in reception

[thomas615]

No. 1 is said to be correct. Why ?

1) She has just arrived. She is in reception.

2) She has just arrived. She is at reception.

 

[billmcd]

I don't consider either one to be correct. Who "said"?

 

[5jj]

I don't consider either one to be correct. Who "said"?

I, too, am interested in who said. However, I disagree with you on the first part of your response. In BrE, both sentences are possible.

 

[pandovic]

I'm not really sure why but reception is usually a place you're in. I think perhaps that places you're at tend to be more general rather than very specific places. You might be at school, at work, at home, at the doctor's. However, you'd be in the classroom, in the director's office, in the bedroom, in the doctor's surgery. You could be at the office or in the office depending on context . You would be at the desk in reception.

 

[billmcd]

I, too, am interested in who said. However, I disagree with you on the first part of your response. In BrE, both sentences are possible.

I should have been more specific in that I have never heard/read either one. Perhaps it is common only in BrE. Does "in reception" mean that a person is formally receiving another (other) person(s)?

 

[5jj]

I should have been more specific in that I have never heard/read either one. Perhaps it is common only in BrE. Does "in reception" mean that a person is formally receiving another (other) person(s)?

No.

She has just arrived. She is in/at reception.

I understood these to mean that she has just arrived at a hotel. She is in the reception area or at the reception desk. Both of them sound natural to me.

ps. Your last post had me doubting myself, so I checked with COCA. There are several citations for both 'at' and 'in' that appear to fit in with my reading. Phew!

 

[keen learner]

No. 1 is said to be correct. Why ?

1) She has just arrived. She is in reception.

2) She has just arrived. She is at reception.

Don't you require to put "the" before "reception"?

 

[bhaisahab]

Don't you require to put "the" before "reception"?

No, it's not necessary.

 

[billmcd]

No.

She has just arrived. She is in/at reception.

I understood these to mean that she has just arrived at a hotel. She is in the reception area or at the reception desk. Both of them sound natural to me.

ps. Your last post had me doubting myself, so I checked with COCA. There are several citations for both 'at' and 'in' that appear to fit in with my reading. Phew!

OK, thanks. I think in the U.S. one would most often hear, "He's/She's at the reception desk".

 

[keen learner]

No, it's not necessary.

Why isn't "the" necessary,please explain?

Example We don't say: "She's in room/lobby." We say:"She's in the room/lobby." So does the same rule not apply for "reception"?
"She is in the reception(area)." or Can we say:"She's in reception." and it would mean the same as "She's in the reception."?

 

[bhaisahab]

Why isn't "the" necessary,please explain?

Example We don't say: "She's in room/lobby." We say:"She's in the room/lobby." So does the same rule not apply for "reception"?
"She is in the reception(area)." or Can we say:"She's in reception." and it would mean the same as "She's in the reception."?

You can say "She's in reception" or "She's at reception" to mean that she is in the reception area or at the reception desk. "She is at/in the reception" has a different meaning altogether.

 

[keen learner]

You can say "She's in reception" or "She's at reception" to mean that she is in the reception area or at the reception desk. "She is at/in the reception" has a different meaning altogether.

Thanks.
Could you please tell the meaning?
Does that mean that the person is in some wedding reception or some function or an event?

 

[bhaisahab]

Does that mean that the person is in some wedding reception or some function or an event?

Yes, that's right but "at" would be more natural than "in".