At, in and on—what are the differences?

[Space_of_Writing]

I don’t know the difference yet. But I hope you can explain me it.
At, in and on are one of the biggest problems for a non-mother tongue. Don’t get me wrong! Sometimes it’s simple. For example, “At the school” or “in the summer”.
But I read an article where was an example of the beach. You know the difference between at, in and on the beach. Can someone explain it as easy as possible by this example?

 

[The Judge]

I'd use "at the beach" when it's in the point of view of someone who isn't there eg

"Hello, Mrs Bloggs. Where's Freda then?"
"Oh, she's at the beach."​

As an alternative for that we might instead say "Oh, she's gone to the beach."

I'd use "on the beach" when describing something that's happening there and we're seeing it eg

She was standing on the beach when the hailstorm struck.
​

I can't think of any occasion you'd say "in the beach" other than when someone has literally been buried in the sand! For us "in" does usually require some element of immersion, so "she swam in the sea" or occupation "she was in the house" or something of that kind.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I don't think anyone would ever say "in the beach". But "at the beach" means a wider location than "on the beach" -- if you're on the beach, you are actually getting sand in your shoes, but you can be at the beach and still be up on the boardwalk, or in the shops, or eating in a restaurant.

The differences aren't easily pinned down, though. In and on and at are simple when they mean relative location, like "in the house" or "on the pizza" or "at the store", but then there's "in a minute" and "on time" and "at least", which are not about location.

 

[The Judge]

In and on and at are simple when they mean relative location, like ... "on the pizza"

I'm sitting here wondering if that is a slip of the finger for a place where people might congregate or you really are thinking of pineapple and pepperoni!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I'm always thinking of pineapple and pepperoni. Well, when I'm not thinking of chocolate, anyway.

 

[Montero]

You can also get into casual speech so "She's always at something" - which means she's always doing something - a busy, probably too busy person.

"He had a go at her" - He criticised her/ He picked an argument

 

[tinkerdan]

He's at her house. (Is rather nonspecific in that he could be inside or outside or somewhere near.)
He's in her house. (Now he's inside.)
He's on her house. (Maybe on the roof; although he could be hanging on the house or plastered to the outside like a bug on a windshield.)

If someone said he was in the beach...I'd be wondering how deep he was buried.

 

[Penny]

Generally @tinkerdan probably has one of the clearest explanations.

English is a very contextual language so we can give you generic this is how it works statements but there are always exceptions to the rule.

and those particular words are not just locational words, they are used in other ways.
for example.

lets move "on" and talk about something else. (on can also be used to refer to a location other than this one)

"at" the time I was at home. (at is also kind of like if you were to point at something. it is like saying pay attention to this thing)

so yes "in" other words. (this is not saying the words are inside something. this is saying I will use these words I am about to say instead of those ones)

The words meaning changes based on what you might be talking about

English is a strange language. Most of us I am convinced learn mostly through context and by using learned patterns than following rules.

 

[Montero]

I don’t know the difference yet. But I hope you can explain me it.
At, in and on are one of the biggest problems for a non-mother tongue. Don’t get me wrong! Sometimes it’s simple. For example, “At the school” or “in the summer”.
But I read an article where was an example of the beach. You know the difference between at, in and on the beach. Can someone explain it as easy as possible by this example?

Since you are looking for help with your English, hope it is OK to offer help on the post you've written too.

But I hope you can explain me it. Better as "But I hope you can explain it to me."

But I read an article where was an example of the beach Better as "I read an article using the beach as an example."

Can someone explain it as easy as possible by this example? Suspect you meant "Can someone explain it as SIMPLY as possible, using this example?"