Notes on Basic Prepositions in English

Introduction

• Lesson presented by James from engVid.
• Focus on four basic prepositions: at, on, in, and by.
• Aim for clarity; lesson will be about 80% correct with some exceptions.

Prepositions Overview

1. At

• Specific location (e.g., "Meet me at my house.")
• Used for precise points in time (e.g., "At 9:15").
• Not used for transportation.

2. On

• Used for large vehicles: buses, trains, planes, and large boats (e.g., "I'm on the bus").
• Exceptions:
  • For small boats, use in (e.g., "I'm in a boat").
  • Always use on for bicycles (e.g., "I'm on a bicycle").

3. In

• Used for private vehicles: cars and taxis (e.g., "I'm in my car").
• Ownership: the transportation is usually owned or exclusively used by an individual.
  • Example: In a taxi, while public, it feels private as long as you pay.

4. By

• Indicates how you get somewhere (e.g., "I came here by car").
• Distinguishes the method of transportation rather than the location.
• Similar to "close" or "near".

Location Usage

• At is specific (e.g., "at 51 Eglington").
• On indicates areas (e.g., "on the bus").
• In refers to being inside a bounded space (e.g., "in a room").
• By indicates proximity (e.g., "by the red marker").

Time Usage

• At: specific times (e.g., "At 10:30").
• On: specific days (e.g., "On Monday", "On Christmas day").
• In: longer periods (e.g., "In September", "In 1992").
• By: defines an endpoint of time (e.g., "I need it done by tonight").

Recap

• Transportation:
  • At: specific location;
  • On: large groups (with exceptions);
  • In: personal vehicles;
  • By: method of transport.
• Location:
  • At: precise;
  • On: area;
  • In: enclosed space;
  • By: proximity.
• Time:
  • At: exact time;
  • On: days;
  • In: longer durations;
  • By: deadline.

Conclusion

• Reminder to visit www.engvid.com for quizzes and further learning materials.