in or at?

[blouen]

Is it in the office or at the office?

[Harry Smith]

Is it in the office or at the office?

I'd say:in the office.

[esltutor]

It depends on the rest of the sentence. If you are talking about the office as a place of work, then I'd say "at the office."

For example:

Q. Where's John?
A1. He's at work.
A2. He's at the office.

Q1. What time do you have to be at work?
Q2. What time do you have to be at the office?
A. I have to be at work/at the office by 9am.

If the office is one of the rooms in my house, for example, and someone asks me, "Where's the copy machine?" I'd reply, "It's in the office."


Debra
Teaching ESL to Adults

[blouen]

It depends on the rest of the sentence. If you are talking about the office as a place of work, then I'd say "at the office."

For example:

Q. Where's John?
A1. He's at work.
A2. He's at the office.

Q1. What time do you have to be at work?
Q2. What time do you have to be at the office?
A. I have to be at work/at the office by 9am.

If the office is one of the rooms in my house, for example, and someone asks me, "Where's the copy machine?" I'd reply, "It's in the office."


Debra
Teaching ESL to Adults

Thanks,

One of my students asked me this and I gave him the same answer, I just want to make sure I gave him the right answer. I'm not so familiar with the grammar rules still and it helps to be here.