Preposition Use - in / at / on - prepositions of place

IN

Use 'in' with spaces:

• in a room / in a building
• in a garden / in a park

Use 'in' with bodies of water:

• in the water
• in the sea
• in a river

Use 'in' with lines:

• in a row / in a line
• in a queue

AT

Use 'at' with places:

• at the bus-stop
• at the door
• at the cinema
• at the end of the street

Use 'at' with places on a page:

• at the top of the page
• at the bottom of the page

Use 'at' in groups of people:

• at the back of the class
• at the front of the class

ON

Use 'on' with surfaces:

• on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor
• on the table

Use 'on' with small islands:

• I stayed on Maui.

Use 'on' with directions:

• on the left
• on the right
• straight on

IMPORTANT NOTES

In / at / on the corner

We say 'in the corner of a room', but 'at the corner (or 'on the corner') of a street'

In / at / on the front

• We say 'in the front / in the back' of a car
• We say 'at the front / at the back' of buildings / groups of people
• We say 'on the front / on the back' of a piece of paper

Preposition Use - in / at / on - prepositions of place

Test you knowledge of the prepositions in / at / on showing position. Choose either in, at, or on and click on the arrow to see you have answered correctly.

1. The label is -- on the bottle.
2. Jack is waiting -- at the bottom of the stairs.
3. Our seats are -- in the third row.
4. Turn left -- at the lights.
5. He's sitting -- on the chair next to the piano.
6. I met Jack -- in the street.
7. He has a lot of beautiful pictures -- on the wall.
8. I live -- on the fifth floor of my apartment building.
9. We waited for over an hour -- at the bus-stop.
10. Who is that woman -- in the photograph?
11. You will find an explanation -- on page 18.
12. Paris is -- on the river Seine.
13. The instructions are -- on the back of the box.
14. What do you have -- in your hands?
15. Can you see who is -- at the door?

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