Working on/in/at the field.

[xiaoen]

On the field = normally, sports are played on a football field, tennis court, baseball diamond, etc.
In the field = often refers to a large unbounded and undefined area out of doors.
At the field: the general area associated with the field. (near the field)

Hi,
My dad is a farmer. According to the above explanations, only2 and 3 are correct. Am I right?

1. My dad works on the field.
2. My dad works in the field.
3. My dad works at the field.

 

[GoesStation]

My dad's working on the field. (He's engaged in a project to improve it.)

My dad's working in the field. (He's running a tractor. The field is where the tractor is.)

Number 3 doesn't work except in one rare case. Part of an air force base near my home is called Wright Field. When I was young, my father worked there. He often called it "the Field".

The present continuous is much more likely here.

 

[xiaoen]

My dad's working on the field. (He's engaged in a project to improve it.)

Excuse me I couldn't understand this. If we don't use "on the field" for sports?

Number 3 doesn't work except in one rare case.

What about here? I'll meet you at the football field after practice.

 

[GoesStation]

Excuse me I couldn't understand this. If we don't use "on the field" for sports?

Yes, many sports are played on a field. Prepositions usually combine with a verb to form a unit of meaning; the topic we've been discussing is how various prepositions work with to work.

Ask Don't we use "on the field" for sports?

 

[xiaoen]

My dad's working on the field. (He's engaged in a project to improve it.)

I still don't understand this sentence. What does field mean here?

 

[GoesStation]

My dad's working on the field. (He's engaged in a project to improve it.)

Excuse me I couldn't understand this. If we don't use "on the field" for sports?

You work on something when you're building it, repairing it, practicing it, or improving it. You might say your dad was working on the field if he was installing drainage pipes or otherwise engaged in improving it.

Write I don't understand this. I'm not sure what you mean by If we don't use "on the field" for sports?

What about here? I'll meet you at the football field after practice.

That's natural and correct.

 

[Tdol]

I still don't understand this sentence. What does field mean here?

He's not working on his crops, but on ways to make the field more productive. He's working as a builder or engineer rather than a farmer here.