1   A escolha de uma preposição de lugar depende do modo como vemos um objecto. As palavras entre parênteses, ao lado das preposições in, on, at em baixo, indicam o modo como vemos os objectos:
ponto	Dimensão 0 - posição de um ponto em espaço
linha	Dimensão 1 - comprimento
área	Dimensão 2 - comprimento e largura (horizontal)
superfície	Dimensão 2 - comprimento e largura (horizontal, vertical, plano, ou não-plano)
volume	Dimensão 3 - comprimento, largura e altura (ou profundidade)

 
 
 

IN   (áreas)

• in bed

• in the park, in the woods, in the forest, in the desert

• in the square, in the village, in town, in the city, in the country

• in London, in Oxford, in Lisbon, in Paris

• in England, in Portugal, in Spain, in France

• on a farm (excepção)

 
 
 

IN   (volumes)

• in the pocket, in the cupboard, in the box, in the fridge

• in the office, in the classroom, in the bedroom, in the living room

• in the water, in the swimming pool, in the river, in the lake

• in the house, in the cinema, in the theatre, in the supermarket

• in hospital, in church, in prison

 
 
 

ON   (linhas)

• on the river, on the beach, on the coast, on the shore

• on the border, on the road, on the edge, on the line

 
 
 

ON   (superfícies)

• on the table, on the door, on the floor, on the wall, on the ceiling

• on land, on the moon, on earth

 
 
 

ON   (transportes públicos)

• on the bus, on the train, on the plane

 
 
 

AT   (pontos)

• at the cinema, at the supermarket, at the bookshop

• at the butcher's, at the chemist's, at the grocer's

• at the door, at the entrance

• at Harrods, at Heathrow Airport, at Gatwick Airport

• at university, at Oxford (1), at Cambridge (1)

• at London (2), at Lisbon (2), at Faro (2)

• at school, at home, at work, at church

• at the bus-stop, at the crossroads

 

(1) universidades das respectivas cidades

(2) pontos de paragem de uma viagem

 
 
 

AT   (moradas, actividades)

• at 15 Oxford Street, at the same address

• at the party, at the meeting