B1Prepositions

Bed / Home / Work / Town

What is it?

BED, HOME, WORK, and TOWN have special preposition rules. BED: "go to bed" (no article), "in bed" (lying down); HOME: "go home" / "come home" (NO to), but "at home" (location); WORK: "go to work" / "at work" (location), "start work" (NO preposition); TOWN: "in town" (within town limits), "go to town" / "into town". Key patterns: Movement verbs (go/come) + home = NO preposition ("go home" ✓, not "go to home"*). But location: AT home, AT work, IN bed, IN town. Articles often omitted with these words in fixed expressions.

How to form it

Subject	Positive	Negative	Question
BED - movement	go to bed, get into bed, put someone to bed	not used	Time to go to bed?
BED - location	in bed (lying), on the bed (sitting), by the bed	not in bed	Are you in bed?
HOME - movement	go home, come home, get home, arrive home (NO to)	not used	When do you go home?
HOME - location	at home, stay at home, work from home	not at home	Are you at home?
WORK - movement	go to work, get to work, leave for work	not used	When do you go to work?
WORK - location/activity	at work, start work (no prep), finish work (no prep)	not at work	Are you at work?
TOWN - location/movement	in town (within), go to town, into town, out of town	not in town	Are you in town?

• HOME: go/come/get/arrive home (NO to!) | at home (location)
• BED: go to bed (movement) | in bed (lying down) | on the bed (sitting on surface)
• WORK: go to work (movement) | at work (location) | start/finish work (no prep)
• TOWN: in town (within limits) | go to town / into town (movement)
• Articles often omitted: go to bed (not: go to the bed*), at home (not: at the home*)
• Exception: WITH articles when specific → "I'm going to the office" (specific place)
• HOME after movement verbs = no 'to' → go home, come home, get home
• Compare: go to school/church/hospital (WITH to) vs go home (WITHOUT to)

When to use it

1
HOME — movement verbs WITHOUT "to"
"go home" / "come home" / "get home" / "arrive home" / "drive home" (NOT: go to home*)
2
HOME — location WITH "at"
"at home" / "stay at home" / "work from home" / "Are you at home?" / "I'm not at home."
3
BED — movement WITH "to", location "in"
Movement: "go to bed" / "get into bed" | Location: "in bed" (lying) / "on the bed" (sitting)
4
WORK — movement WITH "to", location "at", activity WITHOUT prep
Movement: "go to work" | Location: "at work" | Activity: "start work" / "finish work" (no prep)
5
TOWN — "in" for location, "to/into" for movement
"in town" (within town) / "go to town" / "go into town" / "Are you in town?" / "out of town"

Common mistakes

go to home

go home

Don't use TO with HOME after movement verbs (go, come, get, arrive).

I'm in home.

I'm at home.

Use AT home for location, not IN home.

go to the bed

go to bed

Don't use article THE with bed in fixed expressions like 'go to bed'.

start to work / finish to work

start work / finish work

Don't use TO with start/finish before WORK (as activity).

Quick reference

HOME: go home (NO to!) | at home (location)
BED: go to bed (movement, no article) | in bed (lying) | on the bed (sitting)
WORK: go to work (movement) | at work (location) | start/finish work (no prep)
TOWN: in town (location) | go to town / into town (movement)
Movement + home = NO to → go home, come home, arrive home
Location = AT home, AT work | IN bed, IN town
No articles in fixed expressions: go to bed, at work (not: the bed, the work)

Natural conversation example

Planning the day

Tom

What time do you go to work?

Lisa

I start work at 9am. I usually get to work around 8:45.

Tom

When do you go home?

Lisa

I finish work at 5pm, then I go straight home.

Tom

Are you in town this weekend?

Lisa

No, I'm going out of town. But I'll be at home next week!

Tom

Great! I usually go to bed early, but we can meet for coffee.

Practice Exercises

Complete with correct preposition (or no preposition).

1.
I go home at 5pm. (movement, use 0 for no prep)
2.
I'm home. (location)
3.
I go bed at 10pm. (movement)
4.
I'm bed. (lying down)
5.
I go work at 8am. (movement)
6.
I'm work. (location)

Preposition Collocations All Topics By / With Reflexive Pronouns

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