write 'at/on/in' the corner of the page [ paper ] (2025)

Every time I buy a new book, I write my name

the right-hand corner of the first page.

Hi,

Which prep. fits best in the above and why? Thanks.

bamboo--tw said:

Every time I buy a new book, I write my name

in/at/on

the right-hand corner of the first page.

Hi,

Which prep. fits best in the above and why? Thanks.

Click to expand...

"On" because you are writing "on" the page. You are not writing "at" the page. You are not writing "in" the page.

Dimcl said:

"On" because you are writing "on" the page. You are not writing "at" the page. You are not writing "in" the page.

Click to expand...

That's intriguing - I'd say "in".

In the corner.

In the top right-hand corner.

In the bottom right-hand corner.

Loob said:

That's intriguing - I'd say "in".

In the corner.

In the top right-hand corner.

In the bottom right-hand corner.

Click to expand...

I agree. As the place is specified, you write in that particular space (which happens to be on the page).

The way I see it is that whichever way you express it, it's in the corner because it's inside the 90° angle. You only use at or on the corner when referring to the outside angle. So:

In the corner of the page or the room =

------------------
....................IN..|
.........................|
.........................|
.........................|
.........................|

Whereas on the corner of the street or at the corner of the building =

------------------ ON/AT
.........................|
.........................|
.........................|
.........................|
.........................|

The picture is 'I write "Hello" at/along the top right corner of my notepad.' (on the top right corner doesn't work here.)

The picture is 'I write "Hello" on the top right corner of my notepad.' (at/along the top right corner also work here.)

Do I understand it correctly?

Thank you.

Keith Bradford said:

In such (very odd!) cases, you might say "around".

Click to expand...

In my opinion, at indicates a general area and along can be inside or outside, but on the corner means the area very close to and including the vertical surface (similar to on the edge of a cliff).

Can I say I write Hello on the top right corner in the first picture? Would people think about the same thing no matter I use at or on?

I know they are odd. Thank you for your response.

Loob said:

I don't understand what you've done in the first picture. You seem to have written a sequence of letters on a sheet of paper which you've placed underneath your notepad. Is that what you've done? And if so ... why?

Click to expand...

I put my notepad on a sheet and wrote 'Hello' along its top right corner on the sheet.

Loob said:

Erm - why?.

Click to expand...

Want to know how people will describe that and if my understanding about prepositions is correct.