Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[dido4]

1.They had a swimming test in PE(class) last Tuesday.
Q1: Can we use on instead of in?
Q2: How did I know which is right? in calss or on class?
Q3: Can I rewrite #1 like this?
----->They had a swimming test on last Tuesday's PE class. (in or on?)


2. in the class=in the classroom?
Q: Are they the same?

Thank you

[redset]

With prepositions you really have to learn them as you go. It's always in class - you can think of it as inside the classroom, or maybe within a period of time (from the start of the class to the end).

If you have a test on something it means on that subject - if you had a test on PE class then you would be answering questions about the class: who the teacher is, what kinds of sports you do, when you have PE each week, things like that. A test in PE class would be about the subject: maybe you'd have to run some laps, or explain the rules of tennis.