Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

dido4 · Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 277

They are playing "on" the beach.

1. Can we use "at" the beach or "in" the beach?

2. What are the differences between at the beach and on the beach?

3. Is in the beach right?

thank you

Nef · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 187 Location: California, USA

3. "In the beach" is not used (although we do say "in the water" and "in the ocean")

What are the differences between at the beach and on the beach?

If I were NEAR the beach myself, I might say that someone is playing "on" the beach. If I were a considerable distance from the beach, I'd probably just say that someone is "at" the beach.

"On" the beach (actually on the sandy beach), might be understood as being more specific than "at" the beach. "At" the beach might include a larger area. (For instance, someone could stay at a hotel "at the beach" and actually be across the street from the beach or very close to the beach.) It usually isn't a big deal one way or the other.