HEY guys, is there any tips about when i should use the prepositions IN ON or AT?
Thanks for help!!
Well, I don't have a grammar text which can give you general rules on the use of these prepositions . However, in general , when we are talking about locations are to be part of something "in" usually meanings "inside" " " I am in the school." " He was in the army " . "At" tends to be less specific about the exact location . " I am at the office " means that I am there generally , whereas " I am in the office" would be more specific about the location . In practice , it would mean the same thing. If I said, " I am at the hospital , now . " I would mean that I have just arrived there " at " the location . " I am in the hospital ,now" would mean that I am inside the building - but again you could use either to mean more or less the same thing. There are so many idioms with "in" and "at" that the best rule is to memorize .
You also use "in" with times of day " in the morning/evening/ afternoon" but " at dawn " , " at sunset" ; In October/winter/autumn
" In " the next sentence would be correct; "at the next sentence -incorrect" . He is at the football match vs He is in the football match - big difference - 1) means he is at the stadium 2) means he is playing in the game .
"On" is a lot easier . Since we are talking only about "in" ,"at" or "on" as used for locations, "on" refers the placement of something above or on top of something else . The hat is on your head , The food is on the table . The cat is on the bed .
Again, "on" has many other idiomatic uses " on vacation " .
Last one, "in time" , "on time" , " at times" .- They say that Mussolini made the trains run on time . ( they were never late .) Am I in time for the start of the game ? i.e. am I late or not? At times you make me crazy ! ( Sometimes /from time to time.)