# EN: in / at school



## Nathy27

a teacher in/at secondary school

Do we put IN or AT in this phrase ?

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads have been merged to create this one.


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## Avignonais

Both can be used depending on the context. "In" implies more of a physical presence at the school. Can you give the French sentence or idea that you are translating.


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## Nathy27

Thank you, I think it is "at", therefore. My sentence is "I wish to become an English teacher at secondary school".


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## Avignonais

Here both "at a secondary school" and "in a secondary school" sound OK. I prefer "a secondary school teacher"


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## ascoltate

"I wish to become a teacher at the secondary-school level"-- well, it depends on what country you are applying in. In the United States, secondary schools don't usually exist-- there are high schools and middle schools (a.k.a. junior high schools). So, the concept of "secondary school" is rather nebulous--there aren't "seconday school teachers", which is why the phrase sounds somewhat odd...


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## kljh52

Greetings to everyone!

I have a dilemma and would appreciate your help:

Imagine this situation - I`m at home, somebody calls me on the phone and asks me where my brother is. Should I say `He`s IN school.` or `He`s AT school.`?

Thank you in advance!


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## bookandlanguagelover

Kljh52,

Honestly, either would work, but I would say in this situation, "at school" would be better since it deals exclusively with location.

So you know, you can also use "in school."  It's more like saying "he is taking classes or otherwise occupied there."  Also, (at least in the U.S.) "in school" often carries with it the general idea that someone is a student.  For instance if someone were to ask you what you did for a living and you were a student, you could simply say, "I'm in school."  

I hope this helps!


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## pyan

In the context you gave, I would use "at school", just as bookandlanguagelover did.  

(In my British English, I would also use "at school" for the other contexts where bookandlanguagelover would use "in school".)

I hope this helps.


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## massirifani

J'ai deja pose la question one month ago, mais une seule reponse, qui n'avait rien a voir avec ma question.

Until the earthquake, I never knew there was a place called Haiti . I was taught  geography *at school* but I cannot remember a time when the mistress told us about  Haiti.

I have always kicked butt *in school*. Without even trying. This was not weird in my world. Everyone I hung out with were School Butt Kickers as well. We were like a biker gang. With pocket protectors.


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## Franco-filly

I can't think when I would use "in school" but I would not use Kick butt either as it is more an American term!


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## LostTrolley

"At school" is more UK-English, while "in school" is more USA-English.  As Franco-filly says, you can tell the second sentence is US-English from the language.  The fact that the author (or the persona he adopts) fails to kick butt in the proper use of punctuation is another clue.

For your information, "at school" can be used in the UK both to describe the long-term state of being in education, or the instantaneous state of sleeping at the back of the classroom:

"I was at school a long time ago"
"My daughter is not at school today"

- M


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## missbetty

What do I have to use before secondary school?
"I'm at a secondary school in London" or "I'm in s secondary school in London"?
What's the difference between "at" and "in"?
Thanks...


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## geostan

Welcome to the forum!

Either is possible, but *in* stresses the inside of the building.


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## missbetty

Ok, so I guess that in letter for a pen friend, it's better to use "I'm at a secondary school in London", since what I want to stress is the kind of school: secondary,
thanks a lot...

Actually, I need the English translation of : "Je suis dans un / au collège à Londres/ Je vais au collége, à Londres"
thank you


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