Fixed uses of in, at and on for institutions (in hospital, at work), events (at a party), buildings (at the hotel, in the hotel), towns (in Leeds, at Leeds station) and transport (on a bus, in a car).
A in hospital, at work and similar
We say somebody is in bed / in hospital / in prison.
We say somebody is at home / at work / at school / at university / at college.
We say be at home or be home (with or without at), but do something at home (with at).
- Dan isn't up yet. He's still in bed.
- My grandad is in hospital with a broken hip.
- I'll be at work until six.
- Our eldest is at university, and the youngest is still at school.
- I'll be home all weekend. / I'll be at home all weekend.
- Shall we go to the pub or stay in and eat at home?
B at an event
We say somebody is at an event: at a party, at a concert, at a conference, at a match, at a wedding.
- Were there many people at the christening / at the meeting / at the barbecue?
- I ran into Lucy at a gig on Friday.
- My boss is at a conference in Birmingham all week.
C in and at for buildings
With buildings you can often use in or at: you can have lunch in a café or at a café, and buy bread in a bakery or at a bakery.
We usually say at for where an event takes place. We also say at somebody's house, or just at somebody's, and in the same way at the dentist's, at the hairdresser's.
We use in when we are thinking about the building itself, its rooms, its walls and its heating.
We say at the station and at the airport.
- We saw a play at the Crucible Theatre.
- The interviews were held at the council offices in Wakefield.
- There was a break-in at the post office last night.
- I was at Tom's house on Saturday. / I was at Tom's on Saturday.
- I'm at the dentist's tomorrow morning.
- It's freezing in Tom's house. The radiators never work. (not at Tom's house)
- We had lunch at the hotel.
- Every room in the hotel has a sea view. (not at the hotel)
- Don't worry about collecting me at the airport. I'll get the train.
D in and at for towns
We normally use in with cities, towns and villages.
We use at when we think of the place as a point, or as a station on a journey.
- The Tate Modern is a gallery in London. (not at London)
- My aunt lives in a village near Carlisle. (not at a village)
- Does this train stop at Durham? (= at Durham station)
E on a bus, in a car
We usually say on a bus / on a train / on a plane / on a ship, but in a car / in a taxi. The rough logic is that you can stand up and walk about on a bus, whereas in a car you cannot, however long the journey feels.
We say on a bike / on a motorbike / on a horse.
- The train was packed. There were people standing on it all the way to Leeds.
- Grace turned up in a taxi.
- A boy on a bike rode straight through the puddle.
Exercises
125.1 Read each scene and complete the sentence. Use in, at or on with the words in brackets.
A sign in an airport arrivals hall says "Car hire desks this way".
You can hire a car at the airport (the airport).
You can hire a car at the airport.
Neil is sitting by the window of a train, looking at the fields go past.
Neil is (a train).
Neil is on a train.
Hannah is in a large hall, listening to a speaker, with a name badge round her neck.
Hannah is (a conference).
Hannah is at a conference.
Joe is lying in a bed on a ward, with a nurse taking his temperature.
Joe is (hospital).
Joe is in hospital.
Megan is sitting in a salon chair while somebody cuts her hair.
Megan is (the hairdresser's).
Megan is at the hairdresser's.
Dev rides past the bus stop on his bicycle and waves.
I saw Dev (his bike).
I saw Dev on his bike.
A holiday photo shows a family at the top of Edinburgh Castle.
We spent a week (Edinburgh).
We spent a week in Edinburgh.
A ticket reads "The Lyceum Theatre, 7.30 pm, The Lion King".
We went to a musical (the Lyceum Theatre).
We went to a musical at the Lyceum Theatre.
125.2 Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on and one of these.
the ferrythe bus stationa taxithe museumMelbournecollegeprisonthe leisure centre
He spent three years in prison for a robbery he didn't commit.
He spent three years in prison for a robbery he didn't commit.
We can get a sandwich while we wait for the coach.
We can get a sandwich at the bus station while we wait for the coach.
We walked to the party, but it was pouring later, so we came home .
We walked to the party, but it was pouring later, so we came home in a taxi.
I go swimming every Tuesday.
I go swimming at the leisure centre every Tuesday.
The crossing to Ireland was rough, and half the passengers were seasick.
The crossing to Ireland was rough, and half the passengers on the ferry were seasick.
Ruth has moved to Australia. She's living now.
Ruth has moved to Australia. She's living in Melbourne now.
"Has your son got a job?" "No, he's studying to be an electrician. He's ."
"Has your son got a job?" "No, he's studying to be an electrician. He's at college."
There's an exhibition of old toys . Shall we go and have a look?
There's an exhibition of old toys at the museum. Shall we go and have a look?
125.3 Complete the sentences with in, at or on.
inaton
We saw a brass band concert at the town hall.
We saw a brass band concert at the town hall.
There's no post office our village any more.
There's no post office in our village any more.
Ryan wasn't the wedding. He said he had a cold.
Ryan wasn't at the wedding. He said he had a cold.
There were only six tables the café, so we sat outside.
There were only six tables in the café, so we sat outside.
I can't find my scarf. I think I left it the train.
I can't find my scarf. I think I left it on the train.
What did you study when you were university?
What did you study when you were at university?
I had a terrible headache this morning, so I stayed bed.
I had a terrible headache this morning, so I stayed in bed.
We were Jamie's house on Sunday. He made a roast.
We were at Jamie's house on Sunday. He made a roast.
It was the slowest train in Britain. It stopped every village on the line.
It was the slowest train in Britain. It stopped at every village on the line.
Shall we go the van or take your car?
Shall we go in the van or take your car?
We drove to the reservoir and Kirsty followed us her horse.
We drove to the reservoir and Kirsty followed us on her horse.
I fancy going to the theatre. What's on the Playhouse this week?
I fancy going to the theatre. What's on at the Playhouse this week?
We went to see a play last night. It was boiling hot the theatre.
We went to see a play last night. It was boiling hot in the theatre.
Three people were hurt in the fire and are still hospital.
Three people were hurt in the fire and are still in hospital.
The ferry was cancelled, and we had to wait the port for six hours.
The ferry was cancelled, and we had to wait at the port for six hours.
I didn't expect you to be home. I thought you'd be school.
I didn't expect you to be at home. I thought you'd be at school.