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MustAsk Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

On/at/in the staircase

Hi,

Is it in, on or at the staircase?
''I heard someone walk quietly in/at/on the staircase the other day...''
Is it even possible to use 'in' with the word 'staircase'?

Thanks
  

Top answer

'I heard someone walking quietly on/up/down the staircase the other day.

— Mister Micawber

  • 'I heard someone walking quietly on/up/down the staircase the other day.
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6 Answers
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'I heard someone walking quietly on/up/down the staircase the other day.
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But how about ''someone is standing in/on/at the staircase?''
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someone is standing on the staircase
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So 'in' can't be used at all? I thought 'staircase' was considered as some sort of enclosed area like 'toilet' or 'kitchen' and therefore used with the proposition 'in'.
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MustAskI thought 'staircase' was considered as some sort of enclosed area
Perhaps you are thinking of 'stairwell'.
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Oh, yes, it makes sense now. Thank you for pointing that out! I was actually picturing a really short stairwell and thinking it was a staircase. I wouldn't say 'in' if pictured just a short, straight staircase. So it was just a matter of understanding when a staircase is a staircase and a stairwell a stairwell.
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