On holiday etc.
(be/go) on holiday/on business/on a trip/on a tour/on a cruise etc.:
* Tom's away at the moment. He's on holiday in France. (not' in holiday')
* Did you go to Germany on business or on holiday?
* One day I'd like to go on a world tour.
Note that you can also say: 'go to a place for a holiday/for my holiday(s)':
* Tom has gone to France for a holiday. (not 'for holiday')
* Where are you going for your holidays next summer?
Other expressions with on
on television/on the radio:
* I didn't watch the news on television, but I heard it on the radio. on the phone/telephone:
* You can't phone me. I'm not on the phone. (= I haven't got a phone.)
* I've never met her but I've spoken to her on the phone.
(be/go) on strike/on a diet:
* There are no trains today. The railway workers are on strike.
* I've put on a lot of weight. I'll have to go on a diet.
(be) on fire:
* Look! That car is on fire!
on the whole (= in general):
* Sometimes I have problems at work but on the whole I enjoy my job.
on purpose (= intentionally):
* I'm sorry. I didn't mean to annoy you. I didn't do it on purpose.
But: by mistake/by chance/by accident.
Expressions with in
in the rain/in the sun (=sunshine)/in the shade/in the dark in bad weather etc.:
* We sat in the shade. It was too hot to sit in the sun.
* Don't go out in the rain. Wait until it stops.
(write) in ink/in biro/in pencil:
* When you do the exam, you're not allowed to write in pencil.
Also: in words, in figures, in BLOCK LETTERS etc.:
* Please fill in the form in block letters.
(pay) in cash:
* I paid the bill in cash. but I paid by cheque or by credit card.
(be/fall) in love (with somebody):
* Have you ever been in love with anybody?
in (my) opinion:
* In my opinion, the film wasn't very good.
At the age of... etc.
We say: at the age of .../at a speed of .../at a temperature of ... etc. For example:
* Jill left school at 16. or ... at the age of 16.
* The train was travelling at 120 miles an hour. or ... at a speed of 120 miles an hour.
* Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.
EXERCISES
126.1 Complete the sentences using on + one of the following:
business strike a tour the whole television fire holiday a diet the phone purpose
1. Look! That car is _free!_ Somebody call the fire brigade.
2. It's difficult to contact Sarah because she's not ---.
3. Workers at the factory have gone --- for better pay and conditions.
4. Soon after we arrived, we were taken --- of the city.
5. A: I'm going --- next week.
B: Are you? Where are you going? Somewhere nice?
6. I feel lazy this evening. Is there anything worth watching ---?
7. I'm sorry. It was an accident. I didn't do it ---.
8. George has put on a lot of weight recently. I think he should go ---.
9. Jane's job involves a lot of travelling. She often has to go away ---.
10. A: How did your exams go?
B: Well, there were some difficult questions but --- they were OK.
126.2 Complete the sentences using in + one of the following:
block letters cash my opinion the shade cold weather love pencil
1. He likes to keep warm, so he doesn't go out much ---.
2. Diane never uses a pen. She always writes ---.
3. They fell --- with each other almost immediately and were married in a few weeks.
4. Please write your address clearly, preferably ---.
5. I don't like the sun. I prefer to sit ---.
6. Ann thought the restaurant was OK, but --- it wasn't very good.
7. I hardly ever use a credit card or cheques. I prefer to pay for things ---.
126.3 Put in the correct preposition: on, in, at, or for.
1. Water boils _at_ 100 degrees celsius.
2. When I was 14, I went --- a trip to France organised by my school.
3. I wouldn't like his job. He spends most of his time talking --- the phone.
4. Julia's grandmother died recently --- the age of 79.
5. Can you turn the light on, please? I don't want to sit --- the dark.
6. We didn't go --- holiday last year. We stayed at home.
7. I'm going to Scotland --- a short holiday next month.
8. I won't be here next week. I'll be --- holiday.
9. He got married --- 17, which is rather young to get married.
10. There was an interesting programme --- the radio this morning.
11. my opinion, violent films should not be shown --- television.
12. I wouldn't like to go --- a cruise. I think I'd get bored.
13. I mustn't eat too much. I'm supposed to be --- a diet.
14. In Britain, children start school --- the age of five.
15. There was panic when people realized that the building was --- fire.
16. The Earth travels round the Sun --- a speed of 107,000 kilometres an hour.
17. 'Did you enjoy your holiday?' 'Not every minute, but --- the whole, yes.'
18. When you write a cheque, you have to write the amount --- words and figures.
126.1
2 on the phone
3 on strike
4 on a tour
5 on holiday
6 on television
7 on purpose
8 on a diet
9 on business
10 the whole
126.2
1 in cold weather
2 in pencil
3 in love
4 in block letters
5 in the shade
6 in my opinion
7 in cash
126.3
2 on 3 on 4 at
5 in 6 on 7 for
8 on 9 at 10 on
11 In my opinion ... on television
12 on 13 on 14 at
15 on 16 at 17 on
18 in
