At vs to and on vs in

Question

I am confused about the following sentences:

At vs to

Export the imported file to the default location(folder).
Export the imported file at the default location(folder).

Here, both would work or only the second one?

You might have seen below sentence on Facebook:

What is on your mind?

I wonder why ON is put there, instead IN?

What is in your mind?

If I want to explain the following state,

I am in/into the bus.

Or

I am on/onto the bus.

Please tell me the correct usage of the preposition.

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

harry1999,

The use of preposition is not really something that could be completely worked out and explained by formulas and reasons. A lot of it is often based on grammatical logic, sometimes idiomaticality and occasionally what sounds natural.

Your questions:

At vs to

Export the imported file to the default location(folder).
Export the imported file at the default location(folder).

Here, both would work or only the second one?

I want to point out this sentence is a bit baffling to me. I can't imagine in what situation one would export the imported file...? BUt simple based on the wording without futher context, I would say both are acceptable with difference meanings. We need to see more contexts to determine more accurately.

You might have seen below sentence on Facebook:

What is on your mind? It is a fixed idiom.

I wonder why ON is put there, instead IN?

What is in your mind? In one's mind -is possible but it requires specific context.

If I want to explain the following state,

I am in/into the bus.

Or

I am on/onto the bus.

When referring to transportations, "on" is the natrual choice of preposition. i.e. "on the plane", "on the bus" ,on a boat or ship" etc.

Please tell me the correct usage of the preposition.

CalifJim · Answer

At vs to

Export the imported file to the default location(folder). Good.
Export the imported file at the default location(folder). No.

Here, both would work or only the second one?

You might have seen below sentence on Facebook:

What is on your mind? Good.

I wonder why ON is put there, instead IN? Traditional usage. It's a fixed expression.

What is in your mind? No.

If I want to explain the following state,

I am in/into the bus. in the bus. There's no motion.

Or

I am on/onto the bus. on the bus. As above.

in the bus focuses on the fact that you are inside of something that is like a container.

on the bus focuses on the fact that you are seated on the surface of something in the bus.

_______

You can only add to if there's motion.

The repairman climbed on/onto the roof. He was on the roof. (Not was onto.)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

My understanding with the at vs to thing is the idea of where the travelling is heading. Eg, if the travel is ending in the location in the sentence, you would use 'to'. If the travel was continuing it would be 'at'. Example:

Jim arrived to the factory - Jim's final destination was the factory

Jim arrived at the factory - Jim is merely stopping at the factory but will travel elsewhere.

Is this correct?

At vs to and on vs in

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