Hello, my name is Alex, and welcome to this lesson on prepositions.
Now, you might ask yourself, what is a preposition?
Simply speaking, a preposition is a word that is used to show where something is located, either in space or in time.
Today we're going to be looking at three very, very common English prepositions, and those prepositions are At on and in
Now, these are all prepositions of place or location.
And all of them have very, very, very special uses in the English language.
So let's look at a graphical representation of each preposition before we start looking at some examples.
So let's start with at.
Now, when we are talking about at, we are talking about something being at a specific location or a specific point in place in space.
Okay?
So you can say, I live at 123 Fake Street, if that is your address.
Or I am at the movie theater.
I am at the house.
Where is Bob?
He's at Uncle George's birthday.
Okay, so it refers to a very specific location.
And if you want to give a graphical representation of that, we can draw an arrow over here and we see it pointing at a very specific point or location.
Okay, now we are talking about on.
We are talking about something being on either a horizontal or a vertical surface.
So there's a method of contact there.
So when we show that graphically, here's how we can draw that.
Draw a surface and draw the arrow pointing onto the surface.
So the arrow is pointing the surface, so there's contact when you're using the preposition on.
Now, in relation to in, we're discussing something that is enclosed in a geographical area, or not necessarily geographical, but something in an enclosed area.
So we can show that drawing a box and having arrows pointing inside the box.
So you can use these as visual cues to help you recall when to use at, on, and in.
So let's do some examples of each one.
Now, for at, we used an example of being at someone's house.
So I will write an example with that.
So I am At John's house.
Okay, so I am at a specific place.
A specific place.
Okay?
A specific location, a specific point.
Okay, so when we're talking about on, we're talking about something being on a surface.
So let's use this example.
If you're watching the TV, the TV screen is a flat surface.
So you would say, my favorite show is on TV.
Okay, so again, we mentioned that the television is a flat surface.
The screen is a flat surface.
You can also say that this blackboard, whiteboard, I apologize, is also a flat surface.
Although it is vertical, you would still use the term on.
I am writing on the board.
So let's look at in.
So again, in refers to enclosed areas.
So, I am in school.
If you are standing inside the classroom, you would say, I am in school.
But again, you have to be in the class.
Or you can also say, I like to study in my bedroom.
Okay, again, your bedroom is an enclosed area, so I'll just let you guys have a better look at that.
Okay.
When we are using specifically at and on.
It can become very confusing when we're talking about addresses.
So I use the example of, I live at 123 Fake Street.
However, when you are talking about living on a street so if you're just talking about Fake Street in general, the entire street you would say live on fake Street I live in.
Let's say I live in Canada personally.
So I would say I live in Canada on fake streets, at one two three, at the address of one two, three fake streets.
Okay, so hopefully that gives you guys a better understanding of at, on and in very common prepositions in the English language.
And let's see you guys give this one a try. you get them?
Let's check.
Okay, so remember when we're talking about at, on and in at refers to something at a specific location, on refers to something that is on a horizontal or vertical surface, and in refers to something that is in an enclosed area.
So let's look at the first one.
They were driving something the road.
Hmm, which one did you put?
So, they were driving on the road.
Now again, we know it is on because the road is a horizontal flat surface.
So if they were driving in the car, which is likely scenario, the tires of the vehicle were on the road.
Let's look at number two.
My brother is ____ the theater.
I would say that the theater is a specific place.
So, my brother is at the theater.
At the theater.
And finally, if we look at the third one.
I forgot my phone blank my car.
I forgot my phone in my car.
Again, the car is an enclosed area.
You are inside the car.
Okay?
So, I hope you enjoyed that.
And if you'd like to check out more videos, and especially on prepositions and in relation to prepositions of time specifically, please check out angvidcom.
Have a good one.
I'll see you later.