[General] Question

[Diya saini]

From the below statement, which is the correct one and why?

He is sitting in the chair. OR He is sitting on the chair.

 

[emsr2d2]

From the below statement, which is the correct one and why?

He is sitting in the chair. OR He is sitting on the chair.

It is a question of semantics, or in fact more a question of the type of chair.

Usually for an office chair or a dining chair (a hard chair with a straight back) you would use "sitting on".

However, for an armchair (softer and with arms) we frequently say "sitting in". This is because the chair almost encompasses the body therefore it feels as if you are almost sitting inside it! Note that this does not work for sofas. You always sit ON a sofa!

 

[fromatto]

From the below statement, which is the correct one and why?

He is sitting in the chair. OR He is sitting on the chair.

Both are correct, but it would depend on how deep the chair is. Normally we sit on a chair but in an armchair.

 

[billmcd]

It depends. You might hear both depending on at least two factors. First, the most common expression probably is "on the chair", but if the chair is rather plush and/or very comfortable you might hear/say "in the chair". Also, most small children sit "in their high-chair" for meals until they are mature enough to sit "on" a chair that is typically used by the rest of the family for meals.