on / at / in

[asako87]

When I see someone reading a newspaper on the bench, I say "I saw someone reading a newspaper on the bench." Is it also a correct way to say " I saw someone reading a newspaper at the bench." or "I saw someone reading a newspaper in the bench?"

 

[Rover_KE]

No ... and you'd only say 'the bench' if your listener knew which bench you were referring to or it was the one you had mentioned earlier - otherwise, say 'a ​bench'.

 

[asako87]

No.

While I searched the internet, I saw many sentences with "at the bench". So I am very confused. If it is wrong to say " I saw someone reading a paper at the bench.", what does "at the bench" mean?

 

[emsr2d2]

Please give us some of those sentences and the context. There might be a very good reason the writer used "the".

 

[asako87]

Please give us some of those sentences and the context. There might be a very good reason the writer used "the".

I didn't ask about " the". Two Questions: (1) When I saw someone reading a newspaper on the bench, is it okay to say "I saw someone reading a newspaper at the bench."? (2) When you hear "at the bench", what comes to your mind?

 

[Rover_KE]

That must be a record, even for this typophile. I write one two-letter word with a full stop, and it needs to be edited. What did I do?.

​

You typed ​No,

:-?

 

[teechar]

Note that "the" is mandatory in "the bench" when it is used to refer to the office (as in job) of a judge.

Take a look at explanation #3.1 for "bench" as a noun in the link below.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/bench

 

[bubbha]

(2) When you hear "at the bench", what comes to your mind?

I think of a craftsman working at a workbench, which is like a table. But I would need to see the context.