We say go/come/travel (etc.) to a place or event. For example:
go to America, go to bed, take (somebody) to hospital, return to Italy, go to the bank, come to my house, drive to the airport, go to a concert, be sent to prison
* When are your friends returning to Italy? (not 'returning in Italy')
* After the accident three people were taken to hospital.
In the same way we say: on my way to./a journey to./a trip to. welcome to. etc.:
* Welcome to our country! (not 'welcome in')
Compare to (for movement) and in/at (for position):
* They are going to France. but They live in France.
* Can you come to the party? but I'll see you at the party.
Been to
We usually say 'I've been to a place':
* I've been to Italy four times but I've never been to Rome.
* Ann has never been to a football match in her life.
* Jack has got some money. He has just been to the bank.
Get and arrive
We say 'get to a place':
* What time did they get to London/get to work/get to the party?
But we say 'arrive in ...' or 'arrive at ...' (not 'arrive to').
We say 'arrive in a country or town/city':
* When did they arrive in Britain/arrive in London?
For other places (buildings etc.) or events, we say 'arrive at':
* What time did they arrive at the hotel/arrive at the party/arrive at work?
Home
We do not say 'to home'. We say go home/come home/get home/arrive home/on the way home etc. (no preposition):
* I'm tired. Let's go home. (not 'go to home')
* I met Caroline on my way home.
But we say 'be at home', 'stay at home', 'do something at home' etc.
into
'Go into ...', 'get into...' etc. = 'enter' (a room/a building/a car etc.):
* She got into the car and drove away.
* A bird flew into the kitchen through the window.
We sometimes use in (instead of into):
* Don't wait outside. Come in the house. (or Come into the house.)
Note that we say 'enter a building/enter a room' etc. (not 'enter into')
The opposite of into is out of:
* She got out of the car and went into a shop.
Note that we usually say 'get on/off a bus/a train/a plane':
* She got on the bus and I never saw her again.
EXERCISES
125.1 Put in to/at/in/into where necessary. If no preposition is necessary leave an empty space (-).
1. Three people were taken _to_ hospital after the accident.
2. I met Caroline on my way (-) home. (no preposition)
3. We left our luggage --- the station and went to find something to eat.
4. Shall we take a taxi--- the station or shall we walk?
5. I must go --- the bank today to change some money.
6. The river Rhine flows --- the North Sea.
7. I'm tired. As soon as I get --- home, I'm going bed.
8. 'Have you got your camera?' 'No, I left it --- home.'
9. Marcel is French. He has just returned --- France after two years --- Brazil.
10. Are you going --- Linda's party next week?
11. Carl was born --- Chicago but his family moved --- New York when he was three. He still lives --- New York.
12. Have you ever been --- China?
13. I had lost my key but I managed to climb --- the house through a window.
14. We got stuck in a traffic jam on our way --- the airport.
15. We had lunch --- the airport while we were waiting for our plane.
16. Welcome --- the hotel. We hope you enjoy your stay here.
17. What do you say to someone visiting your town or country? Welcome ---!
125.2 Have you been to these places? If so, how many times? Choose three of the places and write a sentence using been to.
Athens Australia Ireland London Paris Rome Sweden the United States
1. (example answers) _I've never been to Australia./I've been to Australia three times._
2 ---.
3. ---.
4. ---.
125.3 Put in to/at/in where necessary. If no preposition is necessary leave an empty space (-).
1. What time does this train get _to_ London?
2. What time does this train arrive --- London?
3. What time did you get --- home last night?
4. What time do you usually arrive --- work in the morning?
5. When we got --- the cinema, there was a long queue outside.
6. I arrived --- home feeling very tired.
125.4 Write sentences using got into/out of/on/off.
1. You were walking home. A friend passed you in her car. She saw you, stopped and offered you a lift. She opened the door. What did you do? _I got into the car._
2. You were waiting for the bus. At last your bus came. The doors opened. What did you do then? I ---.
3. You drove home in your car. You arrived at your house and parked the car. What did you do then? ---.
4. You were travelling by train to Manchester. When the train got to Manchester, what did you do? ---.
5. You needed a taxi. After a few minutes a taxi stopped for you. You opened the door. What did you do then? ---.
6. You were travelling by air. At the end of your flight the plane landed at the airport and stopped. The doors were opened, you took your bag and stood up. What did you do then? ---.
125.1
3 at 4 to 5 to 6 into
7 get home ... going to bed
8 at
9 to France ... in Brazil
10 to
11 in Chicago ... moved to New York lives in New York
12 to 13 into 14 to
15 at 16 to
17 Welcome to ...
125.2 Example answers:
2 I've been to Sweden once.
3 I've never been to the United States.
4 I've been to Paris a few times.
125.3
2 in 4 at 6 - 3 - 5 to
125.4
2 I got on the bus.
3 I got out of the car.
4 I got off the train.
5 I got into the taxi. or I got in The taxi
6 I got off the plane.
