Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[dido4]

They caught some bees in/on/at/of the hill.

Q1: Which preposition is right?
Q2: Any difference?


Thank you

[redset]

Big difference!

in the hill - inside the hill
on the hill - on top of the hill, or while standing on the hill
at the hill - at the general location of the hill, on top of it or very close to it
of the hill - this is possessive, meaning 'bees that come from the hill' or that 'belong to the hill'

I'd go for on or at, either would work - but on works because the hill is a raised area you can stand on top of, it wouldn't work for say a field (you stand in a field, within its boundaries). At is a more suitable general preposition for saying where an activity takes place.