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By, on, or in
By says how you travel (by train), on is being aboard a big vehicle (on the bus), and in is being inside a small one (in the car).
Quick rule
By + the means, no article. On the bus, train, plane, or a bike. In the car or a taxi.
Used with the means of travel, with no article: by train, by bike. It says how you travel, not where you are.
Where you are in a large vehicle or one you ride on top of: on the bus, on the plane, on a bike. It takes the or a.
Where you are inside a small vehicle: in the car, in a taxi. It takes the, a, or my, your.
How to choose
| Question | by | on | in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does it go without the before the means of transport? | Yes | No | No |
| Do you say on the bus or on the train with it? | No | Yes | SometimesSometimes |
| Do you say in the car or in a taxi with it? | No | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
By tells how you travel, with no article: by train. On and in tell where you are: on for large vehicles you can walk around in or ride on top of, in for small closed ones like cars and taxis.
How each one works
By
The means you use
My cousin goes to school by bike.
A long trip by one means
They traveled by train across Canada last summer.
The means of a shipment
Packages from Asia often arrive by sea.
On
Being inside a large vehicle
Please don't eat on the bus.
Boarding a large vehicle
I got on the train at the last station.
Being aboard
It's a long flight, so I slept on the plane.
In
Being inside a car
Wait for me in the car, please.
Traveling inside a taxi
We rode in a taxi from the airport.
A place inside the car
Kids must sit in the back seat of the car.
What comes next
by plus means, no article
She commutes by subway every day.
on plus the or a plus large vehicle, or one you ride
The children are singing on the school bus.
get on and get off: bus, train, plane
Please get on the bus through the front door.
in plus the, a, or my plus car, taxi, or van
The baby is asleep in the car.
get in and get out of: car, taxi
Get in. I'll drive you home.
Set phrases
By
- by sea
- using a ship to carry people or goods
On
- on foot
- walking, without a vehicle
- on board
- on a ship, plane, or train
In
- in traffic
- stuck among many cars on the road
Almost the same
I get to the office by train.
How you travel, with no the.
I'm on the train.
Where you are now, with the.
She came by taxi.
The means: how she arrived.
She came in a taxi.
Where she sat: inside.
In a conversation
- A:
How do you usually get to the office?
- B:
By train, usually. But today I came in my brother's car.
- A:
Why? Was there a problem?
- B:
Yes. I was on the train for ten minutes, and then it stopped.
- A:
So he picked you up?
- B:
Yes. He was waiting in his car outside the station.
Common mistakes
Wrong: He fell asleep on the car on the way home.
Right: He fell asleep in the car on the way home.
A car is a small closed vehicle and you sit inside it, so use in.
Wrong: He travels by the plane every week.
Right: He travels by plane every week.
After by, the means of travel has no article, just like by train.
Memory trick
First ask: is there a the, a, or my before the vehicle? If nothing, by. If there is, can you walk around in it, or ride on it? On. Is it small and you sit inside? In.
It depends
- In the bus
- You may hear in the bus when someone talks about the inside of it. For riding, on the bus is the usual phrase.
- Riding on top
- Bikes, motorcycles, horses, and skateboards take on: on a bike. You ride on top, not inside.
FAQ
Which preposition goes with a bus, on or in?
Say on the bus. The same is true for trains and planes. In is for small closed vehicles like cars and taxis.
Do you say by car or in a car?
Both. By car tells how you travel, with no article. In a car tells where you are sitting.
Why do we say on a bike?
You ride on top of a bike, not inside it, so English uses on.