in/on the bed

[sitifan]

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/as...0-bed-bed.html
"He is in bed sleeping." - he is lying between the sheets, usually with no street clothes on - the usual 'going to bed at night'.

"He is on the bed sleeping." - he is lying on top of the bed-covers (though he may have a rug or blanket over him. He may still be fully clothed except for his shoes.

If you say, "He is sleeping on the bed" (changing the order of the words), you are emphasizing that it is the 'bed' and not the couch or settee or some other alternative.

[Soup]

1. He is sleeping in bed.
2. He is sleeping in the bed.
3. He is sleeping on bed.
4. He is sleeping on the bed.

[sarat_106]

1. He is sleeping in bed. = He is sleeping under the covers. (no reference to a particular bed)
2. He is sleeping in the bed. = He is sleeping under the covers in a particular bed.
4. He is sleeping on the bed. = he is sleeping on top of the covers on a particular bed.
If I want to say that someone is sleeping on top of the covers, but I don't want to specify that he is on a particular bed. What should I say?

He is sleeping on a bed.

[sarat_106]

He is sleeping in a bed.
Is the above sentence acceptable?

Yes.

[Soup]

If I want to say that someone is sleeping on top of the covers, but I don't want to specify that he is on a particular bed, what should I say?

You would use on the bed; e.g., He is sleeping on the bed as opposed to on the floor. Compare that with, He is sleeping on the bed in the guest room, wherein in the added phrase in the guest room defines the by telling us which bed in particular.

[Soup]

1. He is sleeping in bed.
2. he is sleeping in a bed.
3. He is sleeping in the bed.
4. He is sleeping on bed.
5. He is sleeping on a bed.
6. He is sleeping on the bed.

[bhaisahab]

1. He is sleeping in bed, not on the floor.
2. He is sleeping in the bed, not on the floor.
3. He is sleeping on the bed, not on the floor.
#1 and #3 are correct, #2 is incorrect. Am I right?

2. is also correct.

[Soup]

What's the difference in meaning between #1 and #2?

1. is odd. It'd make more sense to say, He's sleeping in bed, not in his chair, as he usually sleeps in his chair.

1. He is sleeping in bed, not on the floor.
2. He is sleeping in the bed, not on the floor.

As for 2., emphasis is on "the bed, not the floor"; e.g., a child likes to sleep on the floor, but tonight, and after a lot of coaching, he is sleeping in his bed.

[Soup]

What's the context?