Prepositions can be tricky for English learners. Among them, the preposition “at” is widely used in various fixed expressions. In this guide, you will learn the common prepositional phrases with AT, their meanings, and how they are used in sentences. If you’ve ever wondered why we say “at home” or “at work,” this article will clear your doubts and help you speak more naturally.
What is an appropriate preposition?
An appropriate preposition is the correct preposition that fits naturally with a particular verb, noun, or adjective. Some words are usually followed by specific prepositions. When these combinations are frequently used in English, they form what we call prepositional phrases.
For example, we say
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Good at sports
-
Arrive at the station
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Laugh at a joke
Simple and advanced prepositional phrases that start with “AT”
- At a glance
- At a loss
- At a standstill
- At all costs
- At an angle
- At any rate
- At a distance
- At a discount
- At a high price
- At a low cost
- At a meeting
- At a minimum
- At a party
- At a profit
- At a time
- At a young age
- At an early stage
- At an end
- At an impasse
- At an intersection
- At any cost
- At any given time
- At any moment
- At any price
- At any rate
- At bay
- At bedtime
- At breakneck speed
- At close range
- At ease
- At fault
- At first
- At first glance
- At full speed
- At full strength
- At heart
- At home
- At last
- At least
- At liberty
- At midday
- At midnight
- At most
- At night
- At noon
- At once
- At peace
- At random
- At rest
- At risk
50 Common Prepositional Phrases with “AT”
Below is a list of 50 common prepositional phrases using “at”, along with their meanings and example sentences.
| Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| at home | in one’s house | She is resting at home today |
| at school | in school building | The kids are at school until 3 pm |
| at work | at one’s job | He is at work right now |
| at the moment | currently | I can’t talk at the moment |
| at night | during nighttime | I prefer studying at night |
| at noon | at 12:00 pm | Lunch is ready at noon |
| at dawn | early morning | The birds sing at dawn |
| at dusk | early evening | They arrived at dusk |
| at midnight | at 12:00 am | We heard the noise at midnight |
| at the same time | simultaneously | They spoke at the same time |
| at a loss | unsure or confused | He was at a loss for words |
| at risk | in danger | Smokers are at risk of illness |
| at peace | feeling calm | She feels at peace in nature |
| at war | engaged in conflict | The countries are at war |
| at sea | on a ship | The crew has been at sea for weeks |
| at hand | nearby or ready | Help is at hand if needed |
| at fault | responsible for a mistake | He was at fault in the accident |
| at random | without order | The names were picked at random |
| at least | no less than | Stay at least one hour |
| at best | in the best situation | At best, we’ll arrive by noon |
| at first | in the beginning | At first, I didn’t like it |
| at last | finally | At last, they reached the top |
| at once | immediately | Come here at once |
| at present | currently | At present, I’m learning French |
| at all | to any degree | She doesn’t care at all |
| at times | occasionally | Life is hard at times |
| at ease | relaxed | He feels at ease with them |
| at the door | near the door | Someone is at the door |
| at the top | highest point | She is at the top of her class |
| at the bottom | lowest point | The answer is at the bottom of the page |
| at the beginning | start of something | At the beginning, it was difficult |
| at the end | conclusion | We met at the end of the event |
| at a distance | not nearby | He stood at a distance from the group |
| at a glance | quickly | I understood it at a glance |
| at a price | not free | Success comes at a price |
| at an angle | not straight | The sign was hanging at an angle |
| at length | in detail | She explained it at length |
| at issue | being discussed | The rule at issue is unclear |
| at your service | ready to help | I’m at your service |
| at the airport | location | I met her at the airport |
| at the station | transport point | He arrived at the station late |
| at a party | social event | We met at a party |
| at the scene | location of event | The police were at the scene quickly |
| at a disadvantage | in an unfair position | They are at a disadvantage |
| at a meeting | formal event | She’s at a meeting right now |
| at a standstill | stopped | Traffic was at a standstill |
| at attention | standing still (military) | The soldiers stood at attention |
| at play | active or in use | The new system is at play here |
| at a crossroads | facing a decision | He is at a crossroads in life |
| at the peak | at the highest point | She is at the peak of her career |
FAQs on Common prepositional phrases with AT
1. What is an example of a prepositional phrase at?
A common example is:
“at home” – meaning inside one’s house.
Example: She is staying at home today
2. When to use the preposition “at”?
The preposition “at” is used to show:
-
Place: at the bus stop, at the office
-
Time: at 6 o’clock, at midnight
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Condition or state: at risk, at peace
-
Events or activities: at a concert, at a party
It often points to a specific point in time or location.
3. What are the 20 most common prepositions?
Here are 20 common prepositions used in English:
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at
-
on
-
in
-
by
-
for
-
from
-
of
-
to
-
with
-
about
-
over
-
under
-
through
-
during
-
into
-
after
-
before
-
among
-
between
-
without
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