[Grammar] preposition

[keen learner]

When do you use "I'm at school."&"I'm in school."

 

[SoothingDave]

"I'm at school" means that you are physically located at the school.

"I'm in school" means that you are presently enrolled in the school, pursuing an education. You need not be physically at the school to say this.

"I'm in the school" would mean you were physically inside the school building.

 

[bhaisahab]

"I'm at school" means that you are physically located at the school.

"I'm in school" means that you are presently enrolled in the school, pursuing an education. You need not be physically at the school to say this.

"I'm in the school" would mean you were physically inside the school building.

"I'm in school" means that you are presently enrolled in the school, pursuing an education. You need not be physically at the school to say this.
In BrE "I'm at school" means the same as "I'm in school" in AmE.
​

 

[keen learner]

"I'm in school" means that you are presently enrolled in the school, pursuing an education. You need not be physically at the school to say this.
In BrE "I'm at school" means the same as "I'm in school" in AmE.
​

Thanks.
What do you say in BrE. when you want to say that your a physically present in school?
Is it "I'm in school"?
I have been taught that you say "I'm at school" if you are a student and are physically present in the school and studying there at that moment and
"I am at the school" when you are in the school premises, maybe, as a visitor or a teacher anyone other than a student.
Please clarify.
Thanks.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks.
What do you say in BrE. when you want to say that your a physically present in school?
Is it "I'm in school"?
I have been taught that you say "I'm at school" if you are a student and are physically present in the school and studying there at that moment and
"I am at the school" when you are in the school premises, maybe, as a visitor or a teacher anyone other than a student.
Please clarify.
Thanks.

In BrE, we use "I'm at school" to mean both our physical location and also that we are still in continuous education. The context would make it clear which one we mean.

- Where are you?
- I'm at school. It's 10.30am. Where else would I be?!

- Where do you work?
- I don't work. I'm [still] at school.

 

[keen learner]

In BrE, we use "I'm at school" to mean both our physical location and also that we are still in continuous education. The context would make it clear which one we mean.

- Where are you?
- I'm at school. It's 10.30am. Where else would I be?!

- Where do you work?
- I don't work. I'm [still] at school.

Thanks a lot.
Please clarify my second Query too.
"I'm at the school." Is it correct and is used in the same context as i have mentioned in my previous post?

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks a lot.
Please clarify my second Query too.
"I'm at the school." Is it correct and is used in the same context as i have mentioned in my previous post?

If you want to refer to the building you're in and you're not a teacher or a student there, then yes, you could say "I'm at the school" (provided the listener knows which school you're talking about).

 

[keen learner]

If you want to refer to the building you're in and you're not a teacher or a student there, then yes, you could say "I'm at the school" (provided the listener knows which school you're talking about).

Thank you.
Would this hold true for the employees(anyone working at school) of the school like the office staff etc.

 

[keen learner]

If you want to refer to the building you're in and you're not a teacher or a student there, then yes, you could say "I'm at the school" (provided the listener knows which school you're talking about).

This means that anyone working/studying and teaching at school will say "I'm at school" whereas an outsider would say "I'm at the school." to indicate his location.
Please clarify.
Thanks

 

[emsr2d2]

This means that anyone working/studying and teaching at school will say "I'm at school" whereas an outsider would say "I'm at the school." to indicate his location.
Please clarify.
Thanks

I wouldn't expect an employee (ie a cleaner or a cook) employed by the school to use either "I'm at school" or "I'm at the school". I would expect them to say "I'm at work"!

To clarify:

- A student could say "I'm at school" to indicate that they are in the school building during the school day, during the time of lessons.
- A student could say "I'm at school" to indicate that they are in full-time education, not working.
- A student could say "I'm at the school" to indicate their physical location, but outside of school hours (perhaps they are there for an evening drama rehearsal or an awards ceremony).
- A teacher could say "I'm at school" or "I'm at work" to indicate that they are in the building doing their normal job.
- An employee who is not a teacher would probably say "I'm at work".

 

[bhaisahab]

This means that anyone working/studying and teaching at school will say "I'm at school" whereas an outsider would say "I'm at the school." to indicate his location.
Please clarify.
Thanks

Yes, if there is only one school nearby and it's obvious which school they mean.

 

[keen learner]

:up:Thanks for all your help and patience.
So same will hold true in case of at church,at hospital,at prison?

 

[keen learner]

I wouldn't expect an employee (ie a cleaner or a cook) employed by the school to use either "I'm at school" or "I'm at the school". I would expect them to say "I'm at work"!

To clarify:

- A student could say "I'm at school" to indicate that they are in the school building during the school day, during the time of lessons.
- A student could say "I'm at school" to indicate that they are in full-time education, not working.
- A student could say "I'm at the school" to indicate their physical location, but outside of school hours (perhaps they are there for an evening drama rehearsal or an awards ceremony).
- A teacher could say "I'm at school" or "I'm at work" to indicate that they are in the building doing their normal job.
- An employee who is not a teacher would probably say "I'm at work".

:up: Thanks a lot.

 

[bhaisahab]

:up:Thanks for all your help and patience.
So same will hold true in case of at church,at hospital,at prison?

No, I'm afraid not. We say "at church" but , if we are resident (an inmate), we say "in hospital" and "in prison".

 

[emsr2d2]

[STRIKE][/STRIKE][STRIKE]:up:[/STRIKE] Thanks for all your help and patience.[STRIKE][/STRIKE]
So does the same [STRIKE]will[/STRIKE] hold true in the case of "at church", "at hospital", "at prison"?

Please see my amendments to your post in red. Remember to put a space after a comma.

1) Church. To describe one's physical location when attending worship, you can say "I'm at church" or "I'm in church". If you are simply inside a church, say "I'm in a/the church".

2) Hospital. If you are a patient who is being treated in a hospital then say "I'm in hospital". If you are visiting the hospital for a short appointment after which you will go home, you would say "I'm at the hospital". A doctor or nurse on duty would say "I'm at work" or "I'm on duty" or, to describe physical location, simply "I'm at the hospital".

3) Prison. If you are an inmate (ie a convicted criminal serving a sentence), then you say "I'm in prison". A prison warden or other employee would say "I'm at work" or, for physical location, "I'm at the prison".

 

[keen learner]

Thanks.
Do we say"I am going to hospital." when go as patient to avail it's services and "I am going to the hospital to meet my friend whose admitted there." when we refer to the hospital as a building?

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Keen Learner:

Like other members, I have been following your thread with great interest. The posters have really helped me to better understand

the different meanings. It is so confusing to me, too.

I just wanted to emphasize two points:

(a) I think that if Americans want you to know that they are students, then they would say "I am in school."

(i) But if you asked Mr. and Mrs. John Doe where their daughter was, they might answer: "Oh, she's away at school in

another country. She will be returning home for Christmas vacation."

(b) I am 99.99% confident that all Americans say "I am in the hospital." "I am in hospital" sounds weird to most

Americans. (Of course, Americans love TV dramas from the United Kingdom, so maybe some day they will start dropping the

definite article.)


*****

I am really glad that you want to learn prepositions. Just remember one thing: the only way to learn them is by reading and listening.

And don't forget: they differ from country to country (and sometimes within the same country):

The U.K.: I live in Maple Street.
The U.S.A.: I live on Maple Street.

The American state of California: I stand in line.
The American state of New York: I stand on line.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

 

[keen learner]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****





*****

I am really glad that you want to learn prepositions. Just remember one thing: the only way to learn them is by reading and listening.

And don't forget: they differ from country to country (and sometimes within the same country):

The U.K.: I live in Maple Street.
The U.S.A.: I live on Maple Street.

The American state of California: I stand in line.
The American state of New York: I stand on line.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Thanks for the inputs.
Which of the two is correct?
I live on Mahatma Gandhi road.
I live in Mahatma Gandhi road.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks.
Do we say "I am going to hospital" when I go as a patient to avail myself of [STRIKE]it's[/STRIKE] its services and "I am going to the hospital to meet my friend [STRIKE]whose[/STRIKE] who's admitted there" when we refer to the hospital as a building?

Hospital is a complicated one! In BrE:

I'm going to the hospital to pick up my friend.
I'm going to pick my friend up from the hospital. (If the friend has been there for a brief appointment or is simply waiting outside the building.)
I'm going to pick my friend up from hospital. (If the friend has been an in-patient, kept overnight or longer.)

Note my amendments in red again, particularly to "its" and "who's".

 

[bhaisahab]

Thanks for the inputs.
Which of the two is correct?
I live on Mahatma Gandhi road.
I live in Mahatma Gandhi road.

In BrE it's "in".