Editing Language/English/Vocabulary/How-to-use-ON,-AT-and-IN

<span class="notranslate">[[File:english-lesson-ON-AT-IN.jpg|thumb]]</span>

There are actually quite a few reasons why using prepositions such as <span class="notranslate">ON, AT</span> and <span class="notranslate">IN</span> is something difficult for English language learners.


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*Firstly, language learners often learn prepositions without understanding the logic that lies behind their meaning. Usually, they are learnt mainly as set expressions - not a great thing if you want to get productive with something and there are literally thousands of expressions to learn with little or no logic behind them.


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*Secondly, many people learn languages via translation between English and their native languages. This creates additional difficulties for learning prepositions - they often differ in the native language and do not directly translate well. Additionally, the logic for using a specific preposition in a native language often differs from English and that generally makes correctly using prepositions even harder.


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*Thirdly, there are significant differences between British and American English in prepositional use. This really confuses students in a couple of ways. One is that they learn the British/American use of a preposition then they hear or read something very different afterwards. There are many consequences of that.



Let's now think about what <span class="notranslate">'''on''', '''at'''</span> and <span class="notranslate">'''in'''</span> really mean in English and when and where we use them. 

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==<span class="notranslate">ON</span>==
<blockquote>to describe two or more objects contacting/touching each other.</blockquote>
*<span class="notranslate">The painting is '''on''' the wall </span> = The painting is on the wall = the painting and the wall are contacting/touching each other.
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==AT==
<blockquote>for a specific location.</blockquote>
*<span class="notranslate">I’m '''at''' home</span> = I’m at home = my specific location is <span class="notranslate">”home”</span>.
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==<span class="notranslate">IN</span>==
<blockquote>something/someone is surrounded by something.</blockquote>
*<span class="notranslate">I am '''in''' the room</span> = I am in the room = the walls, floor and ceiling of the room surround me.


*<span class="notranslate">She is '''in''' London</span> = She is in London = the buildings and other features of London such as streets and The Thames River surround her.
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==Use <span class="notranslate">AT</span> or <span class="notranslate">IN</span> ==
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Sometimes, it’s possible to use more than one: 


*e.g. <span class="notranslate">I’m '''at''' the sea</span> = I’m at the sea = my location is the seaside.


*<span class="notranslate">I’m '''in''' the sea</span> = I'm in the sea = I’m swimming. There is seawater surrounding me.

or

*<span class="notranslate">I’m '''at''' Central Square</span> = I'm at <span class="notranslate">"Central Square"</span> = my location is a place called <span class="notranslate">"Central Square"</span>.


*<span class="notranslate">I’m '''in''' Central Square</span> = I'm in Central Square = The features of the location <span class="notranslate">"Central Square"</span> surround me such as lawns, trees and park benches.

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'''NB:''' British English tends to use <span class="notranslate">"'''at''' Central Square"</span>  more often whereas <span class="notranslate">"'''in''' Central Square"</span>  is more frequently used when speaking American English.

<blockquote>
Why? My observations as a neutral Australian are that location is generally more important for British people while defining the surroundings is more for Americans.
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==Use <span class="notranslate">ON</span>  or <span class="notranslate">IN</span> ==

Again, there can be more than one possibility,
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*e.g. <span class="notranslate"> I’m lying '''on''' the sand</span>  = I'm lying on the sand = my back and the sand are touching. This is the only surface that is touching. The sand does not surround me.


*<span class="notranslate">I’m lying '''in''' the sand</span>  = I'm lying in the sand = Sand surrounds my body. There is sand surrounding/touching my back and stomach, my hands and my legs.

or                        

* <span class="notranslate">I’m '''on''' the street</span>  = I'm on the street = the emphasis is - my feet are touching the street surface and I'm standing.


* <span class="notranslate">I’m '''in''' the street</span> = I'm in the street = The street is the street surface and surrounding buildings and I'm there.                     
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What I've noticed as a native English speaker is that people from cities more often use <span class="notranslate">"'''in''' the street"</span>  and rural people <span class="notranslate">"'''on''' the street"</span> . This applies to British, American and even Australian English speakers. 

My theory for this - for country areas, streets of small towns are not surrounded so much by buildings, so <span class="notranslate">'''on'''</span>  is a more logical preposition to use than <span class="notranslate">'''in'''</span> for most rural people.

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For <span class="notranslate">"road"</span> , the preposition is almost always <span class="notranslate">'''on'''</span> , e.g.,

*<span class="notranslate">Our cat was '''on''' the road</span>. I was worried about cars because cats don't really have 9 lives.



It makes sense to use <span class="notranslate">'''on'''</span> with <span class="notranslate">"road"</span>. Roads are generally wider than streets and further from buildings and other features. So, you are not so "surrounded" by things when you are there.         
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Both British and American English speakers use <span class="notranslate">'''at'''</span> - and not <span class="notranslate">'''on'''</span> or <span class="notranslate">'''in'''</span> - when talking about a specific street address, e.g.,

*<span class="notranslate">I live '''at''' 29 Augustian Street.</span> = I live at 29 Augustian Street.

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<span class="notranslate">'''at'''</span> is the logical choice - a street address is a very specific location.

==Use <span class="notranslate">AT</span> or <span class="notranslate">ON</span> ==
   
Yet again, there is more than one choice, e.g.   


*<span class="notranslate">The train is waiting '''at''' platform 9.</span> = The train is waiting at platform 9 = The train leaves soon = the train's location is <span class="notranslate">"platform 9"</span>. or
*<span class="notranslate">I'm '''on''' train platform 9.</span> = I'm on train platform 9 = The train leaves soon = the train platform and I are in physical contact with each other for now before I travel by train.



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These two examples are easy to understand. The first is all about where the train is located - choose the wrong platform location and you miss your train!

In the second case, physical contact with the train platform is your main worry - you want to be with your train and travelling, not touching the platform!
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Things can get a little more complicated. Which one is correct here?

*<span class="notranslate">I'm '''on''' train platform 9.</span> = I'm on train platform 9. = I'm waiting for you there. Our train leaves early tomorrow morning.
or
*<span class="notranslate">I'm '''at''' train platform 9.</span> = I'm at train platform 9. =I'm waiting for you there. Our train leaves early tomorrow morning. 



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An American English speaker will almost always use the first one (it's even taught as a rule in American English - "you use <span class="notranslate">'''on'''</span> with <span class="notranslate">'train platform'"</span>). From the American perspective, why you are there is because someone will be traveling. That's what train platforms are for!  



A British English speaker would probably use the first example more often because the train platform is for travel reasons. But the second one would also be quite frequently used - when the train platform is primarily being considered as a place to meet and travelling is not the most important thing in the mind of the speaker.
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==Use <span class="notranslate">ON, AT</span> or <span class="notranslate">IN</span>==

It’s possible of course to use all three prepositions at once:

*<span class="notranslate">My carpet is '''on''' the floor '''in''' the living room '''at''' my parents’ place</span> = My carpet is on the floor in the living room at my parents' place:
**my carpet and the floor touch each other
**the walls of the living room surround my carpet and the wall ;
**my carpet, the floor and the living room have the location "my parents’ place". 

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Each preposition of course is telling us something different.

==Final words==

This is only a small selection of where <span class="notranslate">'''on''', '''at''' or <span class="notranslate">'''in''' are used. 


Remember, there is logic when you use the prepositions <span class="notranslate">'''on''', '''at'''</span> or <span class="notranslate">'''in'''</span> for most cases! Also, note that British and American English sometimes uses them differently. There are even logical reasons for that.

==Author==
<span class="notranslate">https://polyglotclub.com/member/AussieInBg</span>

==Source==
<span class="notranslate">https://polyglotclub.com/language/english/question/35312</span>


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|title=When should I use the prepositions "on", "at" or "in" in English?
|keywords=grammar, English, prepositions, on, at, in, learn
|description=People learning English often have difficulty distinguishing the use of ON, AT or IN. This lesson will help you know when to use these prepositions.
|og:image=https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/f/fe/English-lesson-ON-AT-IN.jpg
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