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BirdyFlies Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
On road
"There is debris in/on the road."
How are "in" and "on" different?
How are "in" and "on" different?
Top answer
They are not different. Use either.
- They are not different.
- Use either.
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8 Answers
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In your sentence they mean the same, but in many other examples they would have different meanings.
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As an American I hear the difference thus:
debris on the road ~ neutral statement of the location of the debris
debris in the road ~ location plus the fact that the debris is blocking the way; it's a barrier to my progress along the road.
I don't know if other Americans hear them in the same way.
CJ
debris on the road ~ neutral statement of the location of the debris
debris in the road ~ location plus the fact that the debris is blocking the way; it's a barrier to my progress along the road.
I don't know if other Americans hear them in the same way.
CJ
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How on earth can you deduce that from CJ's reply?
So, "on the road" is bad English?
You have the same annoying habit as you have in other forums under different names, like message #10 in http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mble/NF2712585?thread=8347181HIS ONE.
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For as long as I have been practicing AmE, idiomatically speaking " Debris on the road " is the normal collocation.
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BirdyFliesSo, "on the road" is bad English?You have received your answer( s) from several qualified members.
Please do not read anything more into them.
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