Above, over, under, Below

above and over = higher than

The snow was so high it came over/above our knees.

We saw a flag flying over/above the house.

There are dark clouds over the entire city.

He put a coat over his pyjamas.

Below and under = lower than

You’ll find the box in the cupboard under/below the sink.

The dog is under my bed.

She was wearing a shirt under her sweater.

The whole basement was under water.

FROM

• (moving) away
• origin
• what substance is used to make something
• difference

He moved from Toronto to Hamilton.

He was absent from class

She is from Taiwan.

B read is made from flower, water, and yeast.

Chinese food is very different from Canadian food.

LEAVE, ENTER, ATTEND, DISCUSS are verbs which do NOT take a preposition.

I left Japan last August.

He entered the room.

She has been attending college for two years.

We discussed the problem.

BUT

She left Japan for Toronto in August. (for is used with ‘leave’ for destination)

PRACTICE

1. He is studying _____ the University of Toronto.
2. The plane flew _____ the town.
3. The boy hid the money _______ a rock in the garden.
4. I met Bill _____ the Pearson Airport ______ Toronto.
5. They are flying ______ Paris ______ Toronto, and they will arrive _____ Toronto tomorrow.
6. After Toronto, they will have a holiday _____ the south, so they will leave ______ Mexico next week.
7. She put the bedspread ______the bed.
8. I put the book _____ the box _____ the table ______ the living room.
9. He took an envelope ______ the drawer ______ his desk.
10. He was sitting _____ his desk when I came in.

Other uses of AT, IN, ON

AT is used for

Specific temperatures, speeds, ages

The temperature was at 25 degrees.

He drove at 120 kilometres per hour.

A lot of people don’t want to retire at 65.

intended goal/target

He stared/looked/glanced at her.

He threw a plate at her.

He was shouting/swearing at me.

He laughed at me.

be good/bad at something

IN is used for

Works of art, printed material, publications

In his essay he discusses public transportation.

I found several moving bits in the song/poem/novel.

In the photograph/painting/picture there were three little girls.

I read an interesting article in the local newspaper.

To show what someone is wearing

The woman in the red dress is my cousin

To show how things are arranged or expressed

She planted the lilies in a circle.

In a dictionary words are arranged in alphabetical order.

We spoke to them in Finnish.

He turned to me in anger.

With small private vehicles

In a taxi/car/jeep

Have skill in something

I have no skill in languages.

ON is used