This document provides examples of the use of prepositions "in", "on", "at", and "to" in sentences. It notes that these prepositions can be difficult for English language learners, especially Spanish speakers, to distinguish between. A chart is included that matches example phrases using the prepositions with explanations. Students are then provided a cloze activity to practice using the correct prepositions to complete sentences. Finally, students are instructed to talk with a partner and then write about themselves using the target prepositions. The document focuses on helping ELLs distinguish between and appropriately use the prepositions "in", "on", "at", and "to".

1. (High Beginning to Low Developing ELLs)
Kim Kreider
Wilkes University
ESL 502

2.  In
 On
 At
 To
 Difficult for ELLs to know when to use each
 For example these can be difficult for Spanish
speakers who use “a” for all four (in, on, at,
and to) of these in some situations

3. John was born in Miami on the 24th of June in
1970. Miami is a big city in Florida in the United
States. That was many years ago. Now John lives
in Barcelona in Spain. He teaches at a school.
Sometimes he goes to a movie on the weekend.
He meets his friends at the movie theater at 10
o’clock or later. In the summer, usually in August,
he goes home to visit his family in America. He
and his family go to the beach and relax in the sun
in the morning and in the afternoon. In the
evening, they often eat at a restaurant with their
friends. Sometimes they go to a disco at night.

4. IN In Miami (city)
ON
AT
TO
Place each of the underlined phrases from the paragraphs into the chart with an
explanation why to help you come up with the patterns and rules.

5. IN Miami (city)
ON
AT
TO

6. IN Months, towns, cities, countries, seasons, some times of the day (in
the morning, in the afternoon)
ON Specific days (on Friday, on Thanksgiving, on the 19th)
On the weekend or on weekends
AT Specific times ( at 7 o’clock, )
At night
Specific places (at school)
TO Verbs that show movement (go to, come to, return to, fly to, walk to,
run to, drive to etc.)
Rules

7. I live _____ Chicago. ____ the summer time, I like
to go _____ the park ____ the afternoon and ride
my bike. ______ Fridays, they show movies late
_____ night when it’s dark outside and every
Sunday there is a free concert _____ 5 o’clock ____
the evening.

8. I live __in___ Chicago. _In___ the summer time, I
like to go __to___ the park _in___ the afternoon
and ride my bike. ___On___ Fridays, they show
movies late __at___ night when it’s dark outside
and every Sunday there is a free concert _at____ 5
o’clock _in___ the evening.

9. With your partner talk about yourselves and
make sentences using the different prepositions.
Then write about yourself. Use in, at, on, and to
like we practiced.