Khi nào dùng in, khi nào dùng on? chỗ này dùng at hay on?” Đây là câu hỏi dễ gặp nhất khi phải làm bài tập có liên quan đến dùng giới từ nói chung và in, on, at nói riêng.
Vậy thì, bài viết này sẽ giới thiệu cụ thể về cách dùng của In, on at nhé.
I. ĐỊNH NGHĨA GIỚI TỪ IN ON AT
Trong bài về giới từ chỉ chung, chúng ta đã biết giới từ là những từ thể hiện vị trí, phương hướng, thời gian, hoặc giới thiệu tân ngữ. Chúng thường được theo sau bởi một tân ngữ, cụm danh từ hoặc đại từ.
In on at nói riêng cũng là những giới từ chỉ thời gian, địa điểm, tuy nhiên chúng cũng có một số trường hợp đặc biệt khác.
Bạn có thể xem trước về bài giới từ theo link: Giới từ và cách sử dụng, bài tập chi tiết
II. CÁCH DÙNG IN ON AT
1. Chỉ thời gian
Cho ví dụ sau đây:
– They arrived at 5 pm.
– They arrived on Sunday.
– They arrived in July.
– They arrived in 2020.
Dựa vào các ví dụ này, chúng ta có thể có cách sử dụng cơ bản nhất của in, on, at như sau.
At: dùng để chỉ thời gian cụ thể trong ngày
at 6 o’clock at 10.15 am at midnight at lunchtime at sunset …..
On: dùng cho thứ và ngày trong tháng
on Friday/ on Fridays on 17th 2019 on New year’s Day on my birthday …..
In: dùng cho tháng, năm, thập kỷ, thế kỷ, mùa,… (những khoảng thời gian lớn và dài)
In July in 2020 in the 1990s in the 21st century in the past
in winter in spring …….
Những trường hợp đặc biệt
– at the moment/ at the minute/ at present/ at this time (= now)
Would you like to see a movie?- I’m busy at the moment.
– at the same time
Kate and Marie arrived at the same time.
– at the weekends/ at weekends ( hoặc on the weekend/ on weekends trong tiếng anh Mỹ).
What do you want to go at the weekends?
– at Christmas ( nhưng p=on Christmas Day)
Do you receive the present at Christmas?
Do you receive the presents on Christmas Day?
– at night ( buổi tối nói chung)- in the night ( nói một thời điểm cụ thể trong buổi tối)
I won’t not work at night if it isn’t serious case.
I was woken up by a noise in the night.
in the morning(s) on Friday, Saturday,….morning(s)
in the afternoon(s) on Sunday, Monday, Friday… afternoons
in the evening(s) on Monday, Sunday, Friday …. evening(s)
Lưu ý:
– Chúng ta không sử dụng in, on, at trước các từ last/ next/ this/ every
I’ll get married next Friday.
They saw you last June
– Chúng ta thường nói việc gì đó xảy ra “ in a few minutes”/ “in six months”,…..
The train will be leaving in a few minutes (= a few minutes from now)
They’ll be here in a moment (= a moment from now, very soon)
– Chúng ta dùng “in” để nói việc gì đó mất bao lâu để làm
I learnt to drive in four weeks
Practice. Put in at, in, on
1. Aurora’s birthday is …………. May, but I don’t know which date.
2. She hasn’t seen Kate for a few days. She said that she had last seen her ………. Tuesday.
3. Steve is 65. He’ll be retiring from his job ………….. two years.
4. Same isn’t here…….. the moment, but he’ll be there this afternoon.
5. I don’t like dark. I try to avoid going out ………. night
6. It rained very hard …… the night. Did you hear it?
7. My car is being repaired at the garage. It will be ready ……… two hours.
8. The bus station was busy. A lot of buses were leaving……….. the same time.
9. Helen and David always go out for dinner …… their wedding anniversary.
10. It was short book and essay to read. I read it ………. a day.
Answer key: 1. in 2. on 3. in 4. at 5. at 6. in 7. in 8. at 9. on 10. in
2. Chỉ nơi chốn
In
– Chỉ các địa điểm chung chung có khoảng không lớn như vũ trụ, quốc gia, thành phố, thị trấn, tòa nhà, khu vườn,….
– Chỉ nơi chốn một người đang ở nơi nào đó.
– Chỉ phương hướng – in the room/ in the garden/ in the mountains/ – in the sea/ in the building,…
Ví dụ:
There were some people who lives in a small village.
in the box/ in this office/ in prison/ ….
She’s in this office now.
in the South/ East/ North/ West/ in the Northern/ Western/….
On
– Trên bề mặt của cái gì đó
– Trước tên đường – on the wall/ on the door/ on the floor/ on the ceiling/ on the table/ on a page/ on an island/….
Ví dụ:
I sat on the floor and play card.
The hotel is on small island in the middle of a lake.
on High Street/ on Hills Street/ on Nguyen Trai Street/… .
The supermarket is on Hills Street, opposite to the cinema.
At
Một địa điểm cụ thể: at 63 Hills Road Street, at 521 Nguyen Trai Street…
– Địa chỉ nhà cụ thể: at the office/ at school/ at the airport/ at restaurant/ at the shop/ at the bus stop/ at the door/ at the roundabout/ at her desk/…
– Tại những bữa tiệc, sự kiện at a party/ at a concert/ at a conference/…..
We have to get off the bus at the next stop.
Who is that man standing at the door?
Practice. Complete the sentences with in, at, on
1. There was a long queue of people ……………..the bus stop.
2. Nicola was wearing a silver ring …………… her little finger.
3. There was a security guard standing ………………… the entrance to the building.
4. I wasn’t sure whether I had come to the right office.There was no name………… the door.
5. There are plenty of shops and restaurants………… the town centre.
6. You’ll find the weather forecast ……………. the back page of the newspaper.
7. The headquarters of the company are………….. California.
8. I wouldn’t like an office job. I couldn’t spend the whole day sitting ……………a desk.
9. The man the police are looking for has a scar…………. his right cheek.
10. Have you ever been camping? Have you ever slept …………..a tent?
Answer key: 1. at 2. on 3. at 4. on 5. in 6. on 7.in 8.at 9.on 10. in
III. MỘT SỐ CÁCH SỬ DỤNG CỐ ĐỊNH IN ON AT
1. In
In được dùng cố định với các cụm từ như:
- in a line, in a row, in a queue
- in a picture, in a photo
- in a newspaper/ magazine/ book in an office, in a department
- in the sky, in the world
- in the country
- in bed, in hospital, in prison
Example:
Mora works in the marketing department.
It’s lovely day. There isn’t a cloud in the sky.
Who is the men in the picture?
William isn’t up yet. He’s still in bed.
2. On
– On the left, on the right, on the left-hand side, on the right-hand side.
– Go straight and the bank is on your left-hand side.
Do you drive on the left ott on the right in your country?
– On the ground floor, on the first floor, on the second floor, etc.
His apartment is on the second floor of the building.
– On a map, on a menu, on a list, on a page, on a website
You can find the information on our website.
Here’s the list. Don’t buy anything that’s not on the list.
– On a river, on a road on the coast
Vienna is on the Danube
Is the town on the coast or it is inland?
– On the way
I’m on the way home.
I stopped at a shop on the way home.
3. At
at the top (of…), at the bottom (of…), at the end (of…)
You need to insert a logo at the top of the page.
Practice
1. Sign your name ……………………..the top of the page.
2. Is your brother……….. this photo? I don’t recognise him.
3. They live in a small house ……………… the bottom of the hill.
4. We had to wait……… a queue for an hour to check in at the airport.
5. There was a list of names, but my name wasn’t ………. the list.
6. Is there anything interesting………. today’s newspaper?
7. I love to look up at the stars………….. the sky at night.
8. When I’m a passenger in a car, I prefer to sit the front.
9. I live in a very small village. You probably won’t find it………….. your map.
10. Joe works…………. the furniture department of a large store.
Answer key: 1. at 2. in 3. at 4. in 5. on 6. in 7. in 8. in 9. on 10. in
IV. SO SÁNH MỘT SỐ CÁCH DÙNG HAY NHẦM LẦN CỦA IN ON AT
In/ on/at
Cách dùng
Ví dụ
in the front, in the back of
…of a car/ other road vehicles (Internal part of a car or other road vehicles).
Face, opposite but in a different position, separate, not a part.
Ở đối diện cái gì đó, nhưng không thuộc về hoặc có mối quan hệ với nó.
I were in the back ( of the car) when we had the accident.
(Tôi ở phía sau xe khi chúng tôi bị tai nạn- bên ngoài và phía sau xe, không ).
The teacher stood in the front of the class. (Giáo viên đứng trước mặt cả lớp- giáo viên và học sinh tách biệt nhau)
at the front, at the back
…of a building/ theatre/ group of people/…
The position is a part, at the very front of something
Ở trước, sau cái gì đó nhưng nằm trong hoặc thuộc về nó.
– I’m at the front of the building and waiting for you.
(Tôi đang đứng ngay trước mặt toàn nhà và chờ bạn- Tôi đứng trước tòa nhà và thuộc khu vực của tòa nhà).
– She stood at the front of the line. ( Cô ấy đứng trong hàng)
on the front, on the back
….of an envelope/ a piece of paper,…
Nằm trên bề mặt trước/ sau của cái gì đó.
I wrote the date on the back of the photo. ( Tôi viết ngày vào mặt sau của bức tranh).
In/ on/at
Cách dùng
Ví dụ
In the corner
.
The TV is in the corner of the room.
( TV ở phía góc trong của phòng này)
at the corner, on the corner
There is a small drugstore at the corner (or on the corner) of the street.
( Có một tiệm thuốc nhỏ ở ngay chỗ quẹo đường).
In và at khi nói về tòa nhà, địa điểm
Cách dùng
chung
Sự khác biệt
Ví dụ
In
Chúng ta thường dùng in và at với các tòa nhà.
Example: You can eat in a restaurant or at a restaurant.
You can buy food at a supermarket or in a supermarket.
In thường được dùng khi chúng ta nghĩ tới các tòa nhà.
It’s always hot in Helen’s house.
All the rooms in the hotel have air conditioning.
At
At được dùng khi chúng ta nói sự kiện gì đó đang diễn ra/
Chúng ta ở nhà ai đó, ở đâu đó
I was at Helen’s house yesterday.
We had dinner at the hotel.
They went to a conference at the National Concert Hall.
Ngoài ra, chúng ta cũng thường gặp một số cách sử dụng dễ nhầm lẫn khác dưới đây. Do thông tin không có nhiều nên mình không kẻ bảng nhé.
In và at với thị trấn “town”:
Thông thường chúng ta dùng in cho “cities, towns và villages”.
Example: My family live in a village in the south of France.
Chúng ta thường dùng at khi địa điểm được nhắc đến là một điểm hoặc một trạm của chuyến đi.
Example: Do this train stop at Oxford? (= at Oxford station)
On a bus/ on a train/ on a plane/ on a ship/ on a bike/ on a motorbike/ on a horse nhưng in a car/ in a taxi.
Example: Laura arrived in a taxi.
The bus was very full. There were too many people on it.
On time và in time
– On time= punctual, not late: kịp giờ
Example: The 11.45 train lest on time. (= it left at 11.45- chuyến tàu rời đúng 11.45)
The meeting was well- organised. Everything began and finished on time. ( cuộc họp bắt đầu và kết thúc đúng giờ đã định)
– In time ( for something/ to do something)= soon enough: đúng giờ, sớm hơn một chút.
Example: I send a gift for my brother’s birthday. I hope it arrives in time. ( = on or before her birthday- đến kịp hoặc trước sinh nhật).
At the end và in the end
– At the end ( of something)= thời điểm cái gì đó kết thúc.
Example: at the end of the month/ year, at the end of the course, at the end of the game
Trái nghĩa với “At the end” là “at the beginning”
– In the end= cuối cùng= finally, kết quả cuối cùng của tình huống, sự việc nào đó.
Example: Amy couldn’t decide where to go for his holidays. He didn’t go anywhere in the end.
Trên đây là những phần kiến thức về giới từ “in, on, at” phổ biến cũng như một số trường hợp đặc biệt và dễ gây nhầm lẫn. IELTS Fighter hy vọng các bạn không chỉ học được ngữ pháp, làm được bài tập mà còn áp dụng “in, on, at” tốt hơn nữa cho các phần viết bài trong IELTS Writing và phần thi nói IELTS Speaking nữa nhé.
Bên dưới là bài tập thực hành cho toàn bộ phần kiến thức này.
Chúc các bạn học tập thật tốt.
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on + the following
the plane
the station
a taxi
the art gallery
Tokyo
school
prison
the sports centre
1. Some people are in prison for crimes that they did not commit.
2. We can get coffee…………………. while we’re waiting for our train.
3. We walked to the restaurant, but we went home ………………… .
4. I play basketball ………………… on Friday evenings.
5. I enjoyed the flight, but the food ………………… was awful.
6. Vicky has gone to Japan. She’s living ………………… .
7. ‘Does your sister have a job?’ ‘No, she’s only 16. She’s still ………………… .’
8. There’s a new exhibition of paintings ………………… . Let’s go and see it.
Answer:
2. on a train
3. at a conference
4. is in hospital/ in the hospital
5. at the hairdresser’s
6. on his bike
7. in New York
8. at the Savoy Theatre
Exercise 2. Put in at or in.
1. I’m going away at the end of the month.
2. It took Gary a long time to find work. ………………… the end he got a job as a bus driver.
3. I couldn’t decide what to buy Amy for her birthday. I didn’t buy her anything …………………the end.
4. I’m going away………………… the end of this week.
5. We waited ages for a bus. ………………… the end we had to get a taxi.
6. ………………… the end of the lesson, all the students left the classroom.
7. We had a few problems at first, but ………………… the end everything was OK.
8. You were in a difficult position. What did you do …………………the end?
9. The journey took a very long time, but we got there ………………… the end.
10. Are you going away ………………… the beginning of August or………………… the end?
Answer key: 2.in 3.in 4.at 5.in 6.at 7.in 8.in 9.in 10. at/at
IV. BÀI TẬP THỰC HÀNH
Exercise 1. Complete these sentences with in, at or on.
1. We went to a concert at the National Concert Hall.
2. There isn’t a shop………………… the village where I live. It’s very small.
3. Joe wasn’t ………………… the party. I don’t know why he didn’t go.
4. There were about ten tables ………………… the restaurant, and four tables outside.
5. I don’t know where my umbrella is. Perhaps I left it ………………… the bus.
6. What do you want to study ………………… university?
7. I didn’t feel well when I woke up, so I stayed ………………… bed.
8. We were ………………… Sarah’s house last night. She invited us to dinner.
9. It was a very slow train. It stopped………………… every station.
10. Shall we travel ………………… your car or mine?
11. We took a taxi and Ben followed ………………… his motorbike.
12. I’d like to see a movie. What’s on ………………… the cinema this week?
13. We went to see a movie last night. It was really cold ………………… the cinema.
14. Two people were injured in the accident and are still ………………… hospital.
15. Our flight was delayed. We had to wait ………………… the airport for three hours.
16. I didn’t expect you to be ………………… home. I thought you’d be ………………… work.
Answer key:
2. in
3. at
4. in
5. on
6. at
7. in
8. at
9. at
10. in
11. on
12. at
13. in
14. in
15. at
16. at/at
Exercise 2. Complete the sentences. Use in, at or on + the following:
the west coast the world the back of the class the sky
the front row the right the back of this card the way to work
1. It’s a lovely day. There isn’t a cloud in the sky .
2. In most countries people drive ………………….
3. What is the tallest building ………………… ?
4. I met a friend of mine ………………… this morning.
5. San Francisco is ………………… of the United States.
6. We went to the theatre last night. We had seats ………………… .
7. I couldn’t hear the teacher. She spoke quietly and I was sitting ………………… .
8. I don’t have your address. Could you write it ………………… ?
Answer key:
2. on the right
3. in the world
4. on the way to work
5. on the west coast
6. in the front row
7. at the back of the class
8. on the back of this card
