Use 'in' with bodies of water:

• in the water
• in the sea
• in a river

Use 'in' with lines:

• in a row / in a line
• in a queue

AT

Use 'at' with places:

• at the bus-stop
• at the door
• at the cinema
• at the end of the street

Use 'at' with places on a page:

• at the top of the page
• at the bottom of the page

Use 'at' in groups of people:

• at the back of the class
• at the front of the class

ON

Use 'on' with surfaces:

• on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor
• on the table

Use 'on' with small islands:

• I stayed on Maui.

Use 'on' with directions:

• on the left
• on the right
• straight on

IMPORTANT NOTES

In / at / on the corner

We say 'in the corner of a room', but 'at the corner (or 'on the corner') of a street'

In / at / on the front

• We say 'in the front / in the back' of a car
• We say 'at the front / at the back' of buildings / groups of people
• We say 'on the front / on the back' of a piece of paper

Test Your Understanding

Now that you have studied the use of on / at / in as a preposition of place, try the follow-up quiz to test your understanding.

Continue Learning for Beginners Unit 6 Unit 6 - Usage of 'in' / 'at' / 'on' , Adverbs