Prepositions for Place

Prepositions for Place
Relating where

Preps for Place
Prepositions for place: relating where
• In/ On/ At
• In v. On
• Prepositions for Transportaion
• Prepositions for Place
• Prepositions for Place
• Preposition List
• Relative Variations
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
We stood in the street.
We stood on the sidewalk.
We stood at the corner.


In / On / At
A prepositional phrase indicates movement toward an object — person, place or thing. A prepositionisfollowed by an object.
IN ON AT
Use in for larger areas. Use on for smaller areas. Use at for exact locations.

CITY in San Francisco STREET on Powell Street BUILDINGS at home
DISTRICT in Chinatown (but – downtown) AREA on the Peninsula at the library
STATE in California ISLAND on Alcatraz ADDRESS at 1220 Haight Street
REGION in NorthAmerica WATER on the bay, on Lake Tahoe
ATMOSPHERE in space, in the Universe WORLD on earth
TRANSPORTATION in the car TRANSPORTATION on board (ship, bus, train, airplane)
on a bike
on a horse
ROADWAYS in the street note
in the crosswalk ROADWAYS on the sidewalk
on the road
on Highway 101
on Route 66
on the freeway ROADWAYS at the curb
at the corner
at the end of the street
at the intersection
OTHER in the parking lot
in the park (inexact location)
in my office
OTHER on campus OTHER at work
at the park (exact location)
at the bus stop




In vs. On
Within vs. On the Surface


In (within) vs. On (surface)
IN ON
Usually in refers to the area within an object. On refers to the upper, outer surface.
The tomatoes are in the bowl.
The tomatoes are inside of the bowl.
He placed the tomatoes into the paper bag. (in + to = inside) The tomatoes are on the bowl.
The tomatoes are on top of the bowl.
He placed the tomatoes upon the window sill. (up + on)



In the street vs. On the street
IN THE STREET ON THE STREET
In the street refers more to the area within: the central, traffic area of the street. Usage varies among speakers. on the street refers more to the surface or side of the street. Usage varies among speakers.
The workers were fixing potholes in the street. (within or below surface)
People drive in the street. (center traffic area) BUT: on the freeway / on the highway
He was standing in the street when a bicycle hit him. (center traffic area)
The workers were painting new lines on the street. (surface)
People park on the street. (side of the street)
He was picking up a dollar on the street when a bicycle hit him. (surface)
EXPRESSION
Summer's here and the time is right for dancin' in the street. (music lyrics) EXPRESSION
His man on the street interviews won an award. (expression)
("Man on the street" refers to the average person or passer-by on the sidewalk.)

Pop-Q – "On/In"




In/On – Out of/Off
Public / Private Modes of Transportation



Prepositions for Transportation
PUBLIC PRIVATE
Get on – off are used for a bus, plane, ship or train. (Originally, from "on board" or "aboard" a wooden ship, on now refers to all public or mass transportation: on a bus, on a ship, on a plane, on a ferry.) The expression CANNOT be separated by an object or object pronoun. Get in - out of are used for enclosed, private transportation. On - off are used for other modes such as bikes and motorcycles. The expression CANNOT be separated by an object or object pronoun.
Get on the bus. Get off the bus. Get on the motorcycle. (open-air) Get off the motorcycle.
Get on the plane. Get off the plane. Get on the bicycle. (open-air) Get off the bicycle.
Get on the ship. Get off the ship. Get in the car. (enclosed) Get out of of the car.
Get on the train. Get off the train. Get in the taxi / limousine. (enclosed) Get out of of the taxi / limousine.
Get on the elevator. (Br. Eng – lift) Get off the elevator. Get in the elevator. (enclosed – usage varies) Get out of of the elevator.
Get on the escalator. (moving stairs) Get off the train.
*Getit on.
*Get the elevator in.
*See Phrasal Verbs (inseparable) | Pop-Q "Get_on"



A wing-walker on a plane!




In the plane vs. On the plane
IN THE PLANE ON THE PLANE
Refers to the area within, to the actual space inside. Refers to boarding or being aboard; or on the surface. (Originally from "on board" a wooden ship, on now refers to all mass transportation: on a bus, on a ship, on a plane, on a ferry.)
We were crowded together in the plane. We got on the plane last.
The luggage travels in a pressurized cabin in the plane. We were on the plane for ten hours.
Aluminum and titanium was used in the plane to reduce its weight. (construction materials)
The Hollywood stunt man stood on the plane while it was flying. (on top of)

Expressions – How did you go there?
VEHICLE SELF
When telling how something is done (means or method) use by. Use on for personal mode.
I went by car. (by plane, ship, train) I went on foot.







Prepositions for Place
Relating "where" to an object


Compare
AN ADVERB FOR PLACE A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE FOR PLACE
Adverbs express movement in a direction. An adverb tells us where an activity happened, but it does not relate the movement to another object. Prepositional phrases are more specific by relating an object to the direction of movement. They tell us where — in relation to an object — an activity happened.
The egg rolled .

(The little, toy egg, shown here, has wooden legs.)

The egg is sitting the apple.
Some words can be used as a preposition or an adverb. SeeAdv. &Prep List



in front of
behind
in back of
in
inside
next to
aside of
beside

between (2 items)
among (3+ items)
on / upon
on top of
under
below
above
over


One-Word Prepositions for Place
aboard (ship, bus, plane) atop inside past
About before into through
Above behind near throughout
Across below next to
After beneath of toward / towards
Against beside / besides off under
Along between (2 objects) on underneath
amid / amidst (non-count object) beyond onto up
among / amongst (3+ or noncount objects) by opposite upon
Around down out with
Aside from outside within
At in
over
Place words that are not prepositions Adv. &Prep List

Two- and Three- Word Prepositions for Place
ahead of close to in front of next to
apartfrom far awayfrom inside of / in the bottom of on the bottom of
aside of far from in the middle of on top of / on the top of
awayfrom in back of near to outside of / on the outside of




Advanced
Relative Variations



BETWEEN AMONG / AMONGST
Use between with two items. (Use in between for something located at a midpoint on an imaginary line.) Use among with three or more items or with a noncount noun. A variation occurs, amongst, with the final -st (against, amidst) which mostly occurs in British English.
The egg is between the apple and the pear.
He stood between a rock and a hard place. (expression)
The egg is in between the apple and the pear. (location – in line)
My husband and I keep our secrets between ourselves. (exclusive to others) Place the apple among the fruit. (noncount)
Decide among yourselves. (count)
Gossip passed among the villagers. (count)
He is only one among many. (count)
They lived among the Indians. (count)




IN THE MIDDLE OF AMID / AMIDST
Use in the middle of to specify a middle placement: in a location, or on a field or plane (a mathematical plane); also, to specify being among or surrounded by things or people. Use amid to specify being among or surrounded by things or people. A variation, amidst, mostlyoccurs in British English.
The egg is in the middle of the chess board. (location)
The egg is in the middle of the refrigerator. (location)
*The egg is sitting in the middle of the water. (thing – noncount)
The egg is sitting in the middle of the pot of water. (thing – count)
He sat in the middle of the people and played his guitar. (people)
*soundsawkward
The egg is amid the chess board. (location)
The egg is amid the refrigerator. (location)
The egg is sitting amid / amidst the rice. (thing – noncount)
The egg is sitting amid / amidst the beans. (things – count)
He sat amid / amidst the students and played his guitar. (people)
Helen stood amidst the ruins of Troy and cried. (poetic usage)

Use in the middle of to specify a mid point of a project or state of consciousness. Use amid for being around noisy, busy or confusing events.
I'm in the middle of something right now. I'll call you back. (a project)
She's in the middle of a dream / a nightmare / a temper tantrum.
The dollar fell amid / amidst rumors of a weak economy.
He stepped back amid / amidst the shouts of angry people.
ruins (n.) – parts of a building or fortress left after the rest has been destroyed
temper tantrum (n.) – display of childish rage or frustration: crying, head-banging, kicking






Practice1
Home


1. Select the response that best completes the sentence.
2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.
# YOUR RESPONSE FEEDBACK
e.g. Is there a heaven earth?
1. My home town California is a wonderful place to live.

2. I live a suburb not far from a busy city

3. My house is 1235 Main Court.

4. We are the end of the street.

5. The neighborhood is not far from the small business area First Street.

6. Our little city, is located a peninsula.

7. The peninsula borders San Francisco Bay.

8. From my window, I can see little boats sailing the bay.

9. Occasionally, I can see whales the bay.

10. I can also see cars the freeway heading to and from the city.

11. To the north, I can see airplanes getting ready to take-off the runway.

12. By now you have guessed that my home is a hill.

13. While sitting my couch, I can through my window and see a spectacular view.

14. In the evening, all the kids our neighborhood play ball on the street.

15. Some play basketball a court marked by chalk.

16. Others play ping-pong a neighbor's garage.

17. They play an old table that's been there for years.

18. Everyone feels " home" when visiting each other's houses.

19. Many of the kids hope to grow up and buy a home an area like this.

20. They like living a community like this as well.







Practice 2
Rabbits


1. Select the response that best completes the sentence.
2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

# YOUR ANSWER CHECK
21. A rabbit tends to make its home a creek. (creek=small river)

22. It digs a home the side of a hill.

23. If the rabbit digs the hole thick brush or trees, it will be safer.

24. To see other approaching animals, the rabbit stands the hill.

25. To find food, the rabbit hops the grassy sides of the hill.

26. Sometimes, it has to go the creek to find food on the other side.

27. A rabbit likes to make its hole other rabbit holes.

28. Rabbits have more protection when living a colony.

29. If there are too many rabbits in one area, some have to move the hill.

30. Rabbits are herbivores and eat grass that grows the hill.

31. You probably won't notice any rabbits if you stand a hill.

32. However, if you get closer you will see rabbit holes the rocks and bushes.

33. A rabbit won't come its hole until it has smelled the air for predators.

34. Rabbits can dig several feet a hill to make a cozy home.

35. In "Alice in Wonderland", Alice falls a rabbit hole.

36. In the story, she is reading a book with her sister a tree.

37. She sees a rabbit and follows it the hole to a world of "nonsense".

38. In real life, rabbit holes are just tunnels with a little grass nest the back of the hole.

39. Rabbits prefer their own "rooms", so there are not connecting tunnels holes.

40. Rabbits thrive in the wild until developers decide to build their habitat.