At In On Exercises: Master Prepositions of Time and Place with Fun English Activities

Prepositions play a crucial role in English, helping to convey time, place, and direction. The three prepositions "at," "in," and "on" can often cause confusion, as they have specific yet sometimes overlapping uses. Here's a guide to understanding how to use these prepositions correctly.

1. Using "At"

Time: - Use "at" to indicate specific times. - Example: The meeting starts at 3 PM.

Place: - Use "at" for specific locations or points. - Example: She is waiting at the bus stop.

Events: - Use "at" to refer to events. - Example: They met at the conference.

2. Using "In"

Time: - Use "in" for unspecific times during a day, month, year, or season. - Example: She was born in December.

Place: - Use "in" for larger areas like cities, countries, or enclosed spaces. - Example: He lives in France.

Transportation: - Use "in" when referring to being inside vehicles like cars or trucks. - Example: She is in the car waiting for you.

3. Using "On"

Time: - Use "on" for days and dates. - Example: We will meet on Monday.

Place: - Use "on" for surfaces. - Example: The book is on the table.

Transportation: - Use "on" when referring to public transport such as buses, trains, and planes. - Example: He is on the bus right now.

Exercises for Practice

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition: "at," "in," or "on."

a. The concert is ____ Friday night.

b. She was born ____ 1992.

c. Let’s meet ____ the corner of the street.

d. The keys are ____ my pocket.

e. He will arrive ____ noon.

1. Identify the correct preposition for each sentence:

a. She will call you (at/in) 2 PM.

b. My birthday is (in/on) May 5th.

c. There’s a new restaurant (at/in) Paris.

1. Correct the misuse of prepositions in these sentences:

a. She is on the office waiting for you.

b. They met in the conference.

c. The cat is sleeping in the table.

By practicing with these examples, English language learners can gain confidence in using these common prepositions correctly within different contexts.

Common Mistakes with At, In, On

Mastering the use of "at," "in," and "on" can be quite challenging for English language learners. These prepositions often cause confusion because they can all translate to similar words in other languages, yet their usage in English depends on context. Here are some common mistakes and tips to help you understand them better:

1. Using "At" for Times and Specific Locations

• Mistake: "I will meet you in 5 PM."

• Correction: "I will meet you at 5 PM."

• Tip: Use "at" when referring to specific times and exact places. Remember:

• Use "at" for clock times: "at 9 AM."
• Use "at" for specific locations: "at the corner," "at school."

2. Using "In" for Months, Years, and Larger Areas

• Mistake: "She was born on 1994."

• Correction: "She was born in 1994."

• Tip: Use "in" for months, years, centuries, and long periods, as well as for larger areas and volumes:

• Use "in" for months and years: "in July," "in 2023."
• Use "in" for countries, cities, and enclosed spaces: "in New York," "in the box."

3. Using "On" for Days and Specific Dates

• Mistake: "The meeting is at Monday."

• Correction: "The meeting is on Monday."

• Tip: Use "on" when talking about days and specific dates:

• Use "on" for days of the week: "on Friday."
• Use "on" for dates: "on March 21st."

4. Confusing "In" with "On" for Surfaces and Positions

• Mistake: "The book is in the table."

• Correction: "The book is on the table."

• Tip: Use "on" to refer to surfaces where something rests:

• Use "on" for flat surfaces: "on the floor," "on the wall."

5. Mixing Up "In" and "At" for Buildings

• Mistake: "We met in the restaurant for lunch."

• Correction: "We met at the restaurant for lunch." (when referring to the location in general)

• Tip: Use "at" when referring to a particular location as a point, especially when you mean going to or staying somewhere for an event or activity:

• Use "at" for general locations of events or actions: "at the office," "at the restaurant."

Remember, understanding the context in which these prepositions are used will help improve your fluency over time. Practice by reading and speaking sentences that correctly use "at," "in," and "on" to reinforce your learning!

Exercises Using 'At' in Sentences

The preposition "at" is commonly used to indicate a specific point in time, a particular location, or a particular event. Here are some exercises to help you practice how to use "at" correctly in sentences.

Exercise 1: Time

Use "at" to fill in the blanks with the correct time expression.

1. The train arrives ______ 5:30 PM.
2. She has a meeting ______ noon.
3. Let's meet ______ midnight.
4. The movie starts ______ 8:45 PM.
5. He wakes up ______ dawn every morning.

Exercise 2: Location

Fill in the blanks with "at" to complete the correct location-based expressions.

1. She is waiting for you ______ the bus stop.
2. I'll see you ______ the airport.
3. He's studying ______ the library.
4. The kids are playing ______ the playground.
5. We had coffee ______ the café by the university.

Exercise 3: Events

Insert "at" in the correct place to complete the sentences about events.

1. We met ______ the concert last Saturday.
2. They got engaged ______ the New Year's party.
3. She gave a speech ______ the conference.
4. There was a lot of traffic ______ the parade.
5. He won a prize ______ the science fair.

Exercise 4: Practice Sentences

Choose the correct sentence using "at."

1. a) They arrived at lunchtime.
   b) They arrived in lunchtime.

2. a) She lives at London.
   b) She lives in London.

3. a) I will see you at the entrance.
   b) I will see you on the entrance.

4. a) Let's meet at the weekend.
   b) Let's meet on the weekend.

5. a) The lecture starts at 9 AM.
   b) The lecture starts in 9 AM.

Use these exercises to become more familiar with the usage of "at" in various contexts. Practicing with different scenarios will help reinforce your understanding and ensure you can use "at" effectively in everyday conversations.

Exercises to Practice 'In' Usage

Practicing the use of "in" is essential for mastering English prepositions. Below are exercises designed to help you understand and become more comfortable with using "in" correctly.

Fill-in-the-Blank

Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with "in":

1. She lives ___ an apartment on Main Street.
2. I found these old photos ___ a drawer in the basement.
3. The keys are ___ my pocket.
4. They arrived ___ Paris early in the morning.
5. I usually go for a run ___ the evening.

Multiple Choice

Select the correct sentence that uses "in" correctly:

1. a) She put the groceries in the fridge.
   b) She arrives in the station.

2. a) He reads the news in the Internet.
   b) We are going to Italy in summer.

3. a) My birthday is in November.
   b) My birthday is in this November.

Sentence Rewrite

Rewrite the following sentences using "in" correctly:

1. Mark studies his lessons in every day.
   Answer: Mark studies his lessons in the evening every day.

2. We plan to visit the museum at this summer.
   Answer: We plan to visit the museum in the summer.

Error Correction

Correct the errors in the use of "in":

1. This is the best restaurant on the town.
   Correction: This is the best restaurant in town.

2. She was born at January.
   Correction: She was born in January.

By practicing these exercises, you'll become more confident in using "in" and enhance your overall English language skills.

Practicing the use of "on" can help you accurately convey time, dates, surfaces, and more. Use these exercises to reinforce your understanding and improve your skills.

Exercise 1: Time and Dates

Fill in the blanks with the correct use of "on" to talk about specific days and dates.

1. She has a meeting ___ Monday.
2. His birthday is ___ February 14th.
3. We always go hiking ___ Saturdays.
4. The concert is ___ the 5th of June.
5. They plan to arrive ___ Christmas Day.

Exercise 2: Surfaces

Use "on" to describe something being on a surface.

1. The book is ___ the table.
2. There's a stain ___ your shirt.
3. The cat slept ___ the windowsill.
4. Please, don’t leave your cup ___ the floor.
5. She wrote her phone number ___ the napkin.

Exercise 3: Means of Communication and Transportation

Employ "on" to describe means of communication and types of transportation.

1. She heard the news ___ the radio.
2. They chatted ___ the phone for hours.
3. He came ___ a bicycle to the park.
4. I love reading ___ the train.
5. We watched a movie ___ TV last night.

Exercise 4: Technology

Complete the sentences using "on" related to technology and electronic devices.

1. The new episode is available ___ Netflix now.
2. I found this recipe ___ the internet.
3. She saved the document ___ her computer.
4. He’s always texting ___ his smartphone.
5. I have a lot of unread emails ___ my inbox.

Exercise 5: Identify the Errors

Find and correct the mistake in the use of "on" in each sentence.

1. She left the keys in the counter.
2. We talked in the phone last night.
3. The articles was published at the website yesterday.
4. He was playing football in Sunday afternoon.
5. Let's watch a movie at TV tonight.

Answer Key

1. She has a meeting on Monday.
2. His birthday is on February 14th.
3. We always go hiking on Saturdays.
4. The concert is on the 5th of June.
5. They plan to arrive on Christmas Day.

Surfaces:

1. The book is on the table.
2. There's a stain on your shirt.
3. The cat slept on the windowsill.
4. Please, don’t leave your cup on the floor.
5. She wrote her phone number on the napkin.

Means of Communication and Transportation:

1. She heard the news on the radio.
2. They chatted on the phone for hours.
3. He came on a bicycle to the park.
4. I love reading on the train.
5. We watched a movie on TV last night.

Technology:

1. The new episode is available on Netflix now.
2. I found this recipe on the internet.
3. She saved the document on her computer.
4. He’s always texting on his smartphone.
5. I have a lot of unread emails on my inbox.

Identify the Errors:

1. She left the keys on the counter.
2. We talked on the phone last night.
3. The articles was published on the website yesterday.
4. He was playing football on Sunday afternoon.
5. Let's watch a movie on TV tonight.