Prepositions : in VS on VS at

[forum_mail]

I was told that "in" is used with streets, like : "I live in Green Street" but what about "on" and what about "at" ? Can I say ON or AT Green Street ?

Here are some examples which made me confused :

1. The British Prime Minister lives /IN/ 10 Downing Street. --> Should I rather say "AT" ? If so, please tell me why.

2. Sherlock Holmes lived somewhere ON Baker Street. ---> Why is there ON and not IN ? Isn't it like "I live IN Green Street" ?

Please, give me some rules,

best wishes,

ps. what's an equivalency certificate ?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by forum_mail

I was told that "in" is used with streets, like : "I live in Green Street" but what about "on" and what about "at" ? Can I say ON or AT Green Street ?

In the past, the old days, a person stepped down into the street, and so, today, English carries that history in prepositional phrases; e.g., "I live in Green Street." In North America, one stepped across the street, one's house was situated on the street, so "I live on Green Street." As for "at", it requires a specific location, like "I live at 4416 9 Avenue."

Hope that helps.

Note, equivalency means, equal in value.

[forum_mail]

hmm... I'm not sure if I get the idea... do you mean that we can say "in Green Steet" and "on Green Street" as well ? no difference between them at all ???

[forum_mail]

oops, my question got lost among other topics...

[englishstudent]

When Bush traveled to India recently, he stopped in Kabul
for a few hours. Later I heard in the news 'Bush stopped over
at Afghanistan."

If all of the following are not
correct, which of the following is/are correct:

1. Bush stopped in Kabul.
2. Bush stopped at Kabul.
3. Bush stopped in Afghanistan.
4. Bush stopped at Afghanistan.

Thanks

[forum_mail]

Casiopea, could you explain once again the whole thing ? I'm not sure if I understand your last entry. Best wishes,

[Casiopea]

forum-mail, North American speakers use "on" + the street's name, whereas British speakers use "in" + the street's name. Both are English; both are acceptable.

Englishstudent, "at" expresses a point in time or space; temporally, e.g., Let's meet at 5:00; locationally, e.g., "We stopped at the store to by some milk."

As for the following uses of "at", below, this is the first time I've seen "at" used with a country name:

2. Bush stopped at Kabul.
4. Bush stopped at Afghanistan.

One'd expect to see a specific location, say, "at Kabul airport". Possibly, 2. and 4. represent a dialect variation, one I'm not familiar with, wherein the country itself is viewed as a specific location in the world; i.e., "Bush stopped at such and such locational points on his (travel) agenda.

Hope that helps.

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by forum_mail

I was told that "in" is used with streets, like : "I live in Green Street" but what about "on" and what about "at" ? Can I say ON or AT Green Street ?
Here are some examples which made me confused :
1. The British Prime Minister lives /IN/ 10 Downing Street. --> Should I rather say "AT" ? If so, please tell me why.
2. Sherlock Holmes lived somewhere ON Baker Street. ---> Why is there ON and not IN ? Isn't it like "I live IN Green Street" ?
Please, give me some rules,
best wishes,
ps. what's an equivalency certificate ?

I live in green street is.
My house is on/in green street.
I live at a house in/on green street.

The PM lives at 10 Downing Street
In this case 10 Downing street is a government department.
The PM lives in an apartment at 10 Downing street

Sherlock Holmes lived in a house somewhere on baker street

As for rules, well I'm sure someone more erudite than myself will explain

As for equivalency certificate - your guess is as good as mine - try a google

[Hayseed]

This is kinda interesting...I`d like to flog it a bit more.

I live ON Elm street.
I live AT 100 Elm street.
I walked INTO the middle of Elm street.
I am standing ON Elm street. Or, I am standing IN the middle of Elm street.

Saying I live "in" Elm street sounds very strange to me; I`d say I live "on" a particular street. I don`t feel the difference between using "in" or "on" is as big a deal as how "at" is used. If you said "I live at Elm street", I`d be waiting for you to tell me the street number. That sentence standing alone sounds plain silly to me.

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Hayseed

This is kinda interesting...I`d like to flog it a bit more.
I live ON Elm street.
I live AT 100 Elm street.
I walked INTO the middle of Elm street.
I am standing ON Elm street. Or, I am standing IN the middle of Elm street.
Saying I live "in" Elm street sounds very strange to me; I`d say I live "on" a particular street. I don`t feel the difference between using "in" or "on" is as big a deal as how "at" is used. If you said "I live at Elm street", I`d be waiting for you to tell me the street number. That sentence standing alone sounds plain silly to me.

Its a nightmare! Is your name Freddy Kruger