Prepositions

[bunnyhita]

Hello and Happy 4th of July!
Before I begin to enjoy the festivities of our independence day I have a question. Could you please help me with list of prepositions that i have found on an English web-site listed below? I would like to know if there happens to be a method to the madness, or in another words is there a rule when saying in the class or at the class??? For example why don't we say in the office? also, do you know of a website that may have a more extensive list?

Thank you!!


IN
(the) bed*
the bedroom
the car
(the) class*
the library*
school*
AT
class*
home
the library*
the office
school*
work
ON
the bed*
the ceiling
the floor
the horse
the plane
the train
NO PREPOSITION
downstairs
downtown
inside
outside
upstairs
uptown

* You may sometimes use different prepositions for these locations.

[Tdol]

This site is brilliant for examples: http://view.byu.edu/

[bunnyhita]

Thank you for answeirng my question. However, i am having a hard time searching through that site. It is a little complicated for me so I need some time to figure it all out. Thank you so much again for your help!

[Tdol]

Basically, it searches a huge database and gives you examples. If you want to search for a combination of words, then use the Search Anchor/Target boxes. I put 'school as the target and 'prep' as the anchor. This gives all combinations of a preposition with 'school'. If you try it, you'll see that 'at' and 'in' are both very popular choices, if you then click on the words, you'll see the examples. It may look a bit difficult at first, but it is well worth exploring. Try 'school'. The simplest search is simply to put 'school' and search for word or phrase. Let me know how you get on.

[Casiopea]

"in" is short for inside:

inside the covers of the bed
inside the four walls of the bedroom
inside the cabin of the car
inside the four walls of the classroom
inside the four walls of the library
inside the four walls of the school

"at" refers to a general location:

at class (could be inside or outside)
at home (could be inside or outside)
at the library (could be inside or outside)
at the office (could be in your own office or somewhere else in the building)
at school (could be in a classroom or somewhere else in/out of the school)
at work (synonym for 'office', but never "in work")

"on" is short for on the top of the _____ surface:

on top of the bed's surface, on the top of the room's surface (i.e., the ceiling), on the top of the floor's surface, on top of the horse's back,
on top of the plane's / train's inner surface (i.e., its floorboard).

Note, if you walk onto a vehicle, use "on", and if you have to bend down to get into a vehicle, use "in" (e.g., get on the plane, get in the plane, get in the taxi, ?get on the taxi. It means, get on the roof of the taxi. Get on the bus and Get in the bus (from climb inside).

The following already have prepositioned housed within them, so they don't need a preposition:

downstairs
downtown
inside
outside
upstairs
uptown

[bunnyhita]

Oh, this makes sense! Thank you so much for clarifying my question.

[Casiopea]

You're welcome.