Of is a preposition.

Of commonly introduces prepositional phrases which are complements of nouns,

creating the pattern: noun + of + noun. This pattern is very common, especially to
indicate different parts, pieces, amounts and groups:

Lima is the capital of Peru.

Twenty-four-hour TV news makes sure we all know the main events of the day.

Would you like some more pieces of toast?

We also commonly use of as a preposition after different adjectives (afraid of,

generous of, proud of) and verbs (approve of, dream of, think of):

I never thought she could take a flight on her own at her age. I feel very proud of her.

Best of luck with the interview tomorrow. We’ll be thinking of you.

We use the structure determiner + of + noun in expressions of quantity:

Most of the new workers in the country are from Turkey.

Some of my best friends are computer scientists.

Of is optional with all, both, half except before the object pronouns me, you, it, him,
her, us, them:

Both (of) the finance ministers have decided to resign.

All of them will be able to travel on the bus.

Not: All them will be able to …

At/on/in

We use at:
● to refer to a position or location which we see as a point:

I was sitting at my desk.

● to talk about locations at companies, workplaces when we see them as a

place of activity:

How many people are working at Microsoft?

● to refer to activities which involve a group of people:

Were you at Lisa’s party? (also at the cinema, at the theatre)

● with school/college/university:

She always did well at school.

● to refer to an address:

They once lived at number 12 South George’s Street.

● to talk about public places where we get treatments, such as a hairdresser’s

or doctor’s surgery:

I can’t meet at four. I’ll be at the hairdresser’s until five.

● to refer to most shops:

Look what I bought at the butcher’s today.

We use on:
● to refer to a position on any surface:

I know I left my wallet on the table.

 ● to describe a position along a road or river or by the sea or by a lake:

Dublin is on the east coast of Ireland.

● to talk about a floor in a building:

They live on the 15th floor!

● to talk about being physically on public transport:

I was on the train when she phoned. (but to talk about ways of travelling, we use by:
I went to Rome by train.)

We use in:
● to talk about locations within a larger area:

I know my book is somewhere in this room. Can anyone see it?

● to talk about workplaces when we see them as a physical location:

She works in an open-plan office. (but we use on when we talk about a farm: I’ve
always wanted to work on a farm.)

● with class:

He found it difficult to concentrate in class.

A/an and the: meaning

A/an and the are articles. They are a type of determiner and they go before a noun.
A/an before a noun shows that what is referred to is not already known to the
speaker, listener, writer and/or reader (it is the indefinite article):

Do you have a car?

A:

Do you live in a house?

B:

No, actually, I live in an apartment.

The before a noun shows that what is referred to is already known to the speaker,
listener, writer and/or reader (it is the definite article):

Where did we park the car? (The speaker and the listener know what car is being
referred to.)

We had to paint the apartment before we sold it. (The speaker and the listener know
what apartment is being referred to.)

When do we use articles?

A/an and the with types of nouns

Countable nouns

We only use a/an with singular countable nouns:

I have a sister and a brother.

That was an excellent meal.

We can use the with singular and plural countable nouns:

The lion roared. The tree fell.

The lions roared. The trees fell.

Uncountable nouns

We don’t use a/an before uncountable nouns:

Could I have rice instead of potatoes with my fish?

Not: Could I have a rice

I hope we have nice weather.

Not: I hope we have a nice weather.

We can use the before uncountable nouns when they refer to a specific example:

The rice we bought in the Thai shop is much better than the supermarket rice.

The weather was awful last summer.

To talk about an individual quantity or more than one quantity of an uncountable

noun, we use expressions such as a bit of, a piece of or a [specific measure] of:

That’s an amazing bit of news.

Not: That’s an amazing news.

We just made a big bowl of pasta.

Not: We just made a pasta.

Could I have a litre of milk, please?

Not: Could I have a milk, please?