In, On, At – Prepositions of Place 

We often use the common prepositions in, on, and at to describe where something or someone is. These are called prepositions of place.  

Although they all relate to place, each one tells us something different about the type of location being described. 

Let’s look at these sentences 

• “Meet Simon at the end of the road.” 

• “You left your glasses in the bathroom.” 

• “Is that a spider on the wall?” 

Each sentence uses a different preposition, but why? 

At – A Specific Point or Location 

We use at when referring to a particular point or exact place. It often refers to general locations, meeting points, or buildings when the focus is on the place’s function. 

Examples: 

• She’s waiting at the entrance. 

• He’s sitting at his desk. 

• I work at a bank. 

• They met at the bus stop. 

Think of at as pinpointing a spot. 

In – An Enclosed Space 

Use in when something or someone is inside a space or container. It suggests that the object is surrounded on all sides. 

Examples: 

• Your keys are in the drawer. 

• She’s in the kitchen. 

• I live in London. 

• There’s milk in the fridge. 

In = inside or enclosed. 

On – A Surface or Outer Layer 

Use on when something is touching or attached to a surface. It shows that one thing is resting on another. 

Examples: 

• The phone is on the table. 

• There’s mud on your shoes. 

• He wrote his name on the wall. 

• The book is on the shelf. 

On = connected to or touching a surface. 

Spot the Difference: At vs In 

• She’s at the library. 

Focuses on her location or destination. 

• She’s in the library. 

Focuses on her being inside the building. 

Both are correct — it just depends on what you want to emphasise. 

Summary 

Preposition	Use	Example
at	A point or general location	Meet me at the café.
in	Inside a space or container	The papers are in my bag.
on	Touching a surface	The painting is on the wall.

What do the prepositions in these three things tell us about the locations? 

“Meet Simon at the end of the road.” 

“You left your glasses in the bathroom.” 

“Is that a spider on the wall?” 

At a Point 

At tells us that the following noun is located at a specific point or location. It shows an exact position. 

“She’s waiting at the entrance.” 

“He’s sitting on his chair at his desk.” 

“I work at a bank.” 

In an Enclosed Space 

In tells us the noun is in an enclosed space (surround or closed off on all sides). Basically, when something is inside something. 

In a box. 

In a room. 

In a country. 

On a Surface 

On tells us that the following noun is located on a surface. Use on when one thing is attatched to or touching somthing. 

On the table. 

On the floor. 

On the chair. 

What’s the difference bewteen these two sentences? 

She’s at the library. 

She’s in the library. 

She’s at the library. – the emphasis is on the her location and the type of place she has gone to. 

She’s in the library. – the emphasis is on the type of building she is in. 

Both of these sentences are fine to answer the question, “Where is she?”