WhenEnglishspeakerstalkabouttimeandplace, therearethreelittlewordsthatoftencomeup:in,on, andat.Thesecommonwordsareprepositionsthatshowarelationshipbetweentwowordsin asentence.SomeprepositionsarerathereasyforEnglishlearnerstounderstand:behind,over,under,nextto, etcButtheselittletwo-letterprepositionsseemtocreateconfusion.Hereare anewrulestohelpyouunderstandwhentousein,on, andatin asentence.Fordescribingtimeandplace, theprepositionsin,on, andatgo from generaltospecific.PrepositionsandTimeLetsstartbylookingathowwetalkabouttime.Englishspeakersuseintoreferto ageneral,longerperiodoftime,suchasmonths,years,decades, or centuries. Forexample, wesayinApril, in2015 or inthe 21stcentury.Movingtoshorter,morespecificperiodsoftime, weuseontotalkabout particulardays,dates, andholidays.Youmayhear, Iwenttoworkon Monday, or LetshaveapicniconMemorialDay.For themostspecifictimes, and forholidayswithoutthewordday, weunseat. Thatmeansyouwillhear, Meetmeatmidnight, or Theflowersare in bloomatEastertime.

PrepositionsandPlaceWhenEnglishspeakersreferto aplace, weuseinfor thelargestormost generalplaces.Youcansaythat VOA islocatedinWashington, D.C. And for thebestfood,trytherestaurantsinChinatown.Formorespecificplaces,likecertainstreets, weusetheprepositionon.YoumayknowthatPresidentObamalivesonPennsylvaniaAvenueinWashington, D.C.Finally, wegetto themostspecificplaces. Forexactaddressesorintersections,weusetheprepositionat.IfIinvitedyoutovisitushereat VOA, Iwouldsay, Cometomyofficeat330IndependenceAvenue. To be exact, itsatthecornerofIndependenceand 3rdStreet.

InEnglish,though,thereisalwaysan exceptionto therule.Whentalkingabouttransportation,thingsgetalittlehardtounderstand. Weuseonfor publicvehicleslikebusesortrains, butalsoforsmalleroneslikeabicycle. Irodethereonmybicycle.However,yourideinacar.Still, ithelpstoknowthatEnglishprepositionsdohavesomerules.Followingthe generaltospecificruleshouldhelpyoumostof thetime.