Using prepositions in different contexts
Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD
Prepositions are words that indicate relationships. If, for instance, you say that you are reading from your phone or a book, the word, ‘from’, is a preposition because it shows the relationship that exists between the book or gadget and you. Prepositions belong to the closed-system word classes because this part of speech does not admit new words into its fold. Inasmuch as the wrong deployment of prepositions hardly results in loss of meaning or lack of comprehension, making the right choice of prepositions is about the most taxing aspect of English grammar, given their limited number with unlimited grammatical functions. This treatise will demystify the use of three common prepositions, namely ‘at’, ‘on’ and ‘in’.
First of all, ‘in’ should be used before names of continents, countries, states, cities, villages, and other general locations, whereas ‘at’ is often deployed alongside specific locations.
My siblings are currently at Europe (non-standard).
My siblings are currently in Europe (standard).
I go for holidays at Canada (non-standard).
I go for holidays in Canada (standard).
I was at my village when the governor called me (non-standard).
I was in my village when the governor called me (standard).
I saw Bimpe in the bus stop (non-standard).
I saw Bimpe at the bus stop (standard).
Shola is not in the party; he is in home (non-standard).
Shola is not at the party; he is at home (standard).
I did not see Mustapha at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (standard).
Concerning locations, sometimes the variant of standard English that one adopts can inform one’s choice of prepositions, as adduced below:
Tolani works in Evelyn Street/Avenue (British English).
Tolani works on Evelyn Street/Avenue (American English).
My daughter is at school/church (British English).
My daughter is in school/church (American English).
Moving on, it behoves you to deploy ‘on’ alongside ‘estate’, ‘premises’, ‘island’ and ‘the continent’.
She has residential property in Parkview Estate (non-standard).
She has residential property on Parkview Estate (standard).
He was reprimanded for smoking in the premises (non-standard).
He was reprimanded for smoking on the premises (standard).
Are there any zebras in the continent of Asia (non-standard)?
Are there any zebras on the continent of Asia (standard)?
His establishment is sited on Victoria Island (standard).
Furthermore, ‘on’, not ‘at’, co-exists with ‘arrival.
At arrival, I was taken to my hotel room (non-standard).
On arrival, I was taken to my hotel room (standard).
As regards transportation, ‘on’ collocates with buses, bicycles, trains and aircraft, while ‘in’ is used alongside ‘cars’ and ‘taxis’.
Seventy passengers got in the luxury bus (non-standard).
Seventy passengers got on the luxury bus (standard).
At noon, I was on the train (standard).
Three children are on the car (non-standard).
Three children are in the car (standard).
You should equally make mental note of the fact that ‘in’ collocates with the noun phrase, ‘the middle’, as exemplified hereunder:
Why are you standing at the middle of the road (non-standard)?
Why are you standing in the middle of the road (standard)?
Her phone rang at the middle of the night (non-standard).
Her phone rang in the middle of the night (standard).
In a similar vein:
The stool is in the centre of the living room (standard).
However, when emphasising the position at a point, ‘at’ can co-occur with ‘the centre’.
It is freezing cold at the centre of the earth (standard).
Is the earth really at the centre of the universe (standard)?
Before I call time on this week’s treatise, other contexts that mirror inappropriate and apt usages of ‘at’, ‘in’ and ‘on’ are:
On the long run, we had to start afresh (non-standard).
In the long run, we had to start afresh (standard).
I can see three men at my doorstep (non-standard).
I can see three men on my doorstep (standard).
His children are on the queue (non-standard).
His children are in the queue (standard).
His explanations are anchored on historical research (non-standard).
His explanations are anchored in historical research (standard).
We passed a vote of confidence on the president (non-standard).
We passed a vote of confidence in the president (standard).
Shina’s articles are on transit (non-standard).
Shina’s articles are in transit (standard).
She is not in speaking terms with her cousins (non-standard).
She is not on speaking terms with her cousins (standard).
My smartphone is on silent mode (non-standard).
My smartphone is in silent mode (standard).
He travelled to Jos on top speed (non-standard).
He travelled to Jos at top speed (standard).
Tolani is living life on the fast lane (non-standard).
Tolani is living life in the fast lane (standard).
Chinua started publishing novels in an early age (non-standard).
Chinua Achebe started publishing novels at an early age (standard).
Mrs. Johnson is at middle age (non-standard).
Mrs Johnson is in middle age (She is between the ages of about 45 and 60; standard).
Who are those men on green suits (non-standard)?
Who are those men in green suits (standard)?
The majority of Nigerian graduates landed lucrative jobs at the colonial era (non-standard).
The majority of Nigerian graduates landed lucrative jobs in the colonial era (standard).
Unlike some other aspects of English grammar where usages can be easily mastered, prepositions demand a great deal of attention, as portrayed in all the aforementioned circumstances. Anyone who desires to speak the language with finesse should, therefore, pay scrupulous attention to how this word class is used.
