Which is correct?Given that I see both being used, and am getting confused!!
2006-09-30 02:13:17 · 9 answers · asked by Sea Mist 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
drshorty's distinction is close, but needs to be expanded slightly.
The basic emphasis of "at school" is location (which is why I say "my daughter is AWAY at school [college]); "in school" focuses on enrollment. But note the following:
"In school" ALSO refers to ATTENDING classes at a particular time when the school is in session (as opposed to just going to the building for whatever purpose, which is why parents of students can be "at school" but are not generally said to be "in school"). Thus I would say "My son was not IN school on Monday, because he was sick/it was a holiday, etc." Of course, I am not saying he was suddenly not enrolled for a day!
This distinction is clear in the way we often speak of kids being IN school for classes and AT school for activities. We might say "John will be in school till 2 pm [that is, attending classes]" but "He was at school till 5 today, because they were holding tryouts for the musical." (All the more so if the activiity is in the evening, clearly separated from the school day.)
In some instances the two can be interchanged:
Thus someone might say "What did you do [or learn!] in school today?" OR "What did you do at school today?" (Technically, the distinction still obtains, and so I would prefer "IN school" in this instance, but since the two overlap, it hardly matters.)
And you could say "Two of my teachers weren't in school today". Though the teachers are NOT enrolled or "attending", the fact that they are there in the CLASSES (which is what being "in school" is all about!) makes this expression natural enough.
Finally, of course, adding "THE" changes things -- "in the school" and "at the school" are used to emphasize precise location, not enrollment/attendance (and the difference is not very great, "in" simply specifying that someone is inside the building).
2006-09-30 23:18:32 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are possible, but they mean different things.
"In" school means that you are enrolled as a student:
My brother is 8 years old, so he is still in school.
"At" school is talking about your location:
I can't see the teacher. I guess she's not at school right now.
2006-09-30 08:56:11 · answer #2 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first answer is the correct one.
If you say "I'm in school", it means that you are a student. If you say "I'm at school", then it means you are actually at the building, like you would say "I'm at the library".
You can also say "I'm in the school" if you want to give a precise location of you being inside the building.
2006-09-30 03:58:44 · answer #3 · answered by nellierslmm 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Depends on the context. If you are enrolled in school and attend regularly.. you are IN school. If you are AT school , it means that you are physically in the building.
Someone can be IN school, but not AT school at the moment.
2006-09-30 02:15:26 · answer #4 · answered by Coco 4 · 6⤊ 0⤋
at school is your present location, in school is what you are doing at this current time period in your life
2006-09-30 02:22:01 · answer #5 · answered by falsman14 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
if you say "i`m at school"
this means that you are at school learning at this time .. but
if you say "i'm in school"
this means that you're visiting the school (building) ..
you can say "i`m at school" and my father is "in school" meeting the director ..
and so is (at work) , (at sea) .....
2006-09-30 04:24:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You say "I am at school". On the other hand, you say "there is 20 classrooms in the school".
2006-09-30 02:15:58 · answer #7 · answered by techzone12 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
in because at iz like being at the building but not in
2006-09-30 02:15:54 · answer #8 · answered by Amber M 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
its up to u...
2006-09-30 02:17:24 · answer #9 · answered by relyo 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋