• Prepositions of place

In, on, at, to, into

we use in when things or people are contained by other things.

There are some cups in the cupboard.

Jack lives in Spain. We arrived in Manchester. (a city)

Paul lives in Green Street. Jim sat in an armchair.

I live in the country, not in the city. Sarah is ill and is in hospital.

on

we use on when things or people are touching the surface of other things.

Jane put her books on the table.

• We use on when we talk about the cinema, radio, telephone and television.
  there’s a good film on television tonight.
  I can’t talk now. I’m on the phone.
• Others use:
  it was crowded on the plane / bus / train.
  our house is on the side of this side of the street.
  There’s a cinema on the left.

at

we use at when we talk about position in general. We use at with places but not with cities.

You can buy stamps at the post office.
We arrived at London airport. Compare: We arrived in London.
The bus stop at the train station.
Wait for me at the roundabout.

At the front, at the back, at the end

There’s a school at the end of the street.
Do you sit at the front of the class?
My garden is at the back of the house.

 

At home, at work, at school
Mary is at school.                                    (We don’t know which classroom)
She isn’t at home.
Mr King was at work yesterday.         (we don’t know where exactly.)
My sister isn’t at work. She’s at the doctor’s.

 

to

We use to when talk about the direction of movement, with verbs such at go, come, bring, take etc.

Last night we went to the cinema.
Are you coming to the party?
David brought his dog to school.
Tina took her sister to the circus.

• We do not use to with home. I have to go home now.
• We do not use to with here or there. Sam is coming here tomorrow.

 

into

We use into when we talk about moving from the outside to the inside.

next to

We use to when we talk about things or people at the side of something or someone.  

Peter always sits next to Mary.

 

behind

 

Anna sits behind Tom.

David was behind me.
Exercises

1 Complete the sentences with in or on.

1. Kate lives…………………… the house at the end of the street.
2. The library is not………………………….. this side of the street.
3. Mark’s flat is………………………………………….. the fifth floor.
4. You can go up to finish floor…………………………………. a lift.
5. I stayed at home and watched a good film………..
6. Harry and I sat……………………… the living-room and talked.
7. Clare put pizza……………….. a small table and her dog ate it!
8. We got……………………………………………. the bus in Oxford.

 

2 Underline the correct word in each sentence.

1. Jim and Maria have bought a house at / in the country.
2. The cupboard is in / at the room, on the left.
3. What have you got in / on your bag?
4. George walked at / into the room and sat down.
5. Please put your books at / on my desk.
6. Will you be in / at home this evening?
7. Clare lives at / in the end of the street.
8. Are you going at / to school tomorrow?

 

3 Choose the most suitable word for each space.

1 How many desks are there……..C…… this classroom?
A into                        B at                               C in
2 I knocked at the door, but there was nobody……..home.
A in                            B on                             C at
3 The dog jumped………… the water and swam after its ball.
A into                        B to                              C on
4 Jim stole the money, and now he is ……..prison.
A at                            B in                               C into
5 As we were going………. the building, the fire alarm rang.
A at                            B on                             C into
6 I came here………Paris last year to study French.
A to                            B at                               C in
7 Two boys were sitting………. the steps, eating ice-cream.
A at                            B on                             C in
8 Have you brought your dictionary…….. school today?
A in                            B at                               C to

4 Complete the sentences. Write one word in each space.

1. Have you heard? Pat is .. in……. hospital at the moment.
2. Excuse me, is George……………………………….. home?
3. Ann and Sue went to the city centre………….. the bus.
4. I liked the scene with the dog……. the end of the film.
5. Jean has bought a cottage…………………. the country.
6. Is Katerina…………………………………….. school today?
7. Peter put his suitcase…………….. the seat next to him.
8. Carmen took her pet mouse………………………
9. There are some good pictures……………….. this book.

• Questions with Who, Where,Why,What, What colour?

Wh- questions

We use:

Present simple	When do you usually get ups?
Present continuous	What are you doing?
Present perfect	Why have you stopped?
Past simple	How did you feel?
Past continuous	Where were you going?
Future	Who are you going to meet?
	When will you come home?
	Why are you leaving?

Short answers

When do you usually get up?	At 7.30.
What are you doing?	Writing a letter.
Why have you come?	To give you a present.
How did you feel?	Terrible.
Where were you going?	Home.

Exercises

1. Complete each question.

1. ‘What……… Makes you tired . ?’’Running makes me tired’.
2. ‘Who………………………………… ?’’I talked to the manager’.
3. ‘What……………………………….. ?’’I read a newspaper’.
4. ‘Who………………………………… ?’’Kate brought the ice-cream’.
5. ‘What……………………………….. ?’’Joe decided to take the job’.
6. ‘Who………………………………… ?’’I answer most of the questions’.
7. ‘Which……………………………… ?’’This house is mine’.
8. ‘Who………………………………… ?’’Pat looks after the children’.
9. ‘What……………………………….. ?’’Helen studies chemistry’.
10. ‘What……………………………….. ?’’A spider has eight legs’.

2. Chang the answers in brackets into short answers.

1. ‘What are you eating?’ (I’m eating a sandwich.)……..A sandwich
2. ‘Who helps you?’ (My teacher helps me.) ……………………….
3. ‘What do you watch?’ (I watch cartoons.) ……………………….
4. ‘What do you watch?’ (I watch cartoons.) ……………………….
5. ‘What makes you laugh?’ (You make me laugh!)…………………..

Imperatives

We use imperatives to give orders, instructions and directions. They are also used to give advice in informal English. We do not use the imperative to make polite requests.

Orders
We give an order when we tell someone to do something.
Stand up!                       Stop walking!
Stop!                               Don’t stop!
Listen!                             Don’t listen!
Go away!                       Come back!
Sit down!                       Come here!
Go over there!

 

• Instructions
  Instructions tell us how to do something.
  Press escape to cancel.
  Choose the most suitable word for each space.
• Directions
  Directions are instructions for finding places.
  Turn right at the bank.
  Go straight on.
• Informal advice
  In some informal situations (e.g. with good friends) we can use imperative to give advice or make suggestions.
  Don’t buy that one.
  Come and see us some time!
  Sit down, you look tired!

 

Exercises

Write an instruction for each situation. Use a verb from the box.

close

come

stop

open

sit

lend

Take

Turn off

1. A young child is reading in bed late at night. His mother says to him:
   ……………….Turn off the light…………………………………………..
2. A man’s dog is running a way. The man shouts at the dog:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
3. It is the first class of the day and the students have their books on their tables. The teacher says:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The front door of the house is open. The father says to his son:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Lots of students are standing up in a class. The teacher says:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
6. You are going to the cinema with some friends. Your sister is bored. You say to her:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
7. You are talking to your friend in class. The teacher says:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Your friend asks where the disco is. You know it’s in the next street on the left. You say:
   ………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Write the opposite.

1. Stand up!…………..Sit down!………………………..
2. Go away!……………………………………………………………..
3. Turn on the light!…………………………………………………..
4. Start work!…………………………………………………………..
5. Open the window!…………………………………………………
6. Go to sleep!………………………………………………………….
7. Pull the door!………………………………………………………..
8. Get off the bus! ………………………………………………………..

3.Complete the sentences. Use one word in each space.

1. Please…………sit…………… down! I want to start the lesson.
2. I don’t want to talk to you! Please……………………. away.
3. ……………………………. here, please. I want to talk to you.
4. This computer is easy to use. Just….. it on, and it’s ready.
5. …………………………………… Please! Silence in the library!
6. Left at the end of the road, and the station is in front of you.
7. …………………………………………… the plate! It’s very hot!
8. I’ll see you later………………… for me outside the cinema.