places and directions AT/IN/ON.

ABOUT I already said, it's time to talk about prepositions of place. =)

"In".
The first meaning is of course within something. Also used with country, city, region and locality.

For example:

in Spain/in Europe. In Spain / In Europe.
in the South of France. In the south of France.
in the park/in the country. In the park/in the village.
in London. In London.
in a village. In the village.
In a little box
In the house. Inside the house.

"At". Used when we are near (near something), or in a public place or institution. When giving an address with a house number or when being at someone’s house, we also use “At”.

For example:

at the bus-stop. At the bus stop
at the table/door . Near the table/door.
at the window/blackboard . Near the window/board.

at the station/airport. At the station/airport.
at school/college/the lesson. At school/college/lesson
at home/work. At home/at work.
at the cinema/restaurant. At the cinema/restaurant.
at office/plant . In the office/enterprise.

at 5, Weston Road. House 5, Westone Road(=)

at Mike's (house). At Mike's (home)

"On". Simply on the surface of something or on the surface of something in the form of an elongated line.

For example:

On the sofa/grass/page 7 . On the sofa/grass/page 7.
on the top of Tv set. On top of the TV.
on the road. On the road (long)
on the north coast. On the north shore.
on the Volga. On the Volga.

"At"

at the bottom/top of the page. Top/bottom of page.
at the end of the street. At the end of the street
at/on the corner of the street. On the street corner.

at the front/back of a building/hall/cinema/group of people. Ahead/In the front/in
the beginning/at the end/at the back of the building/behind.

at the traffic lights. At the traffic light.
at the seaside. By the sea.

"In"
in a row/in a row five . In the row/ch in the row.

But: on the front/back row.

In a line/queue. In line.
in an armchair
But:
on a chair. On a chair

in the picture/mirror/photograph. In the photograph/in the picture/in the mirror.
in the sky. In the sky.
in the front/back of a car. Front/back in the car.
in bed. In bed.
in hospital.In the hospital.
in prison In prison.
in the water/sea/river. In the water/in the sea/in the river.

"On"

On the right/left (hand side) . Right/left.
on the ground/first/second…floor.On the first/second floor.
on a small island. On a small island.
on the way to. ...On the way to..
on a farm. On the farm.
on the front/back of a letter/paper. On the front/back side of a letter/document.

Have a great day

Yana.

We need prepositions of place to talk about the position or location of someone/something. We use them very often in our speech. For example:

“The book is on the table. Children at school. Bag in the car. We're in the park."

In English, difficulties in using are caused by the prepositions in, at, on, which are very often confused and used incorrectly.

However, it is very important to learn the correct use of these prepositions, since the meaning of the sentence will change depending on which preposition you choose.

In this article I will tell you how not to get confused by them.

From the article you will learn:

Prepositions of place in English

Prepositions of place indicate the position and presence of an object/person in space.

There are the following prepositions of place in English:

• above- higher;
• below- below;
• before- in front, at;
• behind- behind, behind;
• under- under (something);
• over- on top;
• between- between;
• among- among;
• near, by, beside- near, near, at;
• outside- outside, behind;
• in front of- before;
• opposite- against;
• at- V;
• in- V;
• on- on;

Let's look at a visual representation of the use of basic prepositions of place.

Today we will look in detail at the prepositions on, in and at.

Using the preposition of place on in English

Preposition on

Translation: on.

Transcription:[ɒn] / [he].

Pretext on most often we use it when we say that something is on the surface. For example: “The cup is on the table.”

Examples

However, the preposition on has several other uses.

We use on when we say:

1. About the situation on the road, river, seashore, lakeshore.

For example

They lived on the coast of a river.
They lived on the banks of the river.

St.Petersburg lies on the Neva.
St. Petersburg is located on the Neva.

2. About the floor in the building.

For example

We live on the 8th floor.
WE live on the 8th floor.

They work on the 15th floor.
They work on the 15th floor.

3. The fact that we are physically in public transport (bus, metro, train, plane).

For example

She was on the bus, when he called.
She was on the bus when he called.

I like to read books on the metro.
I like to read books on the subway.

Using the preposition in in English

Preposition in

Translation: V.

Transcription:[ɪn] / [in].

Pretext in we use when we say that a person/thing is inside something. What is meant here is specific place or building. For example: “I hid from the rain in the store.”

Examples

We put the books in a box.
We put the books in a box (the books are inside the box).

He is waiting for me in a car.
He is waiting for me in the car (he is inside the car).

We also use in in the following cases:

1. With the names of the cardinal directions (north, south, west, east).

For example

Penguins live in the north.
Penguins live in the north.

The city lies in the west.
The city is located in the west.

2. With cities, countries.

For example

We live in Moscow.
We live in Moscow.

She would like to live in New-York.
She would like to live in New York.

Using the preposition at in English

Preposition at

Translation: V.

Transcription:[æt] / [et].

Pretext at we use when we are somewhere with a specific purpose. For example: “He invited me to the cinema.” From this example it is clear that he invited not just to stand in the cinema building, but for a specific purpose - to watch a film.

For example

They are at the hospital.
They are in a hospital (being in a hospital to get better, not just standing in a building).

We are eating at a restaurant.
We eat in a restaurant (we are in a restaurant to eat, and not just stand in it).

The preposition at is also used when something/someone is located:

1. At a specific point, point (at a bus stop, on a corner, at an intersection).

For example

He is sitting at the bus stop.
He is sitting at the bus stop.

They waited for me at a corner.
They were waiting for me on the corner.

2. At an event, some event.

For example

We are at a concert
We're at a concert.

They met at a conference.
They met at a conference.

3. In close proximity, at.

For example

Her dog is sitting at the door.
Her dog is sitting by the door.

She is standing at a window.
She was standing by the window.

What is the difference between in and at?

Let's look again at the difference between these prepositions.

In we use when we are inside something.

They are in school.
They are at school.

The sentence says that they are in the school building. They are not somewhere on the site or on an excursion, they are inside this building.

At we use when we are somewhere for a specific purpose.

They are at school.
They are at school.

In this sentence we mean that they are at school, they went there for the purpose of learning, they may now be in the school itself, in the playground next to the school, or even going on a school trip to a museum.

General table of use of prepositions on, in, at

Let's look again at the use of these prepositions.

So, we've covered the theory, and now let's move on to practice.

Reinforcement task

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. She sleeps in the room.
2. They are in the theater.
3. Things are in the suitcase.
4. Apples on the table.
5. We are standing at a crossroads.
6. He lives in London.

Places additional stress on prepositions. There are many more of them than in Russian, and their use has its own specifics. If in Russian the case helps to understand what is meant, then in English you need to choose the right preposition to convey the meaning you need.

For example, in Russian the case saves the day in such a banal sentence, which I’m sure everyone learned at school:

I live V London.

I'm coming V London.

In both cases, the preposition “in” is used, but the case of the noun is changed. But there are no cases in English, so you can’t do without changing the preposition:

I live in London.

I go to London.

Prepositions of place and prepositions of movement

The above example has already helped you understand that English prepositions of place can be divided into two subgroups - prepositions indicating location and motion. Grammars usually combine them into one group. But don’t be afraid - many prepositions of place are included in both subgroups at the same time.

Much also depends on the verb with which the preposition is used. There are verbs that, by their meaning, cannot denote movement, for example stand(stand) , sit(sit) , lie(lie). Others are the opposite. In addition, prepositions can connect nouns, indicating where some event occurs or the direction to something: a party in the restaurant(party at a restaurant) , the way to the forest(road to the forest).

Prepositions denoting location

Let's look at the most common prepositions of location:

• in– always inside something;
• on– on some (usually more or less) horizontal surface;
• at- near something;
• near- near something;
• by– near something;

Important: prepositions at, near, by at first glance they have the same meaning, but at means a distance almost close; near – suggests closeness with some distance; by – implies close proximity, but in a lower position in relation to the speaker. My cat likes to sit by my chair.(My cat likes to sit by my chair) But by is used relatively rarely in this meaning.

• between– shows location between objects or people;
• beside- aloof from something or someone;
• over And above– practically synonymous and indicate the position “above”;
• under– their antonym means “under”;
• outside– usually outside the home or premises;
• inside– inside a house or premises;
• against– based on something; The bike leans against the tree.
• behind– behind someone/something;
• in front of– in front of something/someone;
• ahead of– in front of something/someone (if the objects are more or less on the same line)

Important: Please note that the last two prepositions consist of two or three words. There are quite a lot of such prepositions in English. Sometimes they are written separately, sometimes together, so don’t be lazy to look in the dictionary once again. There are fixed expressions, for example in bed, but this does not mean that the person is in bed. He's just still sleeping. Such expressions are a separate story.

Prepositions denoting movement

Most prepositions of location simultaneously belong to prepositions denoting movement. Here, as already mentioned, the verb is determining. If it denotes movement, then the preposition must be appropriate. These are the same prepositions together with nouns (a place to move or move to). They indicate the direction of movement. The list, however, will have to be expanded a little and a few more prepositions added: to, into, from, out of :

• to – direction of movement, often indicating a specific location, but not inward;
• into – implies movement inward;
• from – shows where the movement begins, but this is predominantly open space;
• out of – movement from closed objects. We get out of the car, but the British don’t - they get out of the car(they got out of the car).

In conclusion, let's look again at all the prepostions of place, we have put them in one table for you:

Table. Prepositions of place

Exercise

Insert prepositions that make sense. Sometimes there may be several options.

The topic of this article will be English prepositions, in particular those indicating a place in space. How important this part of speech is, where and how it is used, what types and nuances of using prepositions exist - you can find out about all this.

Why are they needed?

Prepositions in English are function words that allow you to connect the components of a sentence and make its meaning more precise and specific.

Prepositions are placed before various parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and even gerunds. The word that follows the preposition is called its complement. There can be several such additions in a sentence in relation to one preposition. For example:

There is a small table between a sofa and a bookcase − There is a table between the sofa and the bookcase.

This article will examine in detail prepositions of place (English). Exercises for memorizing such grammatical material are usually based on filling in the blanks or choosing the appropriate option from two or three proposed ones. In general, this topic is not difficult if you pay enough attention to practice. In the process of performing the exercises, all prepositions, their use and translation into Russian will gradually be remembered. Now let's look at this topic in more detail.

Varieties

Prepositions of place in English can be divided into different groups. These are synonymous and antonymous (they will be discussed later in the article), as well as simple, complex and compound.

Simple prepositions are those that consist of one part. Examples: in, on, at, off.

Complex prepositions of place in English are those formed by compounding words. They consist of several parts merged with each other. Examples: between, above, beside, round.

Compound prepositions are those that consist of two or three separate words. Example: in front of.

Prepositions of place in English: table

Stable combinations

Some English prepositions of place are used in conjunction with certain words. For example:

• in the street - on the street;
• at the table - at the table;
• in the sun - in the sun;
• at home - at home;
• at work - at work;
• at school - at school.

You may notice that in the last three cases no articles are used. These variants are already entrenched in the language. In addition, when pointing to a place, the preposition at is usually used. The exception is situations when what is meant is simply a room, and not its purpose. Compare:

I study at school. − I study at school.

There is a big staircase in school. − There is a large staircase in the school (school building).

Synonymous prepositions

Prepositions of place in English can be You have probably already noticed some of them in the table.

There are several ways to say "nearby":

• near;
• next to;
• beside.

The meaning of "on the contrary" can be expressed:

• in front of;
• against;
• across.

The prepositions that mean “inside” are:

• inside.

The use of these synonyms depends on the context of the situation and the word (addition) to which the auxiliary part of speech refers.

Antonymous prepositions

Prepositions of place in English can also express opposite meanings. These words are very convenient to remember in pairs:

• before − behind (ahead − behind);
• in front of − beyond (before − behind);
• above − below (above, above − under, below);
• over − under (above − under);
• up − down (top − bottom);
• inside − outside (inside − outside).

Features of the use of prepositions

1. The preposition in means being in a limited space:

• in my room - in my room;
• in your bag - in your bag.

Also used to indicate a location in a geographic region, country, city, or street:

• in Europe;
• in Scotland;
• in Paris;
• in Green Street.

2. The preposition on denotes the presence of an object on a horizontal surface:

• on the floor - on the floor;
• on the desk - on the table.

There may also be stable combinations, for example:

• on page 5 − on page 5.

The preposition on is also used to indicate parties:

• on the right - on the right;
• on the left - left.

3. The preposition at can mean being near another object:

• at the door - at the door;
• at the table - at the table.

It may also mean being in a room where a certain action is taking place, in a small town or at a specific address:

• at the cinema - in the cinema;
• at Makeevka - in Makeevka;
• at 27 Green Street - on Green Street, 27.

In British and American English

Geographical and cultural differences leave their mark on the English language. Grammar (prepositions of place and direction, and in general the principles of constructing sentences) may vary somewhat depending on whether the language is British or American. Here are some examples of such differences:

• round (British) − around (American);
• at school/college/university/church (British and American) − in school/college/university/church (American only);
• in the street (British) − on the street (American).

Remember that mechanical memorization of prepositions alone does not produce tangible results. It is necessary to constantly practice using these parts of speech, using grammar exercises, multimedia resources and using what you have learned in speech (answering questions, composing dialogues, etc.).

In this lesson we will continue to talk about prepositions of place, and, to be more precise, we will talk about spatial prepositions. That is, these prepositions will help describe the state of things in relation to each other.

Features of the use of prepositions of place

Spatial prepositions are best remembered using pictures:

Important! At the preposition " next to"there is a synonym - this word" beside" Both of these prepositions are used when talking about something that is very close in relation to some preposition:
Sit beside (next to) me.- Sit next to me.

Similar in meaning to the preposition " near"-near, near is used in cases where objects are located close to each other, a little further away.

My school is near my house.— My school is located not far from home.

In addition to the prepositions indicated in the picture, if there are a few more that are worth paying attention to.

Above/below– above, above/under, below.

Both of these prepositions indicate the level of location of the object:
above the clouds- above the clouds

above zero- above zero

below the clouds-under the clouds

below zero- below zero

Don't confuse the preposition above with a similar preposition over. Over indicates the movement of an object over something and often means “through”: We are going over the bridge.

Preposition " through" means "through", "through".

This preposition does not imply a location “above” something: The car is driving through the tunnel.

« Opposite" - against,

« across" - on the other side of something, for example:

There is a cinema opposite the library.— Cinema opposite the library.

You will find a drug store across the street.— On the other side of the street you will find a pharmacy. — Richard was walking along the street.

In addition to prepositions of place, there are also prepositions of direction that will help you navigate the city or any other place, but we will talk about them a little later. Now is the time to put your knowledge into practice!

Lesson assignments

Task 1. Choose the correct answer.
1. He climbed (over/above) the fence.
2. The cat is (under/below) the bed.
3. The plane flew (over/above) Italy.
4. The sky were moving fast (over/above) us.
5. The picture is (under/below) the clock.
6. There is a bridge (over/above) the river.

Task 2. Complete with prepositions.
1. The plant is... (near) the table.
2. The cat is sitting ... (under) the chair.
3. There is a table... (between) two armchairs.
4. The woman is... (before) the fireplace.
5. The post office is ... (opposite) the bank.
6. There is a big garden... (behind) the house.
7. The girl is walking... (along) the coast.
8. Read the information… (below).

Answer 1.
1. over
2. under
3.over
4.above
5.below
6. over Answer 2.
1. next to
2. under
3. between
4.in front of
5. opposite
6.behind
7. along
8.below