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Is there a single correct preposition which should be used before "the bottom of", similar to "at the end of" (AFAIK "in the end" is only used by itself), or does it depend on the noun used after it? I used to think that "at the bottom of" was the only correct option, but recently an American told me that "in the bottom" is also correct when the position is inside a container. Examples:

Is that correct? Also, is "on the bottom of" ever used?

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If you have a bucket, you can have a hole "in" the bucket (in the metal of the bucket). If the bottom of the bucket has the hole you can say "There is a hole in the bottom of the bucket".

It is in this way that the song (humourously) says "Theres a hole in the bottom of the sea". It means "a hole in the rock that contains the sea". Normally "At the bottom of the sea" would be correct in most contexts.

Similarly you can say:

My socks are at the bottom of my wardrobe.

There is a nail stuck in the bottom of my wardrobe.

Think how these refer to different things. The second is talking about the wooden floor of the wardrobe, the first is talking about the lowest part of the space inside the wardrobe.

It is also possible to have "on the bottom"

The anchor lay on the bottom of the sea.

(though "at the bottom" would also be possible here)

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  • I assume that your examples with "at/in the bottom of the wardrobe" are not interchangeable, ie "my socks are in the bottom of my wardrobe" and "There is a nail stuck at the bottom of my wardrobe" are wrong?
    – Alan Evangelista
    Commented Oct 25, 2019 at 19:18
  • Those would be less idiomatic, but still understandable.
    – James K
    Commented Oct 25, 2019 at 19:41
  • Based on that, I don't understand why some native English speakers at forum.duolingo.com/comment/31795894 insist that "cups/mugs in the bottom of the cupboard" is correct. As far as I understand, it is the same case of "socks at the bottom of the wardrobe".
    – Alan Evangelista
    Commented Oct 26, 2019 at 17:32
  • That might mean "in the bottom draw of the cupboard"
    – James K
    Commented Oct 26, 2019 at 17:33
  • Ok, so there are specific meanings in specific contexts. But then couldn't "socks in the bottom of the wardrobe" mean "socks in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe" ? You just said above that "socks in the bottom of my wardrobe" is not idiomatic. Does the possessive pronoun "my" make any difference? I'm confused.
    – Alan Evangelista
    Commented Oct 26, 2019 at 17:35
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It depends on the context. Here is an example of each preposition:

There is a white house at the bottom of my street.

There is a hole in the bottom of the bucket.

There is a stain on the bottom of the pan.

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  • It is curious that the usual expressions are "a house on the street" and "a stain on (the bottom of) the pan", but "a house at the bottom of the street" instead of "on the bottom of the street". I"m unable to find a pattern. Is there one or must I learn which preposition is correct with "the bottom of" by heart?
    – Alan Evangelista
    Commented Oct 25, 2019 at 19:10
  • I think it is something you just get used to. I didn't learn to speak English by rules!
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Oct 25, 2019 at 19:52
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They are basically all correct, but they don't all mean the same thing.

Their meaning depends on the difference in meanings between at/in/on. Bottom itself also has a couple of meanings. It can refer to specifically the surface/edge, to one side of the surface, or to the entire lower volume/area. Which one is meant can usually be figured out by whether at/in/on is used, but it also depends on context.

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