Warm-up

Have a go — no notes, and don't worry about mistakes.

Have a go — imagine your wallet is missing. Guess where it usually is:

"It's probably my coat pocket."

SPEAK

Have a go out loud: look around you right now and say two sentences about real things — "My phone is on the...", "My shoes are under the..."

Listen in on this conversation

Tom: Where are my keys? I can't find them anywhere!

Amy: They're on the table, next to your bag.

Tom: They're not there...

Amy: Then look under the newspaper — you always put them there!

Notice something? Amy uses three different little words — on, next to, under — for three different positions. Why not just use one word for all of them? Say your idea out loud before you check.

Check your idea CLICK
Because each word paints a different picture: on the table (resting on top), next to the bag (beside it), under the newspaper (hidden below it). English has a small set of these words for place, and mixing them up really can confuse people — "in the table" doesn't mean the same thing as "on the table"! The same little words also tell us when something happens, not just where it is.
Today: in, on, at (plus a few position words like next to, under and behind) so you can say exactly where things are — and the same three words again for saying when things happen. Useful for describing your home and arranging to meet someone.

Where Is It?

Talking about the exact position of things — in a house, in a bag, on the street.

Spot the pattern

Three everyday sentences:

Look at in, on and at above. What's the difference — when do we use each one? Say your idea before you check.

Check the pattern CLICK
in = inside an enclosed space (a drawer, a box, a room, a bag, a city)
on = on top of a flat surface (a desk, a table, a shelf, a wall)
at = an exact point or place (a bus stop, a door, a corner, a station)
Notice next to (beside the window) and behind (at the back of the supermarket) too — they name an exact position, but they don't need this in/on/at decision; they just mean what they say.
in = inside a space → in the kitchen, in a box, in London
on = on a surface → on the table, on a shelf, on the wall
at = an exact point → at the door, at the station, at the corner
next to = beside · under = below · behind = at the back of

Same furniture, different picture

"The cat is on the sofa."
≠
"The cat is under the sofa."

Same cat, same sofa — completely different picture. That's why the exact word matters.

Your turn

1. Amy can't find her glasses.

"They're probably her bag — she never remembers to take them out."

2. Tidying the kitchen.

"Please put the clean cups the shelf above the sink."

3. Arranging to meet a friend at a big building.

"I'll wait for you the main entrance."

4. A note from the postman: "Your parcel was too big for the letterbox, so I've left it ___ the door, on the step."

SPEAK

Look around the room you're in right now. Say four sentences about real objects using in, on, at, next to, under or behind — for example: "My bag is on the chair, next to the door."

When Is It?

The same three words — in, on, at — also tell us WHEN something happens.

Spot the pattern

Three everyday sentences:

Same three words as before, but now about time. What's the pattern? Say it before you check.

Check the pattern CLICK
at = an exact clock time (at six o'clock, at half past six, at midnight, at noon)
on = a day or a date (on Saturday, on Monday, on 3rd July, on my birthday)
in = a longer period of time (in July, in summer, in the morning, in 2024)
at = exact clock time → at 6 o'clock, at noon, at midnight
on = a day or date → on Monday, on 3rd July, on my birthday
in = a longer period → in July, in summer, in the morning, in 2024
Careful: we say in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening — but at night. And when a day and a part of the day appear together, the day wins: on Monday morning, on Friday evening (not "in Friday evening").

Your turn

1. A sign on a shop door.

"The shop closes nine o'clock, so hurry."

2. Talking about a birthday.

"My sister's birthday is March, but I can't remember the exact date."

3. Making plans with a friend.

"Let's have dinner together Friday evening."

SPEAK

Say three true things about your week: one with an exact clock time (at...), one with a day or date (on...), and one with a month, season or part of the day (in...).

In, On or At?

Real sentences mix place and time together. Same three words, same three ideas — you just notice which one you need.

Spot the pattern

Three sentences with place AND time:

In each sentence, in/on/at is used twice — once for place, once for time. Do they follow the same three ideas as before? Say your idea before you check.

Check the pattern CLICK
Yes — exactly the same three ideas, just applied twice in one sentence: at = an exact point (a café) AND an exact clock time (three o'clock). on = a surface (the table) AND a day (Tuesday). in = an enclosed space (Berlin, a big one!) AND a longer period (the morning).
AT → exact point (a door, a café) + exact clock time (6 o'clock, noon)
ON → surface (a table, a shelf) + day/date (Monday, 3rd July)
IN → enclosed space (a room, a city) + longer period (July, the morning, 2024)

Your turn

1. Leaving a reminder for the house.

"Stick the note the fridge door so nobody forgets."

2. Booking an appointment.

"The dentist can only see you half past four."

3. Getting out of a taxi.

"Your suitcase is still the taxi — go and get it!"

4. Which pair is correct? "The football match starts ___ 7 o'clock, ___ Saturday."

SPEAK

Describe your morning routine using at least one at, one on and one in — for example when you wake up, which room you have breakfast in, and what day today is.

Your Turn to Talk

Time to use everything — talking and writing, arranging to meet someone.

The situation

Imagine you're arranging to meet a friend this week. Think about:

Tell the whole plan out loud for one minute.

01:00

Now put it in writing

Write a short message (4–6 sentences) to your friend arranging the meeting. Say WHERE and WHEN clearly. Try to use at least one at, one on, and one in from today — plus a position word (next to, under or behind) if it fits.

Mix It Up

Real life doesn't tell you if it's place or time. Everything is mixed — you decide.

Fix the mistakes

Each sentence has one mistake with in / on / at. Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.

1. "The meeting is in Monday morning."

2. "I usually read on night before I go to sleep."

3. "Your shoes are in the shelf by the door."

4. "See you at the corner on 6 o'clock."

Which form fits?

5. Arranging a video call: "Let's talk ___ 8 o'clock ___ Wednesday."

6. Your friend calls: "Where are you?" You're waiting outside, right by the entrance to the cinema, not yet inside. You say: "I'm ___ the entrance!"

SPEAK

One-minute challenge: describe your ideal weekend from morning to night. Say at least two clock times (at...), one day (on...), and one part of the day (in...).

What Do You Remember?

First, from earlier

1. Complete the question you'd ask a friend who's lost something:

is my phone?"

2. Say the days of the week in order, starting with Monday, out loud.

Compare with a possible answer CLICK
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday — the order never changes in English, however you say it.

Now, today's grammar — fresh sentences, no looking back

3. "Your umbrella is your bag — I saw it there this morning."

4. "The English exam is Thursday, not Wednesday."

5. "Please don't call me midnight — I'll be asleep!"

6. "The dog is hiding the curtain — I can only see its tail."

Think back

Which practice helped you most today — fixing the mistakes, choosing the right form, or the speaking tasks? Say why you think that one worked for you.

Can you now...?

At the start we said: in, on, at (plus next to, under, behind) so you can say where things are, and the same three words for when things happen. Tick what's true:

Anything you didn't tick — go back to that tab and try the exercises once more. They'll still check your answers.

Next lesson: joining ideas with and, but, because →