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