in / at / on (part 3)

 

 

In hospital / at home etc.

We say that some body is in hospital / in prison / in jail:

  • O Ann's mother is in hospital.

We say that some body is at home / at work / at school/at university / at college:

  • O 1'11 be at work until 5.30, but 1'11 be at home all evening.
  • O Julia is studying chemistry at university.

Also at sea (= on a voyage). Compare at sea and in the sea:

  • O It was a long voyage. We were at sea for 30 days.
  • O I love swimming in the sea.

 

At a party / at a concert etc.

We say that some body is at an event (at a party / at atonference etc.):

  • O Were there many people at the party / at the IDfeting / at the wedding?
  • O I saw Steve at a football match / at a concert o~turday.

 

In and at for buildings

 

You can of ten 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):

  • O We went to a concert at the Royal Festival Hall.
  • O The meeting took place at the company's head office in Frankfurt.

We say at the station / at the airport:

  • O Don't meet me at the station. I can get a taxi.

We say at somebody's house:

  • O I was at Sue's house last night. or I was at Sue's last night.

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

 

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

  • O We had dinner at the hotel.

              All the rooms in the hotel have air conditioning. (not at the hotel)

  • O I was at Sue's (house) last night.

It's always cold in Sue's house. The heating doesn't work very well. (not at Sue's ho

 

In and at for towns etc.

We normally use in with cities, towns and villages:

  • O Sam's parents live in Nottingham. (not at Nottingham)
  • O The Louvre is a famous art museum in Paris. (not at Paris)

But you can use at or in when you think of the place as a point or station on a journey:

  • O Does this train stop at (or in) Nottingham? (= at Nottingham station)
  • O We stopped at (or in) a small village on the way to London.

 

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:

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

We say on a bike (=