At city

[Xinfu]

Based on

15/11/16 J
-At a seaside resort city just a few hundred miles from the Syrian border, a moment of silence was held to honour the victims of the attack.

could we use say at New York, at London, etc.?

[Rusty]

Yes.

[Xinfu]

Thanks. But do you mean 'at' can be used even in general situations? Non-general situations include:

-I was on a plane heading to New York. We stopped at London. (referring to London as if London is a single point that we can stop at)

I had that question because my non-native teacher many decades ago told us at with cities is not possible in modern English.

[poli]

Your teacher probably thought in was better than at, but if you stopping at London (as in Heathrow), at is better than in.

[Rusty]

I had that question because my non-native teacher many decades ago told us at with cities is not possible in modern English.Your teacher of yesteryear was mistaken.

[Xinfu]

Your teacher probably thought in was better than at, but if you stopping at London (as in Heathrow), at is better than in.

Thanks.
But do you mean 'at' can be used even in general situations?

[Rusty]

Yes.

[poli]

When the city is referred to as a specific place like an airport or train station, at should be used. If it's the city in general, your teacher was right. and in is best.

[Xinfu]

Excellent answers. Thank you.