Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromi525]

Speaking basic usage of the preposition, in and at,
In is used to show an area where something is
At is used to show a point in place
Say, in the mountain - at the top of mountain
at Los Angeles in the States
My understanding is that at indicates more specific place than in.

Then, please take a look at the following passage taken from a novel.

I'm awakened by a scarily perky woman who says she works in HR at Elias-Clark.

HR is more specific than Elias-Clark so I'm totally confused how to use these preposition.

[lotus]

Hi,

In Seattle.
That's pretty specific.

At the Coliseum.
That's also very specific.

Think of "in" as inside or within.

Think of "at" as on or about.

"Meet me in the Coliseum" is not the same as "Meet me at the Coliseum."

If the prepositions were balloons, think of "in" as inside the balloon and "at" as the surface of the balloon.

It's a rather abstract and vague interpretation. But it's one way to look at it.

"I'm awakened by a scarily perky woman who says she works in HR at Elias-Clark."

Normally, people work in HR (Human Resources or Personnel). You generally work in a department, not at a department. You, as a person, work within a group of people in HR.

You generally say you work at a company, not in a company. That's because a company is an abstract entity, not a specific place. If you say "I work at Macy's", Macy's is where you go to every day. But, there are a lot of Macy's in the world. Macy's is an abstract entity, just like home. Home is abstract not by location, but by its connotation in your mind. You go home every day, just like you go to work every day. You leave your cellphone at home, just like you leave your daily planner at work.

Put it all together and you get:
She works in HR, a department within a company whose name is Elias-Clark. Therefore, she works in HR at Elias-Clark.


--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda

[hiromi525]

Thank you very much for your clear explanation.
I am going to remembr the way you use the balloon.