* All the players shook hands at the end of the match. You cannot say 'in the end of something'. So you cannot say 'in the end of January' or 'in the end of the concert'.
The opposite of at the end is at the beginning:
at the beginning of January, at the beginning of the concert
In the end = finally
We use in the end when we say what the final result of a situation was:
* We had a lot of problems with our car. In the end we sold it and bought another one. (= finally we sold it)
* He got more and more angry. In the end he just walked out of the room.
* Jim couldn't decide where to go for his holidays. He didn't go anywhere in the end. The opposite of in the end is usually at first:
* At first we didn't like each other very much, but in the end we became good friends.
EXERCISES
121.1 Complete the sentences with on time or in time.
1. The bus was late this morning but it's usually _on time._
2. The film was supposed to start at 8.30 but it didn't begin ---.
3. I like to get up --- to have a big breakfast before going to work.
4. We want to start the meeting --- so please don't be late.
5. I've just washed this shirt. I want to wear it this evening, so I hope it will be dry ---.
6. The train service isn't very good. The trains are rarely ---.
7. I nearly missed my flight this morning. I got to the airport just ---.
8. I nearly forgot that it was Joe's birthday. Fortunately I remembered ---.
9. Why are you never ---? You always keep everybody waiting.
121.2 Read the situations and make sentences using just in time.
1. A child ran across the road in front of your car. You saw the child at the last moment. (manage/stop) _I managed to stop just in time._
2. You were walking home without an umbrella. just after you got home, it started to rain very heavily. (get/home) ---.
3. Tim was going to sit on the chair you had just painted. You said, 'Don't sit in that chair!', so he didn't. (stop/him) I ---.
4. You went to the cinema. You were a bit late and you thought you would miss the beginning of the film. But the film began just as you sat down in the cinema. (get/cinema/beginning of the film) ---.
121.3 Complete the sentences using at the end + one of the following:
the course the interview the match the month the race
1. All the players shook hands _at the end of the match._
2. I normally get paid ---.
3. The students had a party ---.
4. Two of the runners collapsed ---.
5. To my surprise I was offered the job ---.
121.4 Write sentences with In the end. Use the verb in brackets.
1. We had a lot of problems with our car. (sell) _in the end we sold it._
2. Judy got more and more fed up with her job. (resign) ---.
3. I tried to learn German but I found it too difficult. (give up) ---.
4. We couldn't decide whether to go to the party or not. (not/go) ---.
121.5 Put in at or in.
1. I'm going away _at_ the end of the month.
2. It took me a long time to find a job --- the end I got a job in a hotel.
3. Are you going away --- the beginning of August or --- the end?
4. I couldn't decide what to buy Mary for her birthday. I didn't buy her anything --- the end.
5. We waited ages for a taxi. We gave up --- the end and walked home.
6. I'll be moving to a new address --- the end of September.
7. At first Helen didn't want to go to the theatre but she came with us --- the end.
8. I'm going away --- the end of this week.
9. '1 didn't know what to do.' 'Yes, you were in a difficult position. What did you do --- the end?'
UNIT 122 In/at/on (place) (1)
A. In
Study these examples:
in a room, in a building, in a box, in a garden, in a town/city, in a country
* There's no one in the room/in the building/in the garden.
* What have you got in your hand/in your mouth?
* When we were in Italy, we spent a few days in Venice. (not 'at Venice')
* I have a friend who lives in a small village in the mountains.
* Look at those people swimming in the pool/in the sea/in the river.
B. At
Study these examples:
at the bus stop, at the door, at the window, at the top (of the page), at the bottom (of the page), at the end of the street
* Who is that man standing at the bus stop/at the door/at the window?
* Turn left at the traffic lights/at the church/at the roundabout.
* Write your name at the top/at the bottom of the page.
* Angela's house is the white one at the end of the street.
* When you leave the hotel, please leave your key at reception.
C. On
Study these examples:
on the ceiling, on the wall, on the door, on the table, on her nose, on the floor, on a page
* I sat on the floor/on the ground on the grass/on a chair/on the beach.
* There's a dirty mark on the wall on the ceiling/on your nose/on your shirt.
* Have you seen the notice on the notice board/on the door?
* You'll find details of TV programmes on page seven (of the newspaper).
D. Compare in and at:
* There were a lot of people in the shop. It was very crowded.
but Go along this road, then turn left at the shop. (somebody giving directions) Compare in and on:
* There is some water in the bottle.
but There is a label on the bottle.
Compare at and on:
* There is somebody at the door. Shall I go and see who it is?
but There is a notice on the door. It says 'Do not disturb'.
EXERCISES
122.1 Answer the questions about the pictures. Use in, at or on with the words below the pictures.
(bottle), (traffic lights), (arm), (door), (Paris), (wall), (top/ bottom /stairs), (gate), (end/queue), (beach)
1. Where's the label? _On the bottle._
2. Where is the car waiting? ---.
3. Where's the fly? ---.
4. a. Where's the notice? ---.
b. Where's the key? ---.
5. Where's the Eiffel Tower?. ---.
6. Where are the shelves? ---.
7. a. Where's the woman standing? ---.
b. And the cat? ---.
8. a. Where's the man standing? ---.
b. Where's the bird? ---.
9. Where's Tom standing? ---.
10. Where are the children playing?. ---.
122.2 Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on + one of the following:
the window your coffee the mountains that tree my guitar the river the island the next garage
1. Look at those people swimming _in the river._
2. One of the strings --- is broken.
3. There's something wrong with the car. We'd better stop ---.
4. Would you like sugar ---?
5. The leaves --- are a beautiful colour.
6. Last year we had a wonderful skiing holiday ---.
7. There's nobody living --- It's uninhabited.
8. He spends most of the day sitting --- and looking outside.
122.3 Complete the sentences with in, at or on.
1. Write your name _at_ the top of the page.
2. I like that picture hanging --- the wall the kitchen.
3. There was an accident --- the crossroads this morning.
4. I wasn't sure whether I had come to the right office. There was no name --- the door.
5. --- the end of the street there is a path leading to the river.
6. You'll find the sports results --- the back page of the newspaper.
7. I wouldn't like an office job. I couldn't spend the whole day sitting --- a desk.
8. My brother lives --- a small village . the south-west of England.
9. The man the police are looking for has a scar --- his right cheek.
10. The headquarters of the company are --- Milan.
11. Nicola was wearing a silver ring --- her little finger.
UNIT 123 In/at/on (place) (2)
A. In
We say that somebody/something is:
in a line/in a row/in a queue/in a street
in a photograph/in a picture/(look at yourself) in a mirror
in the sky/in the world
in a book/in a newspaper/in a magazine/in a letter (but 'on a page')
* When I go to the cinema, I prefer to sit in the front row.
* I live in King Street. Sarah lives in Queen Street.
* Who is the woman in that photograph? (not 'on that photograph')
* Have you seen this article in the paper (=newspaper)?
* It was a lovely day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.
B. On
We say that somebody/something is:
on the left/on the right
on the ground floor/on the first floor/on the second floor etc.
on a map/on the menu (in a restaurant)/on a list, on a farm
* In Britain we drive on the left. (or . on the left-hand side.)
* Our flat is on the second floor of the building.
* Here's a shopping list. Don't buy anything that's not on the list.
* Have you ever worked on a farm?
We say that a place is on a river/on a road/on the coast:
* London is on the river Thames.
* Portsmouth is on the south coast of England. We say that a place is on the way to another place:
* We stopped at a small village on the way to London.
C. The corner
We say 'in the corner of a room', but 'at the corner (or on the corner) of a street':
* The television is in the corner of the room.
* There is a public telephone at/on the corner of the street.
D. The front and the back
We say in the front/in the back of a car:
* I was sitting in the back (of the car) when we crashed.
but at the front/at the back of a building/cinema/group of people etc.:
* The garden is at the back of the house.
* Let's sit at the front (of the cinema). (but 'in the front row'--see Section A)
* I was standing at the back, so I couldn't see very well.
Also on the front/on the back of a letter/piece of paper etc.:
* Write your name on the back of this envelope.
EXERCISES
123.1 Answer the questions about the pictures. Use in, at or on with the words below the pictures.
(queue), (second floor), (corner), (corner), (front), (back/car), (mirror), (front), (back row), (left/right), (farm)
1. What's Sue doing?
She's standing _in a queue._
2. Sue lives in this building. Where's her flat exactly? ---.
3. Where is the woman standing? ---.
4. Where is the man standing? ---.
5. Where's the dog? ---.
6. What's the man doing?
He's looking ---.
7. Ann is in this group of people. Where is she? ---.
8. Tom is at the cinema. Where is he sitting? ---.
9. a. Where's the post office? ---.
b. And the bank? ---.
10. Where does Kate work? ---.
123.2 Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on + one of the following:
the west coast the world the front row the right the back of the envelope the sky the back of the class my way to work
1. it was a lovely day. There wasn't a cloud _in the sky._
2. In most countries people drive ---.
3. What is the tallest building ---?
4. I usually buy a newspaper --- in the morning.
5. San Francisco is --- of the United States.
6. We went to the theatre last night. We had seats ---.
7. I couldn't hear the teacher very well. She spoke quietly and I was sitting ---.
8. When you send a letter, it is a good idea to write your name and address ---.
123.3 Complete the sentences with in, at or on.
1. It can be dangerous when children play --- the street.
2. If you walk to the end of the street, you'll see a small shop --- the corner.
3. Is Tom --- this photograph? I can't find him.
4. My office is the first floor. It's --- the left as you come out of the lift.
5. We normally use the front entrance but there's another entrance --- the back.
6. A: Is there anything interesting --- the paper today?
B: Well, there's an unusual photograph --- the back page.
7. I love to look up at the stars --- the sky at night.
8. (in a restaurant) 'Where shall we sit?' 'Over there, --- the corner.'
9. When I'm a passenger in a car, I prefer to sit --- the front.
10. It's a very small village. You probably won't find it --- your map.
11. Paris is --- the river Seine.
UNIT 124 In/at/on (place) (3)
A. In bed/at home etc.
We say that somebody is in bed/in hospital/in prison:
* Mark isn't up yet. He's still in bed.
* Kay's mother is in hospital.
We say that somebody is at home/at work/at school/at university/at college:
* I'll be at work until 5.30 but I'll be at home all evening.
* Julia is studying chemistry at university.
Also at sea (= on a voyage). Compare at sea and in the sea:
* It was a long voyage. We were at sea for 30 days.
* I love swimming in the sea.
B. At a party/at a concert etc.
We say that somebody is at an event (at a party/at a conference etc.):
* Were there many people at the party/at the meeting?
* I saw Jack at a football match/at a concert last Saturday.
C. In and at for buildings
You can often use in or at with buildings. For example, you can eat in a restaurant or at a restaurant. We usually say at when we say where an event takes place (for example, a concert, a film, a party, a meeting, a sports event):
* We went to a concert at the Royal Festival Hall.
* The meeting took place at the company's headquarters.
* The film I want to see is showing at the Odeon (cinema).
We say at the station/at the airport:
* Don't meet me at the station. I can get a taxi.
We say at somebody's house:
* I was at Judy's house last night. or I was at Judy's last night.
Also: at the doctor's, at the hairdresser's etc.
We use in when we are thinking about the building itself:
* The rooms in Judy's house are very small. (not 'at Judy's house')
* I enjoyed the film but it was very cold in the cinema. (not 'at the cinema')
D. In and at for towns etc.
We normally use in with cities, towns and villages:
* Tom's parents live in Nottingham. (not 'at Nottingham')
* The Louvre is a famous art museum in Paris. (not 'at Paris')
But you can use at or in when you think of the place as a point or station on a journey:
* Do you know if this train stops at (or in) Nottingham? (=at Nottingham station)
* We stopped at (or in) a small village on the way to London.
E. On a bus/in a car etc.
We usually say on a bus/on a train/on a plane/on a ship but in a car/in a taxi:
* The bus was very full. There were too many people on it.
* George arrived in a taxi.
We say on a bicycle/on a motorcycle/on a horse:
* Mary passed me on her bicycle.
For by bus/by car/by bicycle etc., see Unit 127.
EXERCISES
124.1 Complete the sentences about the pictures. Use in, at or on with the words below the pictures.
(the airport) (a train) (a conference) (hospital) (the hairdresser) (her bicycle),(New York) (the National Theatre)
1. You can hire a car _at the airport._
2. Dave is ---.
3. Tessa is ---.
4. Martinis ---.
5. Judy is ---.
6. I saw Mary ---.
7. We spent a few days ---.
8. We saw a play ---.
124.2 Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on + one of the following:
sea hospital bed the station the cinema the plane school prison the airport the Sports Centre
1. My train arrives at 11.30. Can you meet me _at the station?_
2. I didn't feel very well when I woke up, so I stayed ---.
3. I think I'd like to see a film. What's on --- this week?
4. Some people are --- for crimes that they did not commit.
5. 'What does your sister do? Has she got a job?' 'No, she's still ---.
6. I play basketball --- on Friday evenings.
7. A friend of mine was injured in an accident a few days ago. She's still ---.
8. Our flight was delayed. We had to wait --- for four hours.
9. I enjoyed the flight but the food --- wasn't very nice.
10. Bill works on ships. He is away --- most of the time.
124.3 Complete these sentences with in, at or on.
1. I didn't see you --- the party on Saturday. Where were you?
2. It was a very slow train. It stopped --- every station.
3. I don't know where my umbrella is. Perhaps I left it --- the bus.
4. Shall we travel --- your car or mine?
5. The exhibition --- the Museum of Modern Art finished on Saturday.
6. We stayed a very nice hotel when we were --- Amsterdam.
7. There were fifty rooms --- the hotel.
8. Tom is ill. He wasn't --- work today. He was --- home --- bed.
9. I wasn't in when you phoned. I was --- my sister's house.
10. It's always too hot --- my sister's house. The heating is always on too high.