In or At School

Which One Should Be Used?

Both 'at school' and 'in school' are correct and can be used, but their meanings are different. 'At school' refers to the physical state of the subject while 'in school' refers to the social status of the subject.

In school

'In school' often refers to the time when a person is actively attending classes and studying as a student. It can also mean the period of time when someone is enrolled in a specific academic program or institution. For example:

Example

My daughter is still in school.

Here, the subject is still a student. They may or may not be physically in school at the moment of speaking.

I met my husband when I was in school.

Here, the subject describes an event that happened in the past, when they were still a student.

At school

'At school' often refers to the physical location of a school, or to a more general idea of being present in a school environment. It can also be used to describe a person's job or role within a school. For example:

Example

My daughter is still at school.

Here, is physically inside the school building.

I met my husband when I was at school.

Here, the subject describes an event that happened when they were physically at the school building or grounds.

Quiz:

Which sentence uses 'in school' correctly?

She was in school yesterday to pick up her books.

My sister started working as a teacher when she was still in school.

Which sentence shows the correct use of 'at school'?

My son is still at school; he’s attending classes today.

I studied biology while I was at school last year.

Which sentence correctly uses 'at school'?

I'm currently at school, studying fine arts.

I left my backpack at school yesterday.

She is at school to finish her degree in literature.

My son was in school when I called him.

Sort the words to form a sentence that correctly uses 'in school':

was

yesterday

school

Fill out the blank with the correct preposition based on the context of the sentence,

I forgot my notebook

school and had to go back to get it.

My son forgot his jacket

school and I had to pick it up for him.

She decided to become a teacher while she was still

school.

The students are still

school and will leave after the bell rings.

I met my best friend when I was

school during my high school years.

Match the scrambled parts of each sentence to form correct sentences.

While she was

He forgot his notebook

My daughter is still

in school and has to prepare for exams.

in school she decided to study biology.

at school and had to go back for it.

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Which One Should Be Used?
In school
At school
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