In this episode, I tackle those three little words that often drive English Language Learners crazy: at, on, and in. Since many languages don't have the same prepositions, their usage rules can be particularly confusing. I'll explain a simple way to remember how to use them, and provide clear examples to help you understand their application. I hope you find this episode helpful and that it gets you closer to mastering these commonly confusing words.

If you're interested in a personalized, task-based approach to achieving your language learning goals, please contact me through the link below. I’d be delighted to send you a needs analysis, discuss your goals, and support you on your journey to success!

https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/10897638

The Grammarian Podcast

Common mistakes made by English Language Learners - at,on, and in

《入乡随俗》
    来中国半年多了，我已经渐渐地习惯了这里的生活。
    刚来中国的时候，最不习惯的就是早上八点钟上课。因为我是个夜猫子，喜欢晚睡晚起，所以经常迟到。你进教室的时候，别人正上着课呢，大家都看着你，真不好意思。为了不迟到，我买了一个闹钟，每天早上一到七点钟，它就大叫：”懒虫，该起床了！懒虫，该起床了！“虽然不好听，我还不能不感谢它。因为有了它，我现在已经很少迟到了。
    我还有以减不习惯的事，就是打招呼。有些中国人和我见面不是问好，而是问一些奇怪的问题。下面就算今天早上我和邻居的对话：
    ”早！“
    ”早上好！“
    ”吃了吗？“
    ”吃了。”
    “去上课呀？”
    ”是。“
    ”外面正下着雨呢，带伞了吗？“
    ”谢谢，我带着呢。“
    这要是在半年以前，有人这样跟我打招呼，我肯定生气了。可是，现在我却觉得挺亲切的，因为我知道，他们跟熟人才这么打招呼。要是你不想回答他们的问题，问好就可以了。
    中国有一个成语叫”入乡随俗“，意思是：到了一个新的地方，就要适应那里的风俗习惯。

Yasmine's Chinese Reading - elementary

入乡随俗 When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Chinese simplified version:
老师告诉大家，我们要常常帮助人。
平平想：“我要怎么做呢？”
平平等红绿灯的时候，看见一位老爷爷想过马路。平平牵着老爷爷的手，一起过马路。
平平去市场的时候，看见一位老奶奶买了很多东西。 平平帮老奶奶拿篮子。
平平看到一位小女孩在哭，她找不到妈妈。 平平带她找妈妈。
平平回家了，告诉妈妈今天他做了什么。
妈妈说：“你真棒！ 你帮助了很多人。”
妈妈又说：“现在可以请你帮我倒垃圾吗？”

Traditional Chinese version:
老師告訴大家，我們要常常幫助人。
平平想：“我要怎麼做呢？”
平平等紅綠燈的時候，看見一位老爺爺想過馬路。平平牽著老爺爺的手，一起過馬路。
平平去市場的時候，看見一位老奶奶買了很多東西。平平幫老奶奶拿籃子。
平平看到一位小女孩在哭，她找不到媽媽。平平帶她找媽媽。
平平回家了，告訴媽媽今天他做了什麼。
媽媽說：“你真棒！ 你幫助了很多人。”
媽媽又說：“現在可以請你幫我倒垃圾嗎？”

English translation:
The teacher told everyone that we should often help people.
Ping Ping thought: "What should I do?"
When Pingping was at the traffic light, he saw an old man. He held the grandfather's hand and crossed the road together.
When Ping went to the market, he saw an old woman with lots of things. He helped her to carry some baskets.
Ping saw a girl crying. She couldn’t find her mom. Ping helped her to look for her mom.
Ping went back home and told his mom what he had done today.
Mom said, “You are so nice! You’ve helped a lot of people.”
Mom said, “Now, can you help me throw the carbage?”

帮助别人最快乐 - Helping others is the happiest thing

Simplified Chinese version:
季子是中国古代人。有一次他去旅游，走累了就坐在路边休息。他看到地上有一块儿金子。他想：可能是别人不小心丢掉的吧！
因为季子是一个有钱人，所以他不想去捡这块儿金子。
这个时候，刚好有一个人经过。季子想：这个人很瘦，衣服也很旧，应该是一个乞丐。
季子对他说：“喂！这地上有一块儿金子，你捡去用吧！一会儿被其他乞丐捡走，你就什么都没有了！”
这个人听了非常生气，他说：“你凭什么认为我是乞丐？是因为我的衣服很旧？还是因为我很瘦？你觉得我佷可怜吗？”
这个人说：“今天就算你是有钱人，你都不可以这样对我说话！”
季子很不好意思，于是客气地问这个人的名字。这个人说：“你是一个没有礼貌的人，我不想告诉你我的名字。”

Traditional Chinese version:
季子是中國古代人。有一次他去旅遊，走累了就坐在路邊休息。他看到地上有一塊兒金子。他想：可能是別人不小心丟掉的吧！
因為季子是一個有錢人，所以他不想去撿這塊兒金子。
這個時候，剛好有一個人經過。季子想：這個人很瘦，衣服也很舊，應該是一個乞丐。
季子對他說：“餵！這地上有一塊兒金子，你撿去用吧！一會兒被其他乞丐撿走，你就什麼都沒有了！”
這個人聽了非常生氣，他說：“你憑什麼認為我是乞丐？是因為我的衣服很舊？還是因為我很瘦？你覺得我佷可憐嗎？”
這個人說：“今天就算你是有錢人，你都不可以這樣對我說話！”
季子很不好意思，於是客氣地問這個人的名字。這個人說：“你是一個沒有禮貌的人，我不想告訴你我的名字。”

English translation:
Jizi was a man of ancient China. Once he went on a journey, resting by the street side whenever he felt exhausted. He spotted a piece of gold on the ground. “Someone could have lost this by accident,“ thought Jizi.
Since Jizi was a wealthy man, he did not want to pick up this piece of gold.
Right at this moment, there was someone passing by. “This man is so scraggy, his clothes are tattered too, he’s got to be a beggar,” thought Jizi.
“Hey, there’s a piece of gold on the ground, go pick it up and use it! You will gain nothing if it were picked by other beggars later,” Jizi told him.
Enraged, this man said, “What makes you think of me as a beggar? Is it because my old clothes are too worn? Or is it because I am too skinny? Are you thinking that I am deplorable?”
“Even if you are a rich man, you should never talk to me like that!” the man said.
Jizi felt very embarrassed and asked this man’s politely what his name was. “You are a ill-mannered man, I don’t want to tell you,” said the man.

没有礼貌的季子  The Ill-mannered Jizi

Simplified Chinese version:
《在学校吃午餐》
中午12点，平平到学校的餐厅吃饭。
平平看到牛肉，问小美："这种牛肉好吃吗?"
小美说："我不知道，我只吃青菜，不吃肉。"
平平看到猪肉，问旁边的同学："这种猪肉好吃吗?"
右边的莎莎说："我不清楚，我没有吃过猪肉。"
左边的哈里说："牛肉和猪肉我都不吃。"
平平说："猪肉和牛肉我最喜欢，我是爱吃肉的人！"

Traditional Chinese version:
《在學校吃午餐》
中午12點，平平到學校的餐廳吃飯。
平平看到牛肉，問小美："這種牛肉好吃嗎?"
小美說："我不知道，我只吃青菜，不吃肉。"
平平看到豬肉，問旁邊的同學："這種豬肉好吃嗎?"
右邊的莎莎說："我不清楚，我沒有吃過豬肉。"
左邊的哈里說："牛肉和豬肉我都不吃。"
平平說："豬肉和牛肉我最喜歡，我是愛吃肉的人！"

English translation:
Having lunch in the school
It’s 12 o’clock at noon. Ping go to the school cafeteria for lunch.
Ping notices the beef. He asks May, “Is this delicious?”
May says, “I don’t know. I don’t eat meat. I only eat vegetables.”
Ping notices the pork. He asks his classmate, “Is this delicious?”
Salsa says, “I don’t know. I have never eaten pork.”
Harry says, “I don’t eat beef and pork.”
Ping says, “I like to eat both pork and beef. I’m a meat tooth!”


在学校吃午餐 - Having lunch in the school

Simplified Chinese version:
《开学日》
开学了，平平背着书包去学校。
他在教室外面，看到漂亮的窗户和门。
他在教室里面，看到很多新的东西。
他看到教室前面的墙上，有每个学生的名字。
他看到教室的后面，有两个大垃圾桶和一个小垃圾桶。
教室还有新的桌子和椅子，他把放书包在桌子上面。
他还看到桌子前面的黑板，也是新的。
平平想：哇！新的教室很好玩。

Traditional Chinese version:
《開學日》
開學了，平平背著書包去學校。
他在教室外面，看到漂亮的窗戶和門。
他在教室裡面，看到很多新的東西。
他看到教室前面的牆上，有每個學生的名字。
他看到教室的後面，有兩個大垃圾桶和一個小垃圾桶。
教室還有新的桌子和椅子，他把放書包在桌子上面。
他還看到桌子前面的黑板，也是新的。
平平想：哇！新的教室很好玩。

English translation:
Start of semester
It was the first day of school. Ping ping went to school with his school bag.
He stood outside the classroom and noticed beautiful windows and doors.
He went into the classroom and noticed many new things.
He saw there were many students name on the wall in front of the classroom.
He noticed there were two big trash cans and one small trash can in the back of the classroom.
There were new desks and chairs in the classroom. He put his school bag on the desk.
He also noticed the new blackboard.
Ping Ping thought, “Wow! New classroom looks great!”