Unit 6.2
Prepositions of Place
Introduction
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 {see Common Prepositions, A1 level}.
Form
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.
Example
At
- I am waiting at the zoo for you.
- 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 swimming pool.
- They are talking by the exhibition.
Use
We use prepositions of place 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).
Summary
Prepositions of place are used to locate an event in a space frame.
The main prepositions of place are: at, on, in and by.
For example:
— “I work at home today.” = We use at to talk about a specific point or place.
— “I work on the left of the corner.” = We use on to talk about directions.
— “I work in this building.” = We use in to talk about 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.