Prepositions In, On, At - ESL worksheet by lynnden - Free Printable

Here is the completed worksheet with the correct prepositions IN, ON, AT filled in, followed by a clear explanation of the rules for each.

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✔ Completed Answers:

1) I go to work in the morning.
2) Sasha gets up at 7.30 am.
3) We watch TV at night.
4) Wayne plays football on Fridays.
5) My mother cleans the windows in the evening.
6) Lynn and Paul go to the cinema on a Saturday.
7) I have breakfast at 7.15am.
8) My birthday is on the 4th of January.
9) My birthday is in March.
10) I was waiting in the departure lounge at the airport in Palma at 11.00pm on Tuesday.
11) I am playing tennis in Consell on Friday morning.
12) I am very good at playing football.
13) The children are playing in the garden.
14) The wedding is in the church in Santa Maria on Saturday at 3.00 pm in the afternoon.
15) The mother is shouting at the children in the garden to be quiet.
16) What time do you go to school? At 8 o’clock in the morning.
17) I am looking on the internet for the answer.
18) When is the party? It’s on Saturday at 7 o’clock.

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📘 Explanation of Preposition Rules (IN, ON, AT):

These prepositions are used to talk about time and place, but they follow specific patterns:

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🕒 TIME PREPOSITIONS:

#### ✔ AT — Used for:
- Specific times: *at 7:30 am*, *at noon*, *at midnight*
- Parts of the day when referring to exact moments or events: *at night* (not “in night”), *at dawn/dusk*
- Holidays without “day” (but note: *on Christmas Day*): *at Christmas*, *at Easter*

> Example:
> - I wake up at 6:00 am.
> - We eat dinner at night.
> - She arrives at 11:00 pm.

#### ✔ ON — Used for:
- Days of the week: *on Monday*, *on Fridays*
- Dates: *on the 4th of January*, *on May 1st*
- Specific days (with or without date): *on Tuesday*, *on a Saturday*, *on my birthday*
- Morning/afternoon/evening when specifying which day: *on Friday morning*, *on Saturday afternoon*

> Example:
> - I play football on Fridays.
> - Her birthday is on March 5th.
> - We met on Tuesday morning.

#### ✔ IN — Used for:
- Months: *in March*, *in December*
- Years: *in 2025*, *in the 1990s*
- Seasons: *in summer*, *in winter*
- Longer periods of the day: *in the morning*, *in the evening*, *in the afternoon* (unless paired with a specific day → then use “on”)
- Centuries, decades: *in the 21st century*, *in the 80s*

> Example:
> - I was born in March.
> - We travel in the summer.
> - He works in the morning.

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📍 PLACE PREPOSITIONS:

#### ✔ AT — Used for:
- Specific points or addresses: *at the airport*, *at 123 Main Street*, *at the bus stop*
- Events or activities: *at a concert*, *at school*, *at work*
- “At” can also mean “directed toward” (shouting at someone)

> Example:
> - I’m waiting at the airport.
> - She’s shouting at the children.

#### ✔ IN — Used for:
- Enclosed spaces or larger areas: *in the garden*, *in the room*, *in the city*, *in Spain*
- Buildings or institutions (if inside): *in the hospital*, *in the library*
- Also used for being physically inside something

> Example:
> - The kids are playing in the garden.
> - The wedding is in the church.

#### ✔ ON — Used for:
- Surfaces: *on the table*, *on the wall*
- Transportation (buses, trains, planes, etc.): *on the bus*, *on a plane*
- Media: *on the internet*, *on TV*, *on radio*
- Also for “on” + day + part of day: *on Friday morning*

> Example:
> - I’m looking on the internet.
> - She’s sitting on the sofa.

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💡 Special Notes from the Worksheet:

- “At night” — always uses at (fixed phrase).
- “In the evening” — general time period → in
- “On a Saturday” — refers to a specific type of day → on
- “In Consell” / “in Santa Maria” — cities/towns → in
- “Shouting at the children” — direction/target → at
- “Looking on the internet” — fixed expression → on

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✔ You now have the correct answers and understand the logic behind choosing IN, ON, AT!

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or flashcards to practice! 😊