125 : in/at/on (position) 3

   A   

In hospital / at work etc.

 

 

We say that somebody is in hospital / in prison / in jail:

• Anna's mother is in hospital.

 

We say that somebody is at work / at school / at university / at college:

• I'll be at work until 5.30.
• Julia is studying chemistry at university.

 

We say that somebody is at home or is home (with or without at), but we say do something at home (with at):

• I'll be at home all evening. or I'll be home all evening.
• Shall we go to a restaurant or eat at home?

 

 

   B   

At a party / at a concert etc.

 

We say that somebody is at an event (at a party / at a conference etc.):

• Were there many people at the party / at the meeting / at the wedding?
• I saw Steve at a conference / at a concert on Saturday.

 

 

   C   

In and at for buildings

 

 

You can often use in or at with buildings.

 

For example, you can eat in a restaurant or at a restaurant;

 

you can buy something in a supermarket or at a supermarket.

 

We usually say at when we say where an event takes place (for example: a concert, a film, a party, a meeting):

• We went to a concert at the National Concert Hall.
• The meeting took place at the company's head office in Frankfurt.
• There was a robbery at the supermarket.

 

 

We say at the station / at the airport:

• There's no need to meet me at the station. I can get a taxi.

 

 

We say at somebody's house:

• I was at Helen's house last night.  or  I was at Helen's last night.

 

Also  at the doctor's / at the hairdresser's etc.

 

 

We use in when we are thinking about the building itself. Compare:

• We had dinner at the hotel.
  All the rooms in the hotel have air conditioning. (not at the hotel)
• I was at Helen's (house) last night.
  It's always cold in Helen's house. The heating doesn't work well. (not at Helen's house)

 

 

   D   

In and at for towns etc.

 

We normally use in with cities, towns and villages:

• The Louvre is a famous art museum in Paris. (not at Paris)
• Sam's parents live in a village in the south of France. (not at a village)

 

We use at when we think of the place as a point or station on a journey:

• Does this train stop at Oxford? (= at Oxford station)

 

 

   E   

On a bus / in a car etc.

 

We usually say on a bus / on a train / on a plane / on a ship but in a car / in a taxi:

• The bus was very full. There were too many people on it.
• Laura arrived in a taxi.

 

We say on a bike (= bicycle) / on a motorbike / on a horse:

• Jane passed me on her bike.

 

 

 

※ air conditioning = air conditioner