Why "on a plane", "on a bus", but "in a car"?
It's hard to explain. How to explain that to English learners?
This question is not a duplicate. Please, try to understand what I ask.
How to explain that to English learners.
With the examples I gave.
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2This question comes up a lot here. The best rule is probably "if it's very large or you're literally on top of it, then it's **on**, otherwise it's **in**", but another good rule is "just learn how natives speak, because there isn't always a lot of consistency." – stangdon May 02 '17 at 16:30
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The reason why I ask this question, if that this short explanation doesn't match with the examples I gave. I met the example of translation about a plane, and some people were asking the classic question why on/in. Someone gave this explanation, but not very well understood. If it's a big plane, use "in", and a small plane, use "on". I asked this question to have hints how to explain this to avoid confusion. "There is no consistency" is often a frustrating answer for new learners. And the reason why I ask this question is to know if someone else than me found a consistency. – Quidam May 02 '17 at 16:36
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My question has not already been asked, please, people who like to report questions as already existing, try to understand what I'm asking, I know it's not always easy, as I'm not a native. But I'm asking about a way to explain it, IN THE examples I gave. – Quidam May 02 '17 at 16:38
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4The question *How to explain that to English learners?* is too broad and opinion-based. It's just how English works. – Glorfindel May 03 '17 at 16:28