The book is on the table. vs the book is in the table

The phrase 'the book is on the table' is correct, while 'the book is in the table' is incorrect. In English, we use 'on the table' to indicate that something is physically located on top of the table surface.

Last updated: April 07, 2024 • 2080 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate the location of an object on top of a table.

"The book is on the table."

This phrase is used to describe the position of an object on the surface of a table.

Examples:

The book is on the table.
Please put the keys on the table.
She left her bag on the table.
There is a vase on the table.
The cat jumped on the table.

Show examples from the web [+]

The book is on the table.
The book is on sale from January in the best cookware shops.
The book is on its way to the garbage room.
The book is on also in an e-book version for those who prefer reading electronic books.
The book is on sale in bookshops, on the Gangemi Editore website and on Amazon.
"The book is on the table."
The book is on Biff's dashboard.
The book is on the desk.
A complete list of the books is on-line consultable through the AAT bibliographic Catalogue.
The book is based on a course begun in 1970 by Knuth at Stanford University.
The book is currently on its 9th edition.
Marie the book is based on a position.
A little less than the first half of the book is based on the facts although changing the name from George Stinney to Linius Bragg.
The book is based on 36 designs featured at the CSS Zen Garden resource, an online showcase of CSS-based design.
Publication doesn't require that the book is sitting on a shelf at Barnes noble.
The book is working on its recovery, in a new integration that also involves the union of feminine and masculine in us.
The book is based on the strategic idea of allowing gathering and comparing operators working with groups, even when they possess dissimilar characteristics.
The book is printed on a high-quality laminated paper with a spiral binding, so it's very handy to use during any bicycle service operation.
The book is based on years of academic research and practical consulting experience, coupled with domain expert contributions.
The book is printed on Savile Row Plain paper by Fedrigoni with Bodoni font.
The book is a print-on-demand paperback book.

Alternatives:

the book is on top of the table
the book is placed on the table
the book is resting on the table
the book is lying on the table
the book is situated on the table

This phrase is incorrect in English. 'In the table' suggests that the book is inside the table, which is not the intended meaning.

"the book is in the table"

Show examples from the web [+]

the book is in the table
We'll put the rest in when the book is in better shape.
If the book is in the collection, we need to get it now.
The rest of the book is in short paragraphs or isolated aphorisms; and the author in xii.
It's really expensive to get your hands on an original copy of this book but I've seen some folks on Etsy, like eVINTAGEpatterns, selling digital versions, which is allowed because the book is in the public domain (according to the seller).
Furthermore, the book is in the form of an interview, and the questions are posed to Sarkozy by a professor of philosophy, Thibaud Collin, and a religious of the order of St. Dominic, Fr.
The book is in the form of an anecdotal biography telling the stories of ten men whose lives fell very closely together.
The book is in two parts:
The book is in a pocket format to be always with you.
The book is in Mohland Verlag and in any good bookstore for 10,00 Euro or ordered.
Reflections of a Bishop of Central Asia on Holy Communion. The book is in two parts.
The book is in excellent condition, just a slight discoloration on the cover. 该书状态良好, 只是稍微褪色的封面. Photos are gorgeous.
The book is in English, while the quotations from the books and articles are in the original languages.
The book is in the largest Polish distribution channels and is available in hundreds of Polish bookstores, stationary stores, and online.
The book is in the bestseller category in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, France, Sweden and Finland.
The book is in the form of a dialogue with questions and answers. The 14 images associated with the various areas of faith are an invitation to contemplation and meditation.
The book is in the form of an index, each entry of which analyzes one of the main concepts whose meaning has either been reversed (it indicates the opposite of its original meaning) or obliterated (its emancipatory use has been made impossible).
The book is in two parts: the first and the longest is devoted to the description of the working conditions, hierarchical relationships, relationships with unions and multiple tensions that can arise in this microcosm of Seine-Saint-Denis.
The Book is in Constantinople.
The book is in my opinion quite well structured and written even if the father love of the author for the language makes him to lose objectivity when talking about evident problems or just ugly parts.
The book is in fact a travel diary of a pilgrim looking for the poet Eminescu and discovering? a fantastic, enciphered world?

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