In/at school

Status
Not open for further replies.

IlmatawTam

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Hi, what's the difference between in/at?

For example, when do we say "in school" and "at school"?
Thank you!
 

RonBee

Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
We usually use "at" to denote a specific location.
.
Q: Where are you?
A: I'm at school.

:)
 

Linguist__

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
(Not a teacher)

We usually use "at" to denote a specific location.
.
Q: Where are you?
A: I'm at school.
:)

Perhaps it's just bad use of language, or American English vs. British English, but I find both 'in' and 'at' interchangeable in this case, and most other cases of places I can think of.

"I met my friend at the pub", "I met my friend in the pub". I can't see any difference/problem with using either.

I can see that 'school' doesn't require the article, but even so; "What did you do in school today?" sounds just as correct to me as "What did you do at school today?".

Unless I just think I hear it!
 

sarat_106

Key Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Oriya
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
We usually use "at" to denote a specific location.
.
Q: Where are you?
A: I'm at school.
:)

I agree fully with RonBee, "I'm at..." refers to a specific, absolute location. This is what most teachers teach in early lessons on preposition. I am at Paris does not make any sense, you should rather say I am in Paris.(within the perimeter or boundary of Paris). You could also say: I am at the Eiffel tower in Paris.
Let us try to understand the intrinsic differences between the two words which make the meaning clear: If I'm in the river, I'm either swimming and wet or I'm in (or on) a boat. If I'm at the river, I'm probably on the bank or really on land near the river.

I am at school means near the school which is invariably outside may be at the gate..

I am in school. means inside the school which is always within and not outside..
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I am at school means near the school which is invariably outside may be at the gate..

I am in school. means inside the school which is always within and not outside..

No, I can't agree with this at all. "I'm at the school" or "I'm at the pub" or "I'm at the church" can certainly mean inside. It's a less general location.

The real difference is I'm at school versus I'm at the school, or I'm at church versus I'm at the church.

Without the article, you're there to attend, participate. With the article, it's just a building.

But if you say "Where's Mary?" and the answer is "She's in/at school" (or she's in/at church) there's not a lot of difference.
 
Last edited:

The French

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
French
Home Country
France
Current Location
France
Hello Barbara,

You wrote:

The real difference is I'm at school versus I'm at the school, or I'm at church versus I'm at the church.

Without the article, you're there to attend, participate. With the article, it's just a building.

I have just read your answer and I am a little perplex, you are telling us that you are in the building when you say: ' I am at school' . I have always learnt that the preposition 'at' is used to show a special location and the other preposition 'in' it's for things or somebody who are in building or house.

Do you believe , I'm wrong?

See you later on the forum or in forum?:-D
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
In BrE we usually say "at school" to mean studying at a primary or secondary level educational establishment. For example, "Where is John today?", "He's at school".
 
Last edited:

The French

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
French
Home Country
France
Current Location
France
In BrE we usually say "at school" to means studying at a primary or secondary level educational establishment. For example, "Where is John today?", "He's at school".

Good afternoon teacher,

I have read this "little struggle" about the use of these two prepositions and sometimes people use 'at' to show us that the person is outside a house or a construction, but I can see it depends of the countries.

If I summarize the different uses of 'at' and 'in', I think it's better to have a bigger article or extract of the whole text, to see clearly the meaning of the writer. Like in French, we can find in writting text 'Je suis à (at) l'école' and 'Je suis dans (in) l'école'.

It seems to me that the border line between these two words isn't very tall.

I like precision but in this case, I prefer stay with my perception of both words.

Thanks for you reply and have snowy day.:-D
 

Linguist__

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
I believe this is one of those situations where you cannot stick to your rules of prepositions and what they mean or how they differ form one another.

Saying, "he's at school" certainly doesn't mean he is outside the building; it means the same as "he's in school" or even less ambiguous - "he's attending school".

The same can be said of many prepositions - rules for differentiating aren't rules, merely guidelines. Why, for example, are you in a car, but on a bus?
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Why, for example, are you in a car, but on a bus?

Because buses were originally single or double decker, open topped forms of trasport.
 

RonBee

Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
The word "at" can be used to indicate the inside of a building (or other structure) or the the outside (near) a building (or other structure).
.

Q: Where were you?
A: I was at the library. (Inside)

A: Where are you?
A: I'm at the library. (Outside)

:)
 

Linguist__

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
'On' for commercial airliners.
'In' for private planes/light aircraft.
'Be up in a plane' = fixed expression
ESL Forums • View topic - on the plane or in the plane

Wow, I was kind of saying 'in' for private transport (car, taxi, private plane) and 'on' for public as a joke. It seems to be somewhat valid!

There are occasion where it is very clear - on a bed vs. in a bed.

However, even after 18 years of speaking English, there are still times I don't know which to use - in a hammock, on a hammock, is one example.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Why are you in a boat, but on a ship?

When we are in a boat, we are in a hollow space formed by the hull of the boat. When we are on a ship, we are on a deck. That's my take on it ayway.
 

RonBee

Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I've been on a boat. And I've been on a train. However, I have never flown on a plane.

:)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top