Unit 6.2
Prepositions of Place
Prepositions
Prepositions are small words that connect elements in a sentence. They are essential because they provide additional details about the sentence.
We use prepositions of place to locate an event in a space frame.
Prepositions of place don’t stand alone but act with other elements of the sentence to create what we can call prepositional phrases: at, on, in and by.
- At
- I am waiting at the metro station in the rain.
- He was at the game when it was snowing.
- They love being at home with their dog.
- On
- You put many posters on the walls.
- There was a rose on the way home.
- We are not allowed to smoke on the bus.
- In
- You can find wonderful paintings in this church.
- There is a wild animal in that forest.
- They lived in Canada for 10 years.
- By
- His dog is always walking by his side.
- The house is by the coast.
- They are talking by the pine tree.
Prepositions of place are used to express the location of something or someone. The main ones are:
- At (general, to refer to bigger places)
- Exact position at a point (at the bus stop…);
- Before the name of group activities (at the party, at the match…);
- With home, work, school, university, the top, the bottom…
- On (more specific, to refer to smaller places)
- Position on a surface (on the floor…);
- On a line (on the path, on the way, on the river…);
- Public transport;
- Directions (the right and the left…)
- In (very specific, to refer the smallest places)
- Position inside large areas;
- Three-dimensional space and areas surrounded on all sides (in a forest, in the office…);
- Continents, states, countries, buildings…
- By
- Left or right of somebody or something;
- Next to somebody or something;
- Not far away in distance (near).
Prepositions of place are used to locate an event in a space frame.
The main prepositions of place are:
- At: exact position at a point, before the name of group activities, with some words;
- On: position on a surface, on a line, public transport, directions;
- In: position inside large areas, three-dimensional space and areas surrounded on all sides, continents, buildings;
- By: left or right of somebody or something, next to somebody or something, not far away in distance.
For example:
— “I work at home today.” = We use at to express a specific point or place.
— “I work on the left of the corner”.” = We use on to express directions.
— “I work in this building.” = We use in to express the position inside a 3-dimensional place.
— “I work by this building.” = We use by to express that a place is near to the other.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.