on 1st January
• Special days: on my birthday, on New Year’s Eve
• Parts of specific days: on Monday morning

Examples:

• The meeting is on Tuesday.
• I was born on April 9th.
• She left on Christmas Eve.

B. Place Use of “ON”

Use “on” when something is on a surface or line:

• Surfaces: on the table, on the floor, on the wall
• Public transport: on the bus, on the train
• Streets/roads: on Main Street, on Highway 1
• Technology platforms: on TV, on YouTube, on the radio

Examples:

• The cup is on the table.
• I saw it on TV.
• They live on Elm Street.

C. Other Uses of “ON”

• Directions/positions: on the left/right
• Devices: on my phone, on my laptop
• Topics: a book on history

Examples:

• There is a scratch on his phone.
• She gave a talk on climate change.

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3. Preposition: AT

A. Time Use of “AT”

Use “at” for exact or specific times:

• Clock time: at 5:00, at midnight
• Specific times of day: at noon, at sunset
• Festive/specific moments: at Christmas, at the moment

Examples:

• Let’s meet at 3 PM.
• He left the house at sunrise.

B. Place Use of “AT”

Use “at” for specific places or points:

• Exact locations: at the bus stop, at the corner
• Addresses: at 25 Broad Street
• Events: at a party, at a concert
• Institutions (point of access): at school, at the hospital

Examples:

• She is at the door.
• I met him at the station.
• He is at the cinema right now.

C. Other Uses of “AT”

• Actions directed at something: smile at, look at, shout at
• Speed/level: at 100 km/h, at a high level

Examples:

• He shouted at me.
• She smiled at the baby.
• The car was moving at a high speed.

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Quick Tip to Remember:

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Let me know if you'd like practice exercises or a quiz to reinforce these!