Why is 上 after 桌子 and not before?
If you use it that way, it means the cellphone is "getting onto the table".
在......上/下/里/外 refers to a state of being , it's a phrase
Does this sentence need the 在?
You can omit the "zi" but not the "zai".
Yeah it's necessary.
Why don't they accept: 你的手机在桌子上边。 ?
If you say that in China, most people will get what you mean, but no one talks like that. Native speaker here. I'm just here for character recognition.
That would be like saying the phone is above the table, on the top side. Instead the phone is sitting on top of the table.
It's like saying "Your phone is on the topside of the table." People will get it, but no one says it like that because it's extra and awkward.
Are 上 and 子 even needed?... 你的手机在桌子上 vs 你的手机在桌子 vs 你的手机在桌