in on or at?

[Valdazzar]

I 've got an example in ACCESS 4 book (Express Publishing)

Mary lives ________ Park Street, close to the bank.
a) in b)on c) at

The answer that the book provides is a.

On page 13 it has got 2 examples.
I live at 67 Queen Street
BUT in Queen Street

Then on page 15 has got one more exercise that says:
They go shopping along/on Marylebone High Street...

and the right answer is on.

What do we usually say when we live in a street?
I live in magic street or on magic street?

Is there a misprint?

[DamianWarS]

hmm... I will admit I probably am guilty of using them all at one time or another. But if I really thought about it I think "on" seems like the most correct answer.

Mary lives on Park Street.
Mary lives on Park Street, in a cardboard box.
Mary lives on Park Street, in a cardboard box, at house number 67.

Lets pretend the streets of a city were like the branches of a tree and their homes were nests located all over the tree on different branches. Each branch has a different name and each nest has a different number just like streets and houses in a city. Lets also say Mary is a robin.

Mary the robin lives on the branch. She doesn't live in the branch nor at the branch she lives on the branch. Now lets say her nest was number 67 on the branch named "Park". Because we use a number it acts like a marker or point of reference and so we use "at". Mary the robin lives at nest number 67 on Park branch. Mary the robin's nest is her home and she lives in her home. So Mary the robin lives in her nest at number 67 on Park branch.

[Mordant]

In American English, it is definitely correct to say you live on a street. You will not see "in" used in that context. If you are in the street, you are literally on that road physically. The children play in the street. "In the streets" is also a term that means someone is living as a degenerate or is homeless. It's a shame what happened to Sally. She was a sweet girl with so much promise. Now she's just living in the streets.

[Cristina.ro]

Hi,

If my memory serves me well, Alan once said that British people would use in to indicate that someone lives __ a certain street.

Mary lives in Park Street, close to the bank -- would be correct in British English, then.

:-)
_________________
Just remember... if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off!

[Valdazzar]

Thank you all, especially the native speakers. See you around!

[Cristina.ro]

[Valdazzar]

Even though the example is not the same (but similar) it is useful, thanks

[Cristina.ro]