GRAMMAR

preposition of place

8 Complete the following sentences with the right preposition: in, at, to, or on.

1. When I broke my leg, I stayed ______ hospital for a week.
2. Yesterday I went ______ the hospital to visit my aunt.
3. This door should only be opened ______ an emergency.
4. I took my son ______ hospital yesterday. He had a pain in his stomach.
5. I was already ______ bed when the doctor came for the daily visit.
6. I asked for the doctor, but he was ______ the phone.
7. I called for doctor Smith, but he was not ______ work.

In British English you say to hospital or in hospital when you talk about somebody being there as a patient:

- I had to go to hospital. She spent two weeks in hospital.

You say to the hospital or in the hospital when you go there to visit a patient.

• I went to the hospital to visit my uncle.

In American English, you use the article the in both situations.

9 Look at the picture of a hospital room and complete the sentences with the right preposition of place: between, in front of, near, next to, on, over, under.

1. The crutches are ___________________ the bed.
2. The chart is ___________________ the bed.
3. The wheelchair is ___________________ the bed.
4. The bedpan is ___________________ the bed.
5. The bed table is ___________________ the bed.
6. The crutches are ___________________ the bed and the wheelchair.
7. The bed is ___________________ the mattress.