4

Which preposition is correct in the following sentence?

Now I am at/on/in the railway station.

herisson
  • 81,803
Iakov
  • 43
  • British station announcers themselves ask if someone is "on the station", so that alternative is not quite as far-fetched as it may at first appear. – Andrew Leach Oct 27 '14 at 07:46

2 Answers2

3

In addition to what @tunny wrote wrt on the platform and at the station:

In the station means that you are in the building that is at the station. If there is no such building, but only a platform, then using in is not an option.

At the station means anywhere in the close general vicinity of the railway platform(s). You could be in your car in the station parking lot, or you could even be a block away from the station, walking toward it.

Drew
  • 15,241
  • 1
    On the other hand, a *train* can be *in* the station even if it's not in the building that is at the station. – Peter Shor Oct 26 '14 at 21:11
  • Hm. Maybe. I would not say that the train is in the station, unless it is in the building. I would say that it is at the station. However, I might say either the train is coming to the station or the train is coming into the station, even if there is no building. I guess it's not so simple, after all... ;-) – Drew Oct 26 '14 at 21:15
  • 1
    @Drew When the train is "in the station", it is within the property that the station owns (or at least it is stopped partially within the station boundaries for the purpose of picking/discharging someone/something). –  Oct 26 '14 at 22:15
  • @hosch250: Maybe. I doubt that anyone knows or cares what the property (ownership) boundary is. But the general idea makes sense to me as an explanation: you are within the "close general vicinity", as I mentioned. Dunno whether one should try to get more precise than that. But maybe there is a good, simple explanation that will make it all clear. ;-) – Drew Oct 27 '14 at 01:04
1

In British English, your are on the platform at the railway station

tunny
  • 4,808
  • thank you, could you tell me one more prompt? on square or at square? – Iakov Oct 26 '14 at 18:06
  • 1
    "I was on/in Wenceslas Square yesterday". I feel no great difference between 'on' or 'in'. I would be 'at' Wenceslas Square only if that were the name of an underground station or bus/tram stop, – tunny Oct 26 '14 at 18:13
  • 2
    @Iakov Prepositions in general are hard to get right, and correct usage tends to vary wildly between languages. Please treat each request as a separate question. Also, such questions may be better received on the [ell.se] site. – 200_success Oct 26 '14 at 18:24
  • thank you, 200_success, but it seems here is better – Iakov Oct 26 '14 at 20:04