Education Department

Completing Cloze Passages with Prepositions (at, in, on)

Rationale

The cloze passages the students encounter will test their knowledge of English vocabulary and
grammar. There is not really any way of knowing the kind of vocabulary the students will
encounter during the PSR examination, so the only way to prepare for this is simply to build up
the students' vocabulary over time during their years of studying English in primary school. It is,
however, possible to revise some grammar rules with the students to assist them with some of
the grammar they are regularly tested on in their exams.

Because English grammar rules are often very complicated, with many exceptions to the rules, it
may often be difficult to explain the grammar to the students. However, even if they don't fully
understand the grammar rules they can at least complete the tasks to familiarise themselves with
the way the grammar is used.

W.A.L.T: Use the correct preposition when filling in cloze passages.

Tuning In
Sometimes when you are filling in cloze passages in your exams, the missing word will be
a preposition. Prepositions are words that describe the position of something.
Some prepositions are quite easy to use. Once you know what they mean, then you
should be able to use them correctly. For example:
next to
under
between
above
behind
in front of
Optional activity: Take turns with your partner to say and follow directions. Can you make
up some more directions for your partner to follow?
1. Put your elbow next to your ear.
2. Put your feet under your chair.
3. Stand between two desks.
4. Put your pen above this paper.
5. Put your hands behind your back.
6. Stand in front of your chair.

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However some prepositions are quite confusing and it is easy to make a mistake when
using them.

Finding Out
In particular, at, in and on can be confusing.
Take a look at the following table that explains the rules for using at, in, on:

at in on
POINT or PLACE ENCLOSED SPACE SURFACE

at the corner in the garden on the wall

at the bus stop in Singapore on the ceiling

at the door in Brunei on the door

at the top of the page in a box on the table

at the end of the road in my pocket on the floor

at the entrance in my bag on the carpet

at the crossroads in a building on the menu

at the front desk in the classroom on a page

Now take a look at this second table to see how sometimes these prepositions don’t
follow the rules:

at in on

at home in a car on a bus

at work in a taxi on a train

at school in a helicopter on a plane

at university in a boat on a ship

at college in the ocean on a bicycle, on a

motorbike

at the end of the lesson in the newspaper on the way

at last in the sky on the radio, on television

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at the side in a row on the left, on the right

The last table shows how these three prepositions can be used to talk or write about
time.

at (a particular time) in (a long period) on (a day or date)

at 5 pm in the first term on the 10th of January

at 6 o’clock in June on March 1st

at breakfast in 2015 on the last day of the

holidays

at midnight in the time of the dinosaurs on Sunday

Sorting Out
Task 1 - Complete the cloze passage
Using these tables as a reference, now work with your partner to try to complete the
following cloze fill exercise using at, in and on:

One day, Hasmi and his family decided that they wanted to visit Tungku Beach. They all

got_____ the car and left for the beach. It took quite a long time to get to the beach,

because they had to stop _______ traffic lights a few times. Once they were ______

Tungku Beach, Hasmi and his brother decided that they wanted to play football ______

the sand. After playing football, they felt hot, so they decided to go for a swim ______

the sea. Their swimming costumes were _______ their backpack, so they put them on.

Their mother told them to put a hat _______ their heads, so they wore hats as well. Then

they went to play _______ the water.

______ the way back home _______ their car, their father needed to stop _______ the

petrol station to put some fuel _______ the car. Hasmi went ________ the shop there

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and bought some snacks to eat with his family ________ the car. They arrived back

_______ their house _______ about 6pm.

Now compare your own answers to the correct answers below:

One day, Hasmi and his family decided that they wanted to visit Tungku Beach. They all

got in the car and left for the beach. It took quite a long time to get to the beach, because

they had to stop at traffic lights a few times. Once they were at Tungku Beach, Hasmi and

his brother decided that they wanted to play football on the sand. After playing football,

they felt hot, so they decided to go for a swim in the sea. Their swimming costumes were

in their backpack, so they put them on. Their mother told them to put a hat on their

heads, so they wore hats as well. Then they went to play in the water.

On the way back home in their car, their father needed to stop at the petrol station to

put some fuel in the car. Hasmi went in the shop there and bought some snacks to eat

with his family in the car. They arrived back at their house at about 6pm.

Going Further!
Task 2 - Complete the cloze passage
Now try to complete this cloze passage using at, in and on.
Try to complete it by yourself and without looking at the tables above:

Usually ___________ Saturdays, my friends and I will go to watch a movie __________

Times Square. We usually travel to Times Square __________ my mother's car with my

mother driving. My mother will stop by _________ my friends’ houses to pick them up.
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Once we arrive __________ the cinema, we always buy some popcorn and drinks

________ the food counter. After that, we go into the cinema to sit ________ our seats

to get ready for the movie.

Sometimes, if we have enough time, we will also go bowling __________ the bowling

alley. It's fun to write our names into the computer so that it will display those names up

_______ the television screen. There are not many bowling alleys _________ Brunei, so

we don't often get to go bowling.

Now compare your own answers to the correct answers below:

Usually on Saturdays, my friends and I will go to watch a movie at Times Square. We

usually travel to Times Square in my mother's car with my mother driving. My mother will

stop by at my friends’ houses to pick them up. Once we arrive at the cinema, we always

buy some popcorn and drinks at the food counter. After that, we go into the cinema to sit

on our seats to get ready for the movie.

Sometimes, if we have enough time, we will also go bowling at the bowling alley. It's fun

to write our names into the computer so that it will display those names up on the

television screen. There are not many bowling alleys in Brunei, so we don't often get to

go bowling.

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