At, on and in (place)
We use at:
- to refer to a position or location which we see as a point:
I was sitting at my desk.
- to talk about locations at companies, workplaces when we see them as a place of activity:
How many people are working at Microsoft?
- to refer to activities which involve a group of people:
Were you at Lisa’s party? (also at the cinema, at the theatre)
- with school/college/university:
She always did well at school.
- to refer to an address:
They once lived at number 12 South George’s Street.
- to talk about public places where we get treatments, such as a hairdresser’s or doctor’s surgery:
I can’t meet at four. I’ll be at the hairdresser’s until five.
- to refer to most shops:
Look what I bought at the butcher’s today.
We use on:
- to refer to a position on any surface:
I know I left my wallet on the table.
- to describe a position along a road or river or by the sea or by a lake:
Dublin is on the east coast of Ireland.
- to talk about a floor in a building:
They live on the 15th floor!
- to talk about being physically on public transport:
I was on the train when she phoned. (but to talk about ways of travelling, we use by: I went to Rome by train.)
We use in:
- to talk about locations within a larger area:
I know my book is somewhere in this room. Can anyone see it?
- to talk about workplaces when we see them as a physical location:
She works in an open-plan office. (but we use on when we talk about a farm: I’ve always wanted to work on a farm.)
- with class:
He found it difficult to concentrate in class.
- At, on and in (time)