In/On/At

[*Sama*]

Assalam alaikom,
I hope I'm not annoying anyone with my questions, because I have alot of them. So , I'll be asking alot if you don't mind.
Today my question is about these prepositions I get really confused using them with places. So, I hope you can show me the differences among them.
Regards,

 

[emsr2d2]

Assalam alaikom,
I hope I'm not annoying anyone with my questions, because I have alot of them. So , I'll be asking alot if you don't mind.
Today my question is about these prepositions I get really confused using them with places. So, I hope you can show me the differences among them.
Regards,

There are a lot of differences, and a lot of places to use them!!! Perhaps you could give us some example sentences where you're not sure which to use.

I will try to give a rough guide with examples though:

In - I am in the room (location inside something/somewhere)
I will go to school in September (during the month of)
In summer, it's very hot (during a season)
My flight will arrive in Madrid (town of arrival)
My flight will arrive in Spain (country of arrival)

On - The cup is on the table (location of one thing on top of something else)
I will go to work on Monday (a specific day of the week)
I will go to work on 5th July (a specific date)
My thesis was on new technology in schools (about)

At - He arrived at 4.30 (specific time)
It's busy here at Christmas/Easter/Ramadan (specific holiday/festival /religious season)
My brother is at the cinema/market/park (specific location)

There are many, many more possible examples, and I'm sure other people will add to these.

 

[TheParser]

Assalam alaikom,
I hope I'm not annoying anyone with my questions, because I have alot of them. So , I'll be asking alot if you don't mind.
Today my question is about these prepositions I get really confused using them with places. So, I hope you can show me the differences among them.
Regards,

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Sama.

(1) No one is annoyed by your questions. People are just waiting for

questions to answer.

(2) Prepositions ARE very confusing -- even for native speakers.

(3) I suggest you keep a notebook. Write down all the examples of

in/at/on that you encounter in your reading materials. Sooner or

later you will start to understand these little words much better.

(4) Here are a few examples of how "crazy" things are:

(a) Some people say "sit IN a chair," but others prefer "ON." (I prefer

"in.")

(b) Some people use "IN" an elevator; others, "ON." (I think that "in"

is winning the "contest.")

(c) In California, one waits "IN" line, but one waits "ON" line in New



York.

(d) In the United States, you live ON Maple Street, but I think in some

other English-speaking countries, you live IN Maple Street.

(4) I am sure that you get the idea: it is a very confusing matter

that will take time to better understand.

***** Thank you for your question *****

 

[crazYgeeK]

Hi *Sama*, I think emsr2d2 and TheParser were so kind when giving you some examples, and may be there is a few people giving you more examples because they can't be sure if their examples are duplicated to others' examples, unless they have to read through all examples posted before. It is not comfortable for who give the replies not take and wait the replies.
You should learn by yourself first and collect your problems, specify them by examples and post them to get helps.
Thank you !

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi *Sama*, I think emsr2d2 was so kind when giving you some examples, and may be there is a few people giving you more examples because they can't be sure if their examples are duplicated to others' examples, unless they have to read through all examples posted before. It is not comfortable for who give the replies not take and wait the replies.
You should learn by yourself first and collect your problems, specify them by examples and post them to get helps.
Thank you !

When there is a very specific question posted, I normally ask the poster to try to work out the answer first and then we'll comment. With such a general question (as this is), I tend to give a few examples as a hint and hopefully the poster will indeed be able to work out their answers in future without any help!

I always try to read all the responses before I post, so that there is little duplication. I would expect others to do the same.

 

[*Sama*]

Thank you so much both TheParser and emsr2d2. And speacial thanks to you Theparser for your kindness I really appreciate.

Hi *Sama*, I think emsr2d2 and TheParser were so kind when giving you some examples, and may be there is a few people giving you more examples because they can't be sure if their examples are duplicated to others' examples, unless they have to read through all examples posted before. It is not comfortable for who give the replies not take and wait the replies.
You should learn by yourself first and collect your problems, specify them by examples and post them to get helps.
Thank you !

About what you wrote crazygeek I'm actually not sure I got it especially the highlighted part. And I am doing my best to learn and I ask the question after trying really hard to get it. And about writing all my peoblems in one thread it will be cofusing to me to get and understand each point. As you can see I'm a learner not a teacher so I need time to understand what I'm asking for.

Here're some examples that make me confused.
*I'm waiting at/on/in the street.
*I'm on/in/at the bus.
*The manager is waiting for you in/on/at his office.
*Meet me in/on/at the cafe.
*You should stay at/in/on home.
*The girl is on/in/at the bed.
*The address is on/at/in park avnue.
Thank you all.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you so much both TheParser and emsr2d2. And speacial thanks to you Theparser for your kindness I really appreciate.


About what you wrote crazygeek I'm actually not sure I got it especially the highlighted part. And I am doing my best to learn and I ask the question after trying really hard to get it. And about writing all my peoblems in one thread it will be cofusing to me to get and understand each point. As you can see I'm a learner not a teacher so I need time to understand what I'm asking for.

Here're some examples that make me confused.
*I'm waiting at/on/in the street.
*I'm on/in/at the bus.
*The manager is waiting for you in/on/at his office.
*Meet me in/on/at the cafe.
*You should stay at/in/on home.
*The girl is on/in/at the bed.
*The address is on/at/in park avnue.
Thank you all.

So..... what would be your suggested answers for the sentences you posted? Give us your choices and we can see how you do!

PS - I didn't understand the sentence you highlighted in CrazyGeek's post either!

 

[crazYgeeK]

[QUOTE = Originally Posted by *Sama*]
Here're some examples that make me confused.
*I'm waiting at/on/in the street.

-> I think it is "on".
*I'm on/in/at the bus.
*The manager is waiting for you in/on/at his office.

-> I think it is "at".
*Meet me in/on/at the cafe.

-> I choose "at" and think someone may choose "in" depending on the context.
*You should stay at/in/on home.

-> "at" surely.
*The girl is on/in/at the bed.

-> I think it is "on".
*The address is on/at/in park avnue.

-> what is "avnue" ?
Thank you all.[/QUOTE]

Sorry Sama, I only want you to know the principles for good posts. I'm also a learner like you, I can understand how many difficulties the learners get that may be all native speakers would never know.
Thank you.

 

[TheParser]

Thank you so much both TheParser and emsr2d2. And speacial thanks to you Theparser for your kindness I really appreciate.


About what you wrote crazygeek I'm actually not sure I got it especially the highlighted part. And I am doing my best to learn and I ask the question after trying really hard to get it. And about writing all my peoblems in one thread it will be cofusing to me to get and understand each point. As you can see I'm a learner not a teacher so I need time to understand what I'm asking for.

Here're some examples that make me confused.
*I'm waiting at/on/in the street.
*I'm on/in/at the bus.
*The manager is waiting for you in/on/at his office.
*Meet me in/on/at the cafe.
*You should stay at/in/on home.
*The girl is on/in/at the bed.
*The address is on/at/in park avnue.
Thank you all.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Sama.

(1) I agree with most of CrazYgeek's answers. He did a great job!!!

(2) In my opinion:

The girl is ON the bed. = she is sitting on the bed/ she is lying on top of the

bedspread.

The girl is IN the bed. = she is inside the bed, under the sheets and

blankets.

(3) The address is ON Park Avenue in New York City.

*****

(a) The man is ON the street. = He is on the sidewalk.

(b) What does the man ON the street think? = What does the

average/ ordinary person think? (In some English-speaking countries,

I think they refer to him/her as the "man IN the street.")

(c) Call the police. There is a man IN the street. The fast cars will

hit him!!!

***** Thank you for your question *****

 

[Atchan]

Assalam alaikom,
I hope I'm not annoying anyone with my questions, because I have a lot of them. So , I'll be asking a lot if you don't mind. "you are welcome"
Today my question is about these prepositions I get really confused using them with places. So, I hope you can show me the differences among them.
Regards,

Wacalaykumu Salaam, prepositions are hard and it became harder to Arabs, because Arabic grammar has prepositions which differ English grammar, so we should compare each of them with Arabic prepositions to get clear and easy result.

Good Luck!

 

[*Sama*]

So..... what would be your suggested answers for the sentences you posted? Give us your choices and we can see how you do!

PS - I didn't understand the sentence you highlighted in CrazyGeek's post either!

Ok since my friends have given the answers and were really helpful I'll write other sentences.

*The girl is walking at the beach.
*I'll wait for you on The main street.
*He is in his office.
*The baby is sleeping in the bed.
*I am standing at the couthouse building.
*She's on the bus.
*They'll be at home.

I hope I did well

 

[TheParser]

Ok since my friends have given the answers and were really helpful I'll write other sentences.

*The girl is walking at the beach.
*I'll wait for you on The main street.
*He is in his office.
*The baby is sleeping in the bed.
*I am standing at the couthouse building.
*She's on the bus.
*They'll be at home.

I hope I did well

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Sama.

(1) As I type, no one else has answered, so may I be the first one?

(a) The girl is walking ON the beach. (But: Where is the girl? Oh, she's

AT the beach now. She will return in five hours.)

(b) ON Main Street. Correct!

(c) IN his office. Correct!

(d) IN bed. Correct!

(d) standing ___the building. I am having many problems with this. I

do not like "standing at the building." I do like: standing IN FRONT Of the

building/ AT the front door of the building/ OUTSIDE the building.

(e) ON the bus. Correct!

(f) AT home. Correct!

Congratulations!!! You did a great job!!!

***** Thank you for your questions *****

 

[*Sama*]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Sama.

(1) As I type, no one else has answered, so may I be the first one?

(a) The girl is walking ON the beach. (But: Where is the girl? Oh, she's

AT the beach now. She will return in five hours.)

(b) ON Main Street. Correct!

(c) IN his office. Correct!

(d) IN bed. Correct!

(d) standing ___the building. I am having many problems with this. I

do not like "standing at the building." I do like: standing IN FRONT Of the

building/ AT the front door of the building/ OUTSIDE the building.

(e) ON the bus. Correct!

(f) AT home. Correct!

Congratulations!!! You did a great job!!!

***** Thank you for your questions *****

Thank you soooooooooooo much I needed this especially the"At the beach"part, and you are such a helpful person.