In and On

[busy_cat]

Hi,

Here are some sentences that confuse me

1. I am in a bus
2. I am on a train
3. I am on a plane.
4. I am in a car

All are moving vehicle, when to use "in" and "on" ?

Is I am in a plane correct ?

Thanks

 

[Francois]

I believe you are on a bus as well.

FRC

 

[Tdol]

On a bus.

We use in for cars and taxis, and things like motorbikes where we are physicallyon them.;-)

 

[Casiopea]

Hi,

Here are some sentences that confuse me

1. I am in a bus
2. I am on a train
3. I am on a plane.
4. I am in a car

All are moving vehicle, when to use "in" and "on" ?

Is I am in a plane correct ?

Thanks

You can be "on" a bus/train/plane because you can walk upright--walk on board, on top of the vehicles' floor(boards).

You can be "on" a bike because the top of the bike is the seat--sit on top of the seat. You cannot sit in the bike unless, that is, it has a roof.

If you are "on" a car, it means you are standing or sitting on top of the car's roof. The car, you see, doesn't have a space for walking upright--it's floor space is rather limited for walking, so "in" is our only choice.

You can be "in" all four: a car/bus/train/plane because all those vehicles have an inside space.

OTHERS
1. You "get in" a car/bus/train/plane because they all have doorways.
2. You "get on" a bus/train/plane/bike because you climb on board or climb up stairs.
3. You can "get on" a car but it means, on it's roof.
4. You can "get in" a bike only if the bike has a roof.

All the best,

 

[Casiopea]

Hi,

Here are some sentences that confuse me

1. I am in a bus
2. I am on a train
3. I am on a plane.
4. I am in a car

All are moving vehicle, when to use "in" and "on" ?

Is I am in a plane correct ?

Thanks

You can be "on" a bus/train/plane because you can walk upright--walk on board, on top of the vehicles' floor(boards).

You can be "on" a bike because the top of the bike is the seat--sit on top of the seat. You cannot sit in the bike unless, that is, it has a roof.

If you are "on" a car, it means you are standing or sitting on top of the car's roof. The car, you see, doesn't have a space for walking upright--it's floor space is rather limited for walking, so "in" is our only choice.

You can be "in" all four: a car/bus/train/plane because all those vehicles have an inside space.

OTHERS
1. You "get in" a car/bus/train/plane because they all have doorways.
2. You "get on" a bus/train/plane/bike because you climb on board or climb up stairs.
3. You can "get on" a car but it means, on it's roof.
4. You can "get in" a bike only if the bike has a roof.

All the best,

 

[blacknomi]

You are cool, Cas.

Another question.

The fruit is on the tree.
==> The fruit grows from some part of the branch that is part of the tree. So the fruit is on the part of the tree. It makes sense to me.

But the monkey is in the tree. ==> If I apply 'fruit rule' to the mokey, it doesn't make any sense at all. How can be monkey part of the tree? I have some interesting (maybe stupid) questions here.



My Imagination
1. The monkey is playing on the top of the tree.
==> The monkey is indeed sitting on the top, the highest point of the tree. Is that right?

2. The monkey is playing in the top of the tree.
==> If I use 'in' here, that would make me think that the tree has a roof! And the monkey is playing under the lower part below the top.


3. The monkey is jumping on the tree.
==> Again, I have a picture in mind. the moneky is jumping on the top.


4. The monkey is jumping in the tree.
==> They are playing among branches.


I look forward to your answer!

 

[blacknomi]

You are cool, Cas.

Another question.

The fruit is on the tree.
==> The fruit grows from some part of the branch that is part of the tree. So the fruit is on the part of the tree. It makes sense to me.

But the monkey is in the tree. ==> If I apply 'fruit rule' to the mokey, it doesn't make any sense at all. How can be monkey part of the tree? I have some interesting (maybe stupid) questions here.



My Imagination
1. The monkey is playing on the top of the tree.
==> The monkey is indeed sitting on the top, the highest point of the tree. Is that right?

2. The monkey is playing in the top of the tree.
==> If I use 'in' here, that would make me think that the tree has a roof! And the monkey is playing under the lower part below the top.


3. The monkey is jumping on the tree.
==> Again, I have a picture in mind. the moneky is jumping on the top.


4. The monkey is jumping in the tree.
==> They are playing among branches.


I look forward to your answer!

 

[MikeNewYork]

You are cool, Cas.

Another question.

The fruit is on the tree.
==> The fruit grows from some part of the branch that is part of the tree. So the fruit is on the part of the tree. It makes sense to me.

But the monkey is in the tree. ==> If I apply 'fruit rule' to the mokey, it doesn't make any sense at all. How can be monkey part of the tree? I have some interesting (maybe stupid) questions here.



My Imagination
1. The monkey is playing on the top of the tree.
==> The monkey is indeed sitting on the top, the highest point of the tree. Is that right?

2. The monkey is playing in the top of the tree.
==> If I use 'in' here, that would make me think that the tree has a roof! And the monkey is playing under the lower part below the top.


3. The monkey is jumping on the tree.
==> Again, I have a picture in mind. the moneky is jumping on the top.


4. The monkey is jumping in the tree.
==> They are playing among branches.


I look forward to your answer!

Your analysis of the fruit is correct. The fruit is part of the tree, is growing on the tree. The monkey exists in the confines of the space bounded by the tree and its branches.

 

[MikeNewYork]

You are cool, Cas.

Another question.

The fruit is on the tree.
==> The fruit grows from some part of the branch that is part of the tree. So the fruit is on the part of the tree. It makes sense to me.

But the monkey is in the tree. ==> If I apply 'fruit rule' to the mokey, it doesn't make any sense at all. How can be monkey part of the tree? I have some interesting (maybe stupid) questions here.



My Imagination
1. The monkey is playing on the top of the tree.
==> The monkey is indeed sitting on the top, the highest point of the tree. Is that right?

2. The monkey is playing in the top of the tree.
==> If I use 'in' here, that would make me think that the tree has a roof! And the monkey is playing under the lower part below the top.


3. The monkey is jumping on the tree.
==> Again, I have a picture in mind. the moneky is jumping on the top.


4. The monkey is jumping in the tree.
==> They are playing among branches.


I look forward to your answer!

Your analysis of the fruit is correct. The fruit is part of the tree, is growing on the tree. The monkey exists in the confines of the space bounded by the tree and its branches.

 

[Casiopea]

As for the 'fruit' being on the tree, it's exactly what our Man in New York, Mike, has said.

As for 'the money' being in/on the tree, I agree with 1.; I agree with 2. The monkey is playing inside the foliage (the leaves). The leaves form a 3D enclosed space, as Mike has mentioned. As for 3, the monkey is jumping on top of the tree branches or on top of the highest tree branch. I like 4. :lol:

All the best,

 

[Casiopea]

As for the 'fruit' being on the tree, it's exactly what our Man in New York, Mike, has said.

As for 'the money' being in/on the tree, I agree with 1.; I agree with 2. The monkey is playing inside the foliage (the leaves). The leaves form a 3D enclosed space, as Mike has mentioned. As for 3, the monkey is jumping on top of the tree branches or on top of the highest tree branch. I like 4. :lol:

All the best,

 

[blacknomi]

Thanks, our Man in New York. @->--


Sabrina

 

[blacknomi]

Thanks, our Man in New York. @->--


Sabrina

 

[blacknomi]

As for the 'fruit' being on the tree, it's exactly what our Man in New York, Mike, has said.

As for 'the money' being in/on the tree, I agree with 1.; I agree with 2. The monkey is playing inside the foliage (the leaves). The leaves form a 3D enclosed space, as Mike has mentioned. As for 3, the monkey is jumping on top of the tree branches or on top of the highest tree branch. I like 4. :lol:

All the best,

Cas,
I really appreciated of your help. Your kindly agreement adds happiness in a ESL learner's life. And your opinion helps create a more complete picture of all possible postures of "mokey in the tree."

 

[blacknomi]

As for the 'fruit' being on the tree, it's exactly what our Man in New York, Mike, has said.

As for 'the money' being in/on the tree, I agree with 1.; I agree with 2. The monkey is playing inside the foliage (the leaves). The leaves form a 3D enclosed space, as Mike has mentioned. As for 3, the monkey is jumping on top of the tree branches or on top of the highest tree branch. I like 4. :lol:

All the best,

Cas,
I really appreciated of your help. Your kindly agreement adds happiness in a ESL learner's life. And your opinion helps create a more complete picture of all possible postures of "mokey in the tree."

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks, our Man in New York. @->--


Sabrina

You're welcome, nice lady from Mars. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks, our Man in New York. @->--


Sabrina

You're welcome, nice lady from Mars. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[charlenehsch]

I'm writing a lesson about "take/ride + transportation" as well as "by/in + transportation." This information is quite useful to clarify which preposition to use for describing vehicle taking. I wonder if there's any reference that talks about it so that I can put it in my bibliography. It there is, that would be great!!

Thanks a million.

 

[Clark]

Spacious prepositions are really a hard nut to crack. Sometimes one and the same picture can be described by using different prepositions. The thing is that language does not reflect reality as it is, it reflects our vision of reality. When one hears 'There is a bird in the tree', they imagine the bird inside the crown of the tree. When one hears '... a bird on the tree', they imagine it on the surface of a tree branch. A spacious preposition serves as a special cognitive instrument by means of which we conceptualize what we see.
A language may determine the way we look at the outside world. Sometimes even within one language, perception concepts may vary from one group to another depending upon the climate, relief, traditions, history and other factors. For example, the British traditionally say 'in the street', whereas the Americans say 'on the street'. 'A street' for a Briton is a road with the facades of the houses on both sides. That's why 'in' is used - 'within an enclosed space'. For an American 'a street' is just the flat surface of a road only, and that accounts for 'on'. There could be historical and architectural reasons for that.
I can't say for sure, but it might be a similar thing with ' fruit/monkey on vs. in the tree'.
If you are writing a thesis on 'in/on + vehicle', it may be useful to look into the history of the English language. Which preposition was used when the first buses appeared? What did buses look like in those days? Did they look like a platform? How was the preposition usage changing as time went by? etc. In carrying out semantic research it is always good to combine the synchronic and the diachronic aspect.