By the end of this page, you should ...
- Be able to use the prepositions by, in, on and at correctly with means of transport.
When talking about means of transport in English, we often need a preposition. There are four key prepositions we could use to talk about transport; by, in on and at.
By
We use the preposition “by” when we say the vehicle used to travel.
I am travelling by car.
We are going on holiday by plane.
I get to work by bus.
*Exception: we don’t say “by foot” but “on foot”.
In
We use the preposition “in” when the vehicle is enclosed and there is no space to move around inside, therefore, you have to sit down immediately. The opposite preposition (out) can also be used with these means of transport.
Typical examples: car, taxi, helicopter, van, lorry, hot air balloon
I’m in the taxi.
I’m waiting in the car.
Have you taken the boxes out the lorry?
She’s climbing out of the helicopter.
On
We use the preposition “on” when the vehicle is larger and there is space to walk around inside. The opposite preposition (off) can also be used with these means of transport.
Typical examples; train, plane, bus, boat, ferry, underground, tram, ship
Be careful you don’t trip when you get on the bus.
She is going to France on a ship.
Do we get off the plane now?
We’d like everybody to get off the train, please.
We also use this proposition when you are physically on top of the transport.
Typical examples: bicycle, motorbike, horse, scooter, tricycle
I travel to school on my bicycle.
Can you get on the horse?
At
We use the preposition “at” to talk about the locations where we find transport.
Typical examples: airport, bus station, train station, taxi rank, port, harbour
Let’s meet at the airport.
I couldn’t get a taxi at the taxi rank.
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