In/at school

[Glizdka]

I'm not sure if I understand whether I should use in or at. I've written a few sentences to test it. Could you check if they're correct? Could you tell me in which either could've been used?

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1) Hello! My name is Anna. I'm at St. Paul's Primary School in Exampleton.
2) This is a life lesson. They don't teach that in school.
3) He was a good kid in school, but he was an ass as an adult.
4) My children get good grades at school and are well behaved.
5) Don't call her! She's still at school.
6) The authorities have discovered more than a dozen hidden Rambo knives in St. Paul's Primary School.
7) Aren't you too old to be dating her? She's still in school.
8) I'm at school until 15:00, so we can meet around 15:30, OK?

 

[5jj]

I would use 'at' in all those sentences except possibly #6.

Note that the plural of knife is knives.

Remember what I said in another thread: Given the differences between BrE and AmE, and even between individuals, I don't think we can give clear examples that will satisfy everybody. My feeling is that I rarely use 'in'.

 

[tzfujimino]

Remember what I said in another thread:

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/290712-The-only-student-at-her-school-to-walk-out/page2

 

[Tdol]

I'd use at most of the time, but in sounds OK to my BrE ear in #2 & #6.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm not sure if I understand whether when I should use in or at. I've written a few sentences to test it my understanding. Could you check if they're correct? Could you tell me in which either could've been used?

---

1) Hello! My name is Anna. I'm at St. Paul's Primary School in Exampleton.
2) This is a life lesson. They don't teach that in school.
3) He was a good kid in school, but he was an ass as an adult.
4) My children get good grades at school and are well behaved.
5) Don't call her! She's still at school.
6) The authorities have discovered more than a dozen hidden Rambo knives in St. Paul's Primary School.
7) Aren't you too old to be dating her? She's still in school.
8) I'm at school until 15:00, so we can meet around 15:30, OK?

1. Although "I'm at" is how we describe where we study in the UK, I think it sounds a little awkward in that sentence. I'd say "I go to St Paul's Primary School".
2. I'd use "at".
3. I'd use "at school". I find the comparison a little odd there. Why didn't you just compare him as a child with him as an adult? "He was really good as a/when he was a kid. He was an ass as an adult!"
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. Either "in" or "at" would work there. I'd change the word order to "more than a dozen Rambo knives hidden in/at St Paul's ...".
7. I'd use "at".
8. Yes, as long as you're writing this. If you're speaking, you'd use "three pm" and "three-thirty pm". Unless we're in the military or working at an airport or similar, we don't use the twenty-four-hour clock.

 

[Glizdka]

How do you feel about "Don't do drugs and stay at school"?

 

[probus]

In that context "at" would be wrong in AmE.

 

[Tdol]

Stay on at school? = Don't leave till the end of the final year

 

[Yankee]

I'm not sure if I understand whether I should use in or at. I've written a few sentences to test it. Could you check if they're correct? Could you tell me in which either could've been used?

---

1) Hello! My name is Anna. I'm at St. Paul's Primary School in Exampleton.
2) This is a life lesson. They don't teach that in school.
3) He was a good kid in school, but he was an ass as an adult.
4) My children get good grades at school and are well behaved. Either but I prefer "in" (AmE).
5) Don't call her! She's still at school.
6) The authorities have discovered more than a dozen hidden Rambo knives in St. Paul's Primary School. Either, but I prefer "in".
7) Aren't you too old to be dating her? She's still in school.
8) I'm at school until 15:00, so we can meet around 15:30, OK?

My shot. Yankee.