• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Home of English Grammar
  • Home
  • Course
  • Exercises
  • Grammar Rules
  • Matches
  • Posts
  • Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Very Replacer
    • Word Counter
  • Vocabulary Lists
  • Archives
    • Social Media Posts
    • Writing Guides
  • Sign in
  • Join free

Special uses of some prepositions

September 13, 2010 pdf

In and at

Both at and in can be used with the names of cities, towns and villages. We use in when we are talking about the place as an area; we use at when we see it as a point.

Compare:

  • My sister lives in Tokyo.
  • Our plane stopped at Tokyo on the way to Iran. (Tokyo = Tokyo airport)

We use at to talk about group activities and shops/workplaces.

  • I first met him at a party. (NOT …in a party.)
  • There weren’t many people at the meeting.
  • I saw him at the baker’s. (= baker’s shop)

We use in with the names of streets and at when we give the house number.

  • He lives in MG Street.
  • He lives at 128 MG Street.

We use on when we think of a place as a surface.

  • The cat is lying on the floor.
  • Hang this picture on the wall.

Till and until

Both till and until are used of time.

  • We waited till / until 12 o’ clock.
  • He slept till / until 11 am.

Since

Since is used before a noun or phrase denoting some point of time. It is preceded by a verb in the perfect tenses.

  • He hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday.
  • He has been ill since last Monday.
  • It has been raining since yesterday.

In

In is used before a noun denoting a period of time. It means ‘at the end of’. Within means ‘before the end of’.

  • I shall return in an hour. (= at the end of one hour)
  • I shall return within an hour. (= before the end of one hour)

Primary sidebar

2.4M760.9K165.9K

Free 2027 Grammar Guide

  • Download Grammar Guide (PDF)
  • Online grammar course, A1 to C2
  • Weekly exercises and vocabulary
  • Join over 3 million English learners

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Already have an account? Sign in

Grammar Checker - Try Now

Matches rankings

    No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

      No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

        No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

          No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

          Play Matches

          Home of English Grammar

          Free exercises, a step-by-step grammar course, rules and vocabulary lists, with new exercises every week. Join the leading English grammar site with over 3 million followers.

          Join free

          Learn

          • Exercises
          • Grammar course
          • Level test
          • Matches
          • Grammar rules
          • Vocabulary lists
          • Writing guides
          • Online tools

          More

          • Top social media posts
          • Various posts
          • Contact

          Account

          • Join free
          • Free grammar guide (PDF)

          Copyright © 2026 EnglishGrammar.org

          • Disclaimer
          • Privacy policy
          • Terms
          • Sitemap