On/In

[Mister Nutty]

Hi,

Is it correct to say "She left her purse on the bus."?

[Anglika]

Hi,

Is it correct to say "She left her purse on the bus."?

Absolutely correct

[Mister Nutty]

Absolutely correct

Thank you very much Anglika. Can you also tell me what connotation will it have if I use 'in' in place of 'on'?

[Anglika]

Nothing in particular - save that it is not a natural collocation.

You leave something in a car [a private vehicle ] or on the bus/train/boat [public transport]

[Mister Nutty]

Nothing in particular - save that it is not a natural collocation.

You leave something in a car [a private vehicle ] or on the bus/train/boat [public transport]

Thank you again very much, Anglika. Is this rule just valid for leaving something or do we always use 'on' for 'bus'? Actually, I have heard people say "She sat with me in the bus.", so I am slightly confused.

As a non-native English speaker, I don't think I would ever be able to master English; especially prepositions and articles.

[tzfujimino]

As a non-native English speaker, I don't think I would ever be able to master English; especially prepositions and articles.

Hi, Mister Nutty!
Same here!

[Clark]

I think I've seen both 'on the train, etc.' and 'in the train, etc.'
I arrived on the 5 o'clock train. (not 'in')
I left my umbrella on/in the train.
She came in this minibus. (not 'on')

'On' is associated with a platform, while 'in' refers to an object inside some enclosed space. But some things can be interpreted both as platforms and enclosed space, which causes all those fluctuations. I'm sure there are other factors that matter when you make a choice between these two prepositions.

[Mister Nutty]

I think if you're traveling on the upper deck of a bus, you use 'on', otherwise 'in' eh?

[rj1948]

I think if you're traveling on the upper deck of a bus, you use 'on', otherwise 'in' eh?

Sorry to intrvene,
While travelling,you are on the train/ on the bus.While you are waiting in the platform, the train arrives on the platfom. When the train is stationary, you are inside the train.You are at the ticket counter in the station .Where are you now?I am at the station.

Regards,
rj1948.

[David L.]

Hang on chaps. These ideas and reasons you are coming up with as 'rules' to sort out 'in' from 'on' are not valid - it's not to do with platforms.

We ride on public transport.
We leave things on the bus.

In the sentence:
"She sat with me in the bus."
compare:
At school, he sits with me in class.
Here, 'at' is giving the general location and 'in' refers specifically to inside the classroom.
So:
We got on the bus. She sat in the seat next to me. She sat with me in (inside) the bus, after (of course) we had got on the bus.

but we could also say, 'She sat with me on the bus' = while we were on the bus, we sat next to each other. You are not especially pointing out, for some reason, that you are inside the bus. For example:
Two people standing next to their tourist coach (bus). One says, "It's too hot. Let's get back in the bus where it's cooler." Here, I am specifically using 'in' - outside here it's too hot - let's get back in the bus, inside where the air conditioning is cool.

We sit in a car/take a ride in a car/give me a lift in your car.
The train will be arriving at platform 9 3/4 - the Hogwarts Express.
He left his umbrella on the train...
but
He left his umbrella in the Sleeping Car of the Orient Express.

RJ wrote:
While travelling,you are on the train/ on the bus.While you are waiting in the platform, the train arrives on the platfom. When the train is stationary, you are inside the train.You are at the ticket counter in the station .Where are you now?I am at the station.

While travelling, you are on the train/ on the bus.While you are waiting on the platform, the train arrives at((general location) the platfom. When the train is stationary (or moving), you are inside the train. You are at the ticket counter in the station .Where are you now? I am at the station.