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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
In (the) school/church
Hi.
I understand that in English people say, "I am in school," I am going to school," "I am going to church," to describe the act of studying/worship, not the physical presence in those places.
What about a teacher? Does a teacher go to school or to a school? Is a priest in church or in/at the church?
And if a teacher gets a call from his wife late in the date. "Where are you?" Does he say:
"I am still in school."
or
"I am still at the school."
Thank you.
I understand that in English people say, "I am in school," I am going to school," "I am going to church," to describe the act of studying/worship, not the physical presence in those places.
What about a teacher? Does a teacher go to school or to a school? Is a priest in church or in/at the church?
And if a teacher gets a call from his wife late in the date. "Where are you?" Does he say:
"I am still in school."
or
"I am still at the school."
Thank you.
Top answer
Teachers and priests use the same forms as lesser mortals.
- Teachers and priests use the same forms as lesser mortals.
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9 Answers
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fivejedjonTeachers and priests use the same forms as lesser mortals.No, what I mean is that a student who goes to school goes there to study. But a teacher goes there to teach, so I was wondering if a teacher is going to school or going to a / the school. Just like a priest does not go to his church to worship but to interact with worshipers.
Would a
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AnonymousWould a teacher say:"I am still in school."Yes - or 'at school'.
AnonymousThe first one sounds like he is still studying or enrolled in some school, which doesn't make much sense.It would make no sense if s/he were a teacher.
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fivejedjon AnonymousWould a teacher say:"I am still in school."Yes - or 'at school'.AnonymousThe first one sounds like he is still studying or enrolled in some school, which doesn't make much sense.It would make no sense if s/he were a teacher.Fivejedjon, thank you, but something must be getting lost in translation here. He/she IS a teacher! Wouldn't it make
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It's more subtle than that.
For a student or a teacher, if you say "Where is Ann?" and it's 10 in the morning (when school is in session), I'd say "She's at school, course."
But if it's 5 in the afternoon, and school has been over for a couple hours, I would say "She's still at the school."
For a student or a teacher, if you say "Where is Ann?" and it's 10 in the morning (when school is in session), I'd say "She's at school, course."
But if it's 5 in the afternoon, and school has been over for a couple hours, I would say "She's still at the school."
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AnonymousWouldn't it make more sense, therefore, to say, "I am still in/at the school"?You don't need "the". A teacher could say "I am still at school" or "I am still at work".
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BarbaraPAIt's more subtle than that.For a student or a teacher, if you say "Where is Ann?" and it's 10 in the morning (when school is in session), I'd say "She's at school, course."But if it's 5 in the afternoon, and school has been over for a couple hours, I would say "She's still at the school."That's much clearer now, I had thought as much. Thank you, Barb
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BarbaraPABut if it's 5 in the afternoon, and school has been over for a couple hours, I would say "She's still at the school."I, a speaker of BrE, would say 'She's still at school", regardless of whether Ann was a teacher or a student.
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Anonymous fivejedjon AnonymousWould a teacher say:"I am still in school."Yes - or 'at school'.AnonymousThe first one sounds like he is still studying or enrolled in some school, which doesn't make muke senseNothing is getting lost. It's not a matter of what might appear to make more sense to you, but of what we actually say,
Anonymous
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