How to Use To, In, and At - Prepositions in English Grammar

hi I need a welcome to Oxford online English in this lesson we're going to look at the prepositions to in and up have you ever asked yourself why there doesn't seem to be any rules for prepositions in English if you have problems with these small words don't worry you're not the only one a good way to understand and learn the difference between prepositions to look at them in groups that way you can compare and contrast them we're going to look at two in and up together because it can be used to talk about place first look at a picture listen to three sentences which one fits the picture and drive into the airport and that the airport and in the airport which sentence fits the first one I'm driving through the airport a good way to understand English prepositions is to look at the words that go before and after them which words go before and after the preposition to for example which verb comes before - in our sample sentence the verb Rhys Rhys is a verb of movement to expresses movement to the Ford - we need a verb that expresses movement so let's think can you think of any other verbs with express movements go is an obvious example maybe you thought a verbs like run walk or come for example you ran to the end of the road we walk to school every day you have to come to my house for dinner these verbs are all about people and how they move you can also use things for example he sent a letter to France can you think of any more verbs related to moving things good examples I take or move but there are many more for example I took my bike to a shop to get it repaired we move the sofa to the other side of the room I have another tip for you you can also use - after nouns that express movements what do I mean by that what's the missing word in this sentence and planning are to China this summer you know the missing words is tripped and planning a trip to China this summer can you think of any other nouns like trip where you can use - after the land you can also use - after nouns like holiday invitation or way for example we went on holiday to Egypt last year they sent us an invitation to the hexerin party you know the writers of the Calico guidance there is an exception to these rules you know what it is it's a very common word which I'm sure you all know the place home does not use the preposition to you cannot say I'm going to home the correct sentence is I'm going home also know these two with the pronouns here or there for example bring it here let's go there and see what we can find so now you know how to use to use to after verbs or nouns which express movements so what about in how would he describe this picture there's a woman where is she you can say she's in the library why do you use in you use in to describe being surrounded by walls or other things let's look at some more examples the Empire State Building is in New York we stayed in a small town in defective England my cousin lived in China remember to understand prepositions you should look at the words before and after the preposition let's look at the verbs you can use before in you can see the verb be stay and live do these verbs express movements no they describe states without movement can you think of other examples of verbs which don't express movement there are many you could use stand sleep or study for example why are you standing in the corner like that she was sleeping in the car on the way here do you prefer to be in your room or in the library now let's look at the man's all of these nouns New York China a small town the corner of the car your room the library what connects them there are places with surround view you can use in 4 cities countries and buildings which you are inside these are direct physical ways to use in can you think of other things which you can use after in you can also use in in more indirect ways for example Leland the picture she works in the finance department I read about it in a newspaper so use in with verbs which don't express movements like be say by lips and use in with places or things which surround you so what about app look at some examples with app she wasn't at the bus stop when the bus came and waiting for you at the end of the road will meet you at the subway exit which verbs do we use with app we have B wait and meet these verbs do not express movement this sounds very similar to in so what's the difference let's look at the words after the preposition you have the bus stop the end of the road and the subway exit Why ask the stop why not in the bus stop you can use app to bust up because you're not surrounded by it think about it the bus stop could just be a pole by the road with a sign on it in this case you can't be in the bus stop right there's nothing to be inside similarly you say at the end of the road or at the subway exit because it's a specific place what you're not surrounded by anything so then why do we say things like she's studying microbiology at University I saw it at the cinema we can get something to eat at the supermarket why do we say at the cinema I'm not in the cinema after all the cinema is a place with surround view it's because you use at to talk about why you go to a particular place if you say she's studying microbiology at university you use app because you talk about what she's doing at university and why she's there she's there because she's a student similarly if you say I saw it at the cinema what are you talking about what is it I hope it's obvious it is a film you say at the cinema because you go into the cinema to watch a film [Music] you're not focusing on the place as a place you're focusing on why you go there let's look at another slightly different example did you meet an after party okay of our party that's not exactly a physical location so why do you use earth you can also use art for events for example he met his wife at a speed metal concert there are so many people at the wedding so like in you can use app to describe where something is unlike in use at to talk about specific places we are not surrounded by anything you can also use at when you want to focus on why you go to a place rather than focusing on the place as a place finally you can use apps for events so now we've looked at each preposition individually let's compare and contrast them okay so can you remember the difference between 2m and apps in English - expresses movement that means you need a verb which expresses movements before - and a place after to ask and in both Express where something is there are some places which could only be used with one preposition for example you still in bed there's still some sauce in the fridge you said at the end of the table what did you do at work today in these cases you can't choose there's only one possibility however sometimes you can use either asked or in with no difference in meaning can't talk right now I'm in a meeting I can't talk right now I'm at a meeting then sometimes a stand-in are both possible but with slightly different meanings for example I'm at the bank I'm in the bank can you tell the difference now these two sentences could have the same meaning they aren't necessarily different however it could be different and in the bank focuses on the bank as a physical place maybe it started raining really hard and you just run into the bank so you wouldn't get wet and up the bank focuses on the bank as a bind if you say I'm at the bank you have some fun games to do there let's see one more example like this we were at Mike's apartment last night we're in Mike's apartment last night can you tell the difference this time this time the sentences are definitely different and you probably wouldn't want to use one of them we were at Mike's apartment last night focuses on why you were there why were you there remembering Mike probably maybe you went over to Mike for dinner or something like that we were in Mike's apartment last night focuses on Mike's apartments as a place this is ice but you are in Mike's apartment but Mike wasn't so what are you doing there this is why you probably would say in Mike's apartment I hope some of these rules have helped you understand the difference between these prepositions I strongly recommend that when you're learning vocabulary don't just learn one word but learn the words on either five two for example if you want to learn the word bus-stop learn a full phrase like wait at the bus stop that way it's easier to remember the correct preposition if you enjoyed this lesson you can find more of our free lessons at Oxford online English calm thanks for watching

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Keywords: english prepositions, how to use in, how to use to, how to use at, how to use prepositions, difference between to in at, prepositions in english, prepositions in a sentence, prepositions in english grammar, preposition, grammar lessons english, english grammar, english grammar lesson, english preposition lesson, to, in, at, oxford online english, oxford online english grammar, prepositions in english grammar oxford online english, oxford online english grammar lessons

Id: By94mMolWUI

Length: 16min 11sec (971 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 20 2017