Prepositions – in and at

‘I’ll meet you at the airport’ or ‘I’ll meet you in the airport’?

Reader’s question: Could you please teach me a simple method to remember how and when to use the words in and at appropriately?

For example, which of the following sentences are correct?

I live in/at England Garden.
I am in/at the airport.
I am waiting for you at/in the lobby.

Answer:

in

We use in for the names of towns, states, countries etc.

I live in Sydney.

We also use in with spaces.

in a room
in the garden
in the lobby
in the park
in the airport

at

We use at for specific addresses.

I live at England Garden.

We also use at with places.

at the cinema
at the corner
at the airport
at the lobby

So I would say:

I live at England Garden.
I am in/at the airport depending on where I was at the airport.
I am at/in the lobby. I think you can use either in or at.

NB In indicates you are inside the airport, whereas with at you could be standing outside the entrance of the airport.

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