Shadowing Practice: IN ON AT? How do I use these prepositions? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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When do I use in, on, at?
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Hi, I'm Arnel from Arnel's Everyday English.
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Today I'm going to help you understand in, on, at in four steps.
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We have position, location, time, and transportation.
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You need a pen and you need a notebook.
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Get ready to take notes.
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At the end of this lesson I have some very exciting homework for you.
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Trust me, at the end of this lesson you will feel so much better about using these three very confusing prepositions.
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Not confusing.
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Let's start.
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Step one, position.
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We use in to speak about being inside.
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My phone is in my bag.
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A bottle of water is in my bag.
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A sandwich is in my bag.
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My husband is waiting in the car.
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When you go to a library, when you're in a library, you need to be quiet.
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Okay, we use on when you really focus on being on top.
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A laptop is on my desk.
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A lamp is on my desk.
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A coffee is on my desk.
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A bird pooped on my head.
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Right.
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In, inside, on, on top.
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So when do we use at?
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We use at when you're speaking about a location and there's an activity.
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I did a lot at work today.
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What's the activity?
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I I was working.
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I was at the gym for three hours.
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What was the activity?
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I was working out.
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My son, he's at school.
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What's the activity?
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He's studying and learning.
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So at is where there's an activity in a location in general.
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In is literally inside.
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Imagine you say to a friend, I'll see you at the cafe.
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This could be in or out.
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You'll need to clarify.
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If your friend says I'll meet you in the cafe, it's obvious.
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You go inside.
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Wonderful.
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Let's continue.
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Step 2.
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Location.
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We use in for countries.
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I live in England.
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We use in for cities.
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My sister is in Paris.
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Neighborhoods and areas.
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I grew up in Clifton.
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Directions.
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North, east, south, west.
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Remember if you're going somewhere use to.
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I'm going to Canada.
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We wouldn't say I'm going in Canada.
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We use at for streets and roads.
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There's a great Italian restaurant on Park Street.
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I used to live on Reno Road.
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But if you have a specific address, you need to use AT.
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I live at 15 Baconburn Road, London.
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Fantastic!
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Let's move on to step number three.
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Step number three, time.
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We use in for centuries.
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I love reading books set in the 1800s,
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in the 19th century, decades.
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I think music from the 1970s was the best.
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Years.
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I was born in 1989.
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Months.
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My birthday is in February.
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Afternoon, morning.
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I go to the gym in the afternoon, in the morning.
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Seasons.
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My family always goes on holiday in summer,
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in autumn, in winter and in spring.
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Future start.
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I'm going on holiday in five days.
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The lesson starts in 20 minutes.
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In six months I'm moving to New York.
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I know this is a lot of information
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but the homework I'm going to give you later will really help you practice all of this. On.
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We use on for days of the week.
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Monday, Tuesday, on Wednesday, on Thursday, on Friday, on Saturday, on Sunday.
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We also use on for a phrase using the word day.
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What are you doing on Valentine's Day?
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What do you like doing on a rainy day?
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Dates on the 22nd of February.
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On Thursday the 10th. At.
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We use at for a specific clock time.
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I'll meet you at one o'clock,
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at two o'clock, at three o'clock, at half past eight.
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We say at night.
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I don't sleep very well at night.
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Remember we say in the morning, in the afternoon, but at night.
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We also say at noon, 12 o'clock.
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Let's move on to step number four.
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Step 4.
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Transportation.
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We use in and on for transportation.
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I would say in a car,
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in a taxi, in a truck lorry, in a limousine.
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But I would say on a train,
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on a plane, on a tram, on a boat or a ship.
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Try to remember it this way.
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If you're in a car or in a taxi, you can't move.
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You have to sit there.
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But for these types of transportation, you can walk around.
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So you are on.
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You can walk on a bus.
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You can walk on a plane.
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In for transportation, you can't really move around in and on for transportation you can easily move around on.
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But if I think about transportation that you're literally on top of, use on.
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You're on a bike, you're on a on a horse, on a camel.
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Fantastic.
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Well, we've looked at the four steps, position, location, time, and transportation with in, on, at.
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You've done an amazing job.
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It's really not easy remembering all of these rules.
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If you liked the video, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss another lesson.
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Do you want some homework?
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IN ON AT? How do I use these prepositions?”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: transportation, step, location, activity, lesson. This video has 123 sentences and 829 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:07. The speaker talks slowly, about 75 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| desk noun | /dɛsk/ | A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a… |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| taxi noun | /ˈtæksi/ | A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. |
| confuse verb | /kənˈfjuːz/ | to puzzle, perplex, baffle, bewilder (somebody); to afflict by being complicated, contradictory, or otherwise difficult to understand |
| clock noun | /klɑk/ | A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| autumn noun | /ˈɔtəm/ | Traditionally the third of the four seasons, when deciduous trees lose their leaves, and temperatures and daylight hours decrease; typically regarded as… |
| laptop noun | /ˈlæp.tɑp/ | A laptop computer. |
| sandwich noun | /ˈsæn(d).wɪd͡ʒ/ | A dish or foodstuff where at least one piece, but typically two or more pieces, of bread serves as the wrapper or container of some other food. |
| noon noun | /nun/ | The time of day when the Sun seems to reach its highest point in the sky; solar noon. |
| lamp noun | /ˈlæ̝mp/ | A device that generates light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation. Especially an electric light bulb. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| clarify verb | /ˈklæɹ.ɪ.faɪ/ | To make or become clear or bright by freeing from impurities or turbidity. |
| notebook noun | /ˈnoʊtˌbʊk/ | A book (physical or digital) in which notes or memoranda are written. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| walk around verb | To walk with no planned destination; to meander. | |
| work out verb | /ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/ | To calculate. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- When do I use in, on, at?
- My son, he's at school.
- Remember if you're going somewhere use to.
- What do you like doing on a rainy day?
- Do you want some homework?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | we've looked · You've done |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was working |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is waiting · you're speaking · you're going |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will feel · I'll see · You'll need |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 25 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like lesson, desk, homework.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.