Use to for movement (go to Rome, come to the party) and in or at for being somewhere (live in Rome, be at the party). Say go home and be at home, never go to home. Arrive in a country or town, arrive at other places, and get to anywhere; get home and arrive home take no preposition.
A go to ... / be in ... or at ...
go / come / return / walk (etc.) to ... = movement towards a place.
be / stay / do something (etc.) in ... or at ... = being in a place. (See units 106 and 107 for in and at.)
- We're going to Rome next month.
- I'd love to go to Japan.
- We walked from the station to the hotel.
- When do the kids usually go to bed?
- The coach is going to the airport.
- Leo didn't go to college yesterday.
- I went to a barbecue last night.
- You must come to our flat for dinner.
- The Colosseum is in Rome.
- My cousin lives in Japan.
- Most of the restaurants are in the old town.
- I like reading in bed.
- The coach is at the airport.
- Leo wasn't at college yesterday.
- I met him at a barbecue.
- Mia stayed at her sister's flat.
B home
go / come / walk (etc.) home has no to.
be / stay / do something (etc.) at home.
- I'm exhausted. I'm going home. (not to home)
- Did you get a taxi home?
- I'm staying at home tonight.
- "Where's Mia?" "At home."
C arrive and get
With a country or a town, say arrive in: arrive in Spain, arrive in Madrid.
With any other place, say arrive at: arrive at the station, arrive at work.
get to works for every kind of place: get to the hotel, get to Madrid.
get home and arrive home have no preposition at all.
- They arrived in Scotland on Tuesday. (not arrived to Scotland)
- When did your coach arrive at the hostel? (not arrive to the hostel)
- When did your coach get to the hostel?
- What time did you get to Madrid?
- I was shattered when I got home. (or when I arrived home)
Exercises
108.1 Write to or in.
toin
I like reading in bed.
I like reading in bed.
We're going Portugal in the summer.
We're going to Portugal in the summer.
Ben is on holiday Portugal at the moment.
Ben is on holiday in Portugal at the moment.
I need to go the post office this afternoon.
I need to go to the post office this afternoon.
It was Sunday, so I stayed bed until ten.
It was Sunday, so I stayed in bed until ten.
What time do your children go bed?
What time do your children go to bed?
Does this tram go the city centre?
Does this tram go to the city centre?
Would you like to work another country?
Would you like to work in another country?
108.2 Write to or at if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).
toat-
Leo didn't go to college yesterday.
Leo didn't go to college yesterday.
I'm exhausted. I'm going - home.
I'm exhausted. I'm going home.
Kate has a bad cough. She's gone the doctor's.
Kate has a bad cough. She's gone to the doctor's.
Would you like to come a barbecue on Sunday?
Would you like to come to a barbecue on Sunday?
"Is Omar home?" "No, he's gone work."
"Is Omar at home?" "No, he's gone to work."
There were 50,000 people the concert.
There were 50,000 people at the concert.
Why did you go home so early on Saturday?
Why did you go home so early on Saturday?
The dog jumped into the lake and swam the other side.
The dog jumped into the lake and swam to the other side.
There was a long queue the taxi rank.
There was a long queue at the taxi rank.
We had a lovely lunch a café and then went back the campsite.
We had a lovely lunch at a café and then went back to the campsite.
108.3 Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).
toatin-
I'm not going anywhere this evening. I'm staying at home.
I'm not going anywhere this evening. I'm staying at home.
We're going a gig on Friday night.
We're going to a gig on Friday night.
I went Berlin two years ago.
I went to Berlin two years ago.
How long did you stay Berlin?
How long did you stay in Berlin?
Next summer we're hoping to go Iceland.
Next summer we're hoping to go to Iceland.
Shall we go the theatre on Saturday?
Shall we go to the theatre on Saturday?
Is there a cashpoint the station?
Is there a cashpoint at the station?
After the crash, two drivers were taken hospital.
After the crash, two drivers were taken to hospital.
How often do you go the optician's?
How often do you go to the optician's?
"Is Ruth here?" "No, she's Paul's."
"Is Ruth here?" "No, she's at Paul's."
Our flat is the end of the road on the right.
Our flat is at the end of the road on the right.
I went Sam's flat, but he wasn't home.
I went to Sam's flat, but he wasn't at home.
The last bus had gone, so we had to walk home.
The last bus had gone, so we had to walk home.
"What did you study university?" "I never went university."
"What did you study at university?" "I never went to university."
108.4 Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).
toatin-
What time do you usually get college?
What time do you usually get to college?
What time do you usually get home?
What time do you usually get home?
When did the band arrive the festival?
When did the band arrive at the festival?
When did you arrive Dublin?
When did you arrive in Dublin?
What time does the ferry get Calais?
What time does the ferry get to Calais?
We arrived home just after midnight.
We arrived home just after midnight.
108.5 Complete these sentences about yourself. Use to, in or at. The answers below are examples; yours will be different.
At four o'clock this morning I was ...
Example answer: At four o'clock this morning I was asleep in bed.
Yesterday I went ...
Example answer: Yesterday I went to the gym.
At eleven o'clock yesterday morning I was ...
Example answer: At eleven o'clock yesterday morning I was at work.
One day I'd like to go ...
Example answer: One day I'd like to go to New Zealand.
I don't like going ...
Example answer: I don't like going to the dentist.
At nine o'clock yesterday evening I was ...
Example answer: At nine o'clock yesterday evening I was at home.