The
same preposition may be used in various senses. The uses of at, in, with are
given below grouped according to the different meanings or Contexts:
AT
·
Place, Direction
o
He
will meet you at the station.
o
The
soldiers rushed at the enemy.
o
The
hospital is at a distance.
·
Time, Order
o
He
will come at 2 o'clock.
o
I
left school at (the age of) 16.
o
Sujata
succeeded at the third attempt.
o
You
must visit him at regular intervals.
·
Activity, Manner
o
I
found him at play. ( = while he was
playing.)
o
What
is she at now? ( = what is she
doing?)
o
He
is hard at it. ( = working hard)
o
She
is good at singing.
o
I
will do it at leisure.
o
We
will complete it at one sitting.
·
Rate, Degree, Value
o
He
ran at full speed.
o
I
got it at great cost. I
o
It's
now running at a loss.
o
She
appeared at her best.
·
Cause
o
I
marvelled at his performance.
o
We
were delighted at the idea of going
to Goa.
IN
·
Place, Direction
o
Kangaroo
is found in Australia.
o
He
is standing in the corner of the room.
o
I
saw a light in the distance.
o
You
are sitting in an armchair. (Compare - on a chair without arms.)
o
He
was wounded in the leg.
o
Vishavdeep
has gone in that direction.
·
Motion
o
He
dipped his pen in ink.
o
I
have cut the apple in two. ( = into halves)
o
They
fell in love.
·
Time
o
in
the 19th century, in 1947, in spring, in his old age, in the morning/afternoon/evening/day
time (compare - at night), in the end, in my time. She was a beauty in her day
(during her best years), in the reign of the Mughals.
·
Within a Space of Time
o
I
will do it in a moment.
o
He
can finish this work in an hour.
o
I
shall be back in a week's time.
·
Inclusion
o
He
has in him the making of a good leader.
o
He
is a man in his twenties. (between 20 and 29)
·
Of dress
o
He
is a prince in disguise.
o
The
boy is in his shirt sleeves. (not wearing a coat)
o
Look
at the girl in white. (wearing white clothes)
·
Physical Surrounding
o
Don’t
go out in the rain.
o
I
like to sleep in the open.
o
He
lost his way in the dark.
o
It
s difficult to work in this heat.
·
Relation, Reference
o
He
is a good man in every way.
o
She
is deficient in courage.
o
Basu
is blind in the left eye.
·
Occupation
o
He
is in the army/navy/air force/business.
o
I
spent a lot of time in reading.
WITH
o
Possession
§ Here is a book with
yellow pages.
§ I saw her with angry
looks in her eyes.
o
For Filling
§ The sack was filled
with cement.
§ The hills were covered
with snow.
§ Fill the box with
books.
o
Means, Instrument
§ He writes with a
costly pen.
§ I did the work with
your help.
§ I have seen it with my
own eyes.
o
Accompaniment,
Relationship
§ I live with my
parents.
§ He will be going to
the city with me.
§ The inspector with his
staff will come here.
o
Opposition
§ Unnecessarily he
fought with me.
§ Cause He was trembling
with (because of, owing to) fear/rage.
o
Manner
§ He did the work with
his whole heart.
§ They welcomed the
guests with open arms.
o
Care, Responsibility
§ The decision rests
with you.
§ I am leaving the child
with you. (under your care)
o
In Regard to
§ We sympathized with
her for what happened.
§ What do you want with
me?
§ Smoking is a habit
with many people.
o
Agreement,Harmony
§ I am with you on this
point.
§ Does this tie go well
with this coat?
o
In Spite Of
§ With all her best
efforts she could not succeed.
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