[General] puzzling prepositions

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you tell me whether I am right with the usage of the prepositions in the following sentences?

Is the girl in the picture a new secretary or a new programmer?
Our computer is at the office.
Are the tables in the office black or grey?
Who is sitting at the tables at the office?
Alex and Max are sitting at their tables at office .
Are Alex and Max at their tables or in the street?
Our manager is in the country.
His brothers are at the theater.
His wife is at college.
Our secretary is sending a fax at the office now.
Her husband is in the hospital
Are their children in the garden.
No, they aren’t in the garden.
They are at (or in) the infant-school.

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[lauralie2]

To me, they all look good, with the except of these two:

1. His wife is at college.
   • His wife is at the college. <location>
     
   • His wife is in college. <she's a student>
     
   • His wife is in the college. <doing something>

1. Our secretary is sending a fax at the office now.
   • Our secretary is at the office sending a fax now.
   • Our secretary is sending a fax from the office.
     

 

[5jj]

To me, they all look good, with the except of these two:

1. His wife is at college.
   • His wife is at the college. <location>
     
   • His wife is in college. <she's a student>
     
   • His wife is in the college. <doing something>

His wife is at college is fine in BrE.

 

[Verona_82]

May I break in with a question?
Is it possible to say "in the office" instead of "at"?
Our secretary is in the office sending a fax now.

 

[lauralie2]

May I break in with a question?
Is it possible to say "in the office" instead of "at"?
Our secretary is in the office sending a fax now.

Yes, it's fine.

 

[ENuts]

For the following two sentences, if I use "in" instead of "at" before "the office", are they still correct?

Who is sitting at the tables at (in) the office?
Alex and Max are sitting at their tables at (in the) office .

 

[lauralie2]

For the following two sentences, if I use "in" instead of "at" before "the office", are they still correct?

Who is sitting at the tables at (in) the office? :tick:

Alex and Max are sitting at their tables at (in the) office. :tick:

at <places focus on a location>
in <places focus on doing something at a location>