English Grammar

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES with 'IN'

Set phrases introduced with the preposition 'in'.

Prepositonal phrases with 'in', with their meaning and examples of use.

Prepositional phrases are set phrases or groups of words introduced by a preposition.

Prepositional phrase	Meaning	Example
In action	In the process of doing something.	It’s amazing to see the sculptor in action.
In addition (to)	Extra, something more	We get a bonus at the end of the year, in addition to our salary.
In advance	Ahead of time; earlier	Passengers should book well in advance.
In agreement (with)	Have the same opinion as someone else	We were in agreement with his analysis.
In brief	In a few words	Well, in brief, the family get-together was a disaster!
In any case	Whatever may happen	I don’t know what the decision will be but in any case I’ll let you know.
In case	As a provision	Take a sweater in case it gets cold.
In case of	In the event of	In case of fire, press the red button
In charge of	Responsible for	Eva is in charge of the sales department.
In common (with)	Share the same interests; have similar characteristics	I have a lot in common with my best friend.
In comparison (with)	When compared to	The cat eats very little in comparison with the dog!
In control (of)	Have the power to make decisions	His son is now in control of the company.
In danger	At risk; the possibility of something bad happening	She is ill but her life is not in danger.
In debt	Owe something, especially money	I can’t lend you the money because I’m in debt myself!
In decline	Gradually reducing in amount, importance, quality, or strength	Her health has been in decline lately. The sale of printed newspapers is in decline.
In detail	Thoroughly; item by item;	He described in detail how the accident happened.
In difficulty	Having problems	Don't hesitate to call if you find yourself in difficulty.
In disguise	Wearing a disguise; wearing something that makes you look like something else	Two men in disguise attacked the bank in broad daylight.
In doubt	Uncertain; hesitant	I’m in doubt about his ability to take control.
In exchange for	Giving one thing and receiving another in return.	The boy mows the lawn in exchange for his pocket money.
In fact	Expression used to emphasise the truth of something said.	I don't mind walking. In fact I'm a keen walker.
In fashion	Trendy, popular	Bright colours are in fashion this year.
In favour of	Support something; approve of	She voted in favour of the proposal.
In future	From now onwards	You’re late! In future you must arrive on time!
In general	On the whole; globally	The children can be noisy but in general they behave well.
In a hurry	Not have much time	I can’t wait any longer. I’m in a hurry.
In keeping with	As expected; in accordance with	We attend church on Sunday in keeping with tradition.
In moderation	Without excess; within reasonable limits.	I don't diet; I just eat and drink in moderation.
In no time	Very quickly.	If we walk faster we'll get there in no time.
In pain	Suffering physically	The injured soldier was obviously in pain.
In private	Without the presence of other people	I'd like to speak to you in private.
In return	To compensate for what you receive.	He helps with the garden and my mother gives him vegetables in return.
In secret	Without others knowing	Laura told me in secret that she had found a new job.
In tears	Crying	The child fell and came home in tears.
In the air	A feeling that something is happening	There was panic in the air immediately after the blast.
In the end	Finally; on reflection	In the end he acknowledged his error.
In the meantime	Meanwhile; during the time before something happens.	Tom''s computer will be repaired tomorrow. In the meantime he can use mine.
In person	Actually present	The actor will be there in person to receive the prize.
In stock	Available for sale or use.	When an article is in stock, it is available in the store or warehouse for purchase now.
In vain	Without any result(s).	We tried in vain to convince her to join the group.

More Prepositional Phrases:

« AT-FOR BY ON OUT UNDER WITHIN-WITHOUT »

See also: Prepositions

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