Vivi1025
about the usage of prepositions "in" "on" "at" Can I differentiate the two by the principle that when subject A just touches the surface of subject B, and does not cause B to sink or bend, we say A is on B; e.g. a picture on the wall, an apple on the table... whereas when A causes B to sink, or some part of A inserts into B, then we say A is in B?; e.g. a baby is sleeping in bed; a tree grows in mountain top... 2, about being * a place, Is that we use "in" a very big place (e.g. in China, in East Asia, in England, in London), "at" a smaller place (e.g. at a kindergarten, at a plaza, at coutryside)? but it seems OK to say "I am in classroom now" "I am in 201 office"... confused >< Many thanks!
5 de mar. de 2013 7:14
Respuestas · 8
3
Your general principle is OK - but you have got several of your examples wrong, and the 'sink or bend' one does not make sense to me. You are only 'in' a bed if you are under the covers. Otherwise you are on it. So you sit on a bed. You get in when you are between the sheets . So - it is a case of being 'inside' in a sense. Similarly - a tree grows on a mountain, not in. Countryside is also an 'in', not at. 'At' is used for specific places that you go to, like your kindergarten or plaza examples. You can be at the kindergarten, without being inside. Rooms are 'in' because (again) you are inside them.
5 de marzo de 2013
2
I agree with Gary ^^ just to further summarize... "In": Imagine an object inside of something (surrounded on all sides). >>> you within the sheets of the bed, a person in a country (think of the country as a box, anywhere he/she looks or goes, they're still inside that country), the tongue inside the mouth, a letter in an envelope. "On": Imagine an object on top of something (with no walls or roof closely confining it except the very surface it touches). >>> a cat on a box, a picture on the wall, a flower on the ground, a person standing on the roof.
5 de marzo de 2013
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