in vs at a school

[White Hat]

By the way, why did 5jj use "they" when referring to Barque upthread? Even if we don't know his/her gender, can't we just say "this forum member" or "this user"? I normally use "they" when referring to someone whose name I don't know, as in "This can help a consumer get a better deal on their broadband".

 

[5jj]

In their short time with us, they have given a number of consistently accurate. and helpful responses

So, Bonnevis, you'd prefer In this forum member's short time with us, this forum member has given a number of consistently accurate. and helpful responses. I prefer brevity

I normally use "they" when referring to someone whose name I don't know, as in "This can help a consumer get a better deal on their broadband".

I normally use a plural noun in such situations.

 

[White Hat]

To be honest with you, this is the first time I see "they" being used when referring to one specific person whose name we know. Has it been like this all the time, or is it something new?

 

[Tarheel]

1) Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has announced another review into how teaching is taught _ universities.
2) Astronomy is taught _ many Canadian universities and colleges.
3) At present Latin is taught _ five schools.
4) alter the system of teaching _ our schools
5) _ some universities in the United Kingdom the term dean is used for the head of a faculty, a collection of related academic departments.

I would use "at" for all of them.

 

[White Hat]

I mainly use American English. So it's nice to know "at" will work in most cases.

 

[White Hat]

I'd like to hear from a native speaker of British English now. And then I'll reveal the answers.

 

[Barque]

And then I'll reveal the answers.

Your use of "answers" sounds as if you've decided the originals are necessarily correct! (Edit: I meant, the only correct choices.)

 

[5jj]

I could use either in all of them.

 

[White Hat]

The sentences were written by native speakers of English. The contexts are formal. I expect them to be correct.

 

[5jj]

But do they represent the only possible answers? If they claim to to that, I, for one, cannot accept them.

 

[Barque]

I don't know how Russian works, but in English, there are often multiple "correct" ways to say something. Not always, but very often.

(I've added something to my last post.)

 

[Barque]

I'd like to hear from a native speaker of British English now. And then I'll reveal the answers.

Now that you have, let's hear from you.

 

[White Hat]

Here it is!

1) Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has announced another review into how teaching is taught АТ universities.
2) Astronomy is taught АТ many Canadian universities and colleges.
3) At present Latin is taught IN five schools.
4) alter the system of teaching IN our schools
5) IN some universities in the United Kingdom the term dean is used for the head of a faculty, a collection of related academic departments.

Barque got all of them right. But I don't understand why he did not use the same preposition in 1, 2, and 3!

 

[5jj]

Barque got all of them right.

They would have got them right if they had given different answers.

 

[White Hat]

This is an awesome website. Love it! Keep up the good work, guys!

 

[Barque]

But I don't understand why he did not use the same preposition in 1, 2, and 3!

I don't know either. But, as 5jj said, I didn't "get them right". I gave you answers that fit. As I said a couple of posts ago, there isn't always a single right answer.

 

[Tarheel]

I've changed my mind. I might use "in" for numbers 3 and 4.

Did I get more of them right this time?

 

[emsr2d2]

To be honest with you, this is the first time I have seen "they" being used when referring to one specific person whose name we know. Has it been like this all the time, or is it something new?

We've used "they" to refer to a person whose gender we don't know for years, whether we know their name or not. However, in recent years, now that someone's name does not determine what gender they identify with, we use "they" instead of "he", "she" or "he/she" even more often.

 

[5jj]

What emsr2d2 said is also true when we are speaking of someone's wife or husband.