in the bus/on the bus

[ngvivian]

Hi sir/madam,
I always come across with the above and don't know how to differentiate them.

Please help .

Thank you.

[Offroad]

People usually say 'Get on the bus'.

I don't know why or whether 'in' would not work. It seems that 'on' is preferable when the vehicle is big, like buses, aeroplanes etc.

[ I am not a teacher]

[AmyYvonne]

How are you using the expression in a sentence?

Could you say, "while riding the bus", or "while entering the bus", or "to enter the bus", or "to ride the bus".

Example: The bus driver motioned for us to enter the bus.
For a moment, I hesitated while boarding the bus.

maybe this helps.

[TheParser]

Hi sir/madam,
I always come across with the above and don't know how to differentiate them.

Please help .

Thank you.

********** NOT A TEACHER **********

Hello, Ngvivian.

(1) Yes, those two words are very confusing.

(2) Here in the United States, people usually say:

ON the bus.

(a) If the bus is not moving, and you are using the bus

as a hotel, then some people say, "I am sleeping in the

bus." But, of course, usually you will just be taking the bus

from one place to another. When I am riding a bus, I often

hear people talking on their cellphones and saying something like:

I'm ON the bus now and I'll be at your place in 15 minutes.

(3) We also say:

ON an airplane, ship, train.

IN a car, small airplane, a small boat.

ON/IN an elevator/ a chair

(4) Just continue reading as much English as you can, and little by

little you will start understanding these words much better.

Thank you