A Huge List of 222 Prepositional Phrases with IN in English

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Prepositional phrases with “in” are incredibly versatile in English, and we often use them to add clarity and detail to our sentences. Understanding how to use these phrases correctly is essential for us to master the subtleties of the English language. 

Understanding Prepositions

Definition of Prepositions

Prepositions are the words that indicate location, time, direction, or introduce an object. They are essential in constructing our sentences with clarity and precision. For example, “in” can indicate a location within a boundary (“in the room”), a point within a time frame (“in January”), or a state or condition (“in shock”).

Purpose of Prepositional Phrases

We use prepositional phrases to provide additional information about time, location, and direction in our sentences. These phrases act as building blocks that modify nouns or verbs, adding context that gives readers a more complete understanding of the what, where, when, and how in our statements. A phrase such as “in the morning” clarifies when something happens, while “in agreement” expresses the state of concurrence.

Structure of Prepositional Phrases with ‘In’

When we construct prepositional phrases with “in,” we follow a specific structure to ensure clarity and proper grammar. Let’s dive into the individual components that make up these phrases.

Firstly, the preposition “in” is the cornerstone of the phrase, indicating a position or location. Following “in,” we include the object of the preposition, which can be a noun, pronoun, or gerund, to provide more details about the location or position.

A proper construction looks like this:

• In + Noun/Pronoun/Gerund

Here are examples to illustrate this:

• In the garden
• In them
• In swimming

These objects can sometimes be part of a larger noun phrase, such as “the big red barn” or “a very long meeting.” In these cases, the prepositional phrase might look like:

• In the big red barn
• In a very long meeting

It’s essential for us to remember that “in” can also be part of phrasal verbs or idiomatic expressions. However, the structure remains consistent; “in” is followed by its object. For example:

• In making the decision
• In answering the tough questions

Common Uses of ‘In’

We often use the preposition ‘in’ to detail when and where something happens. It’s a small word with a big job, effortlessly connecting elements of time and space in our sentences.

Temporal Expressions

In the realm of time, ‘in’ helps us specify moments within days, months, years, and even seasons. Let’s take a look:

• Months: In January, in February, in March, etc.
• Years: In 1999, in 2020, in 2024, etc.
• Seasons: In the spring, in the summer, in the fall, in the winter.
• Times of the Day: In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening (but not ‘in the night’, where we use ‘at’ instead).

Spatial Expressions

When it’s about location, ‘in’ gives us a sense of enclosure or belonging within a larger area or space.

• Geographical Areas: In the city, in the world, in a country.
• Enclosed Spaces: In a room, in a building, in a garden.
• Surface Areas with Boundaries: In a field, in the playground, in the park.

We use ‘in’ to convey that something or someone is contained or within the limits of a specific area.

Prepositional Phrases Examples with IN

Prepositional Phrase	Example Sentence
in time	He arrived just in time to catch the train.
in the forefront of	She is in the forefront of medical research.
in demand	Skilled programmers are in demand in the tech industry.
in focus	The camera lens brings the subject in focus.
in one’s element	He’s in his element when he’s playing guitar.
in prison	The convicted criminal spent ten years in prison.
in season	Strawberries are in season during the early summer.
in stock	The new model is in stock and available for purchase.
in touch	Stay in touch with me while you’re traveling.
in use	The conference room is currently in use.
in difficulty	The hikers found themselves in difficulty when the trail disappeared.
in sight	The finish line is in sight; keep going!
in a deep sleep	The baby was in a deep sleep, undisturbed by the noise.
in a flash	The opportunity was gone in a flash.
in a heap	After the party, clothes were left in a heap on the floor.
in a hurry	I can’t chat right now; I’m in a hurry to get to work.
in a mess	His apartment was in a mess after the weekend party.
in a pile	She left the books in a pile on her desk.
in a sense	In a sense, we are all responsible for the health of the planet.
in a temper	The child was in a temper because he didn’t get his way.
in abeyance	The new rules are held in abeyance until further notice.
in abundance	Wildflowers grow in abundance in the meadow.
in accordance with	The ceremony proceeded in accordance with tradition.
in action	The new policy is now in action and will affect all employees.
in addition to	In addition to her studies, she volunteers at the hospital.
in advance	Tickets must be purchased in advance.
in agony	The injured player was in agony on the field.
in agreement with	The team was in agreement with the coach’s strategy.
in aid of	The concert was held in aid of the local hospital.
in all likelihood	In all likelihood, the weather will be sunny for the picnic tomorrow.
in an instant	Everything changed in an instant after the news broke.
in an uproar	The crowd was in an uproar after the controversial call by the referee.
in answer to	In answer to your question, yes, the meeting has been rescheduled.
in anticipation of	She packed her umbrella in anticipation of rain.
in arrears	The tenant was in arrears with the rent for several months.
in awe of	The audience was in awe of the magician’s skills.
in blossom	The cherry trees are in blossom this time of year.
in brief	In brief, the report summarizes the main findings of the study.
in bulk	It’s cheaper to buy rice in bulk.
in cash	He preferred to pay in cash rather than use a credit card.
in character	The actor stayed in character even between takes.
in charge of	She is in charge of organizing the company retreat.
in code	The message was written in code to keep it secret.
in collaboration with	The study was conducted in collaboration with the university.
in combination with	The medication works best in combination with regular exercise.
in comfort	After a long hike, they rested in comfort at the cozy mountain lodge.
in command of	The captain is in command of the ship.
in common	The two friends had a lot in common and became inseparable.
in comparison with	In comparison with last year, the company’s profits have increased.
in compensation for	He received a generous sum in compensation for the damage to his property.
in conclusion	In conclusion, the speaker summarized the key points of her presentation.
in confidence	She shared her plans in confidence with her closest friend.
in confinement	The patient was kept in confinement during the recovery period.
in confusion	The evacuation was conducted in confusion due to the sudden alarm.
in conjunction with	The training program was developed in conjunction with industry experts.
in connection with	He was questioned in connection with the ongoing investigation.
in consequence of	In consequence of the merger, several offices were closed.
in contact with	The team remained in contact with their stranded colleague via radio.
in contrast with	In contrast with his outgoing brother, he is very shy.
in control of	The pilot regained in control of the aircraft after the turbulence.
in convoy	The trucks traveled in convoy for safety through the desert.
in custody	The suspect was taken in custody by the police.
in danger	The endangered species are in danger of extinction.
in debt	She worked two jobs to get out of debt.
in decline	The old industry is in decline, giving way to new technologies.
in defense of	The lawyer spoke in defense of her client.
in detail	The plan was explained in detail to all team members.
in disgrace	The official left office in disgrace after the scandal.
in disguise	The celebrity entered the party in disguise to avoid recognition.
in disorder	The files were left in disorder after the office move.
in dispute	The border has been in dispute for many years.
in distress	The vessel sent out a signal when it was in distress at sea.
in doubt	The outcome of the game was in doubt until the final whistle.
in due course	You will receive your exam results in due course.
in duplicate	Please submit the forms in duplicate.
in earnest	Once the contract is signed, the project will begin in earnest.
in effect	The new law is in effect as of January 1st.
in error	The payment was made in error and will be refunded.
in essence	In essence, the two products are similar even though they have different brands.
in excess of	The vehicle was traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
in exchange for	He offered his collectible cards in exchange for rare comic books.
in existence	The oldest tree in existence in the park is over 400 years old.
in fact	In fact, the data shows that our sales have increased by 20%.
in fairness to	In fairness to Alex, he did try to finish the report on time.
in favor of	The council voted in favor of the new zoning regulations.
in fear of	They lived in fear of another earthquake.
in flames	The building was in flames by the time firefighters arrived.
in flower	The garden is in flower during the spring, creating a colorful display.
in full	Please pay the invoice in full within 30 days.
in future	In future, please check your work for errors before submitting it.
in gear	Once the project gets in gear, it should proceed quickly.
in general	In general, the feedback about the new product has been positive.
in good condition	The used car was still in good condition despite its age.
in good faith	The agreement was made in good faith by both parties.
in hand	With the map in hand, they felt confident about their hike.
in harmony with	The new addition to the house was built in harmony with the original architecture.
in haste	She packed her suitcase in haste and rushed to the airport.
in hiding	The witness was in hiding to avoid the media.
in high spirits	The team was in high spirits after their victory.
in honor of	A banquet was held in honor of the retiring principal.
in horror	She watched in horror as the vase shattered on the floor.
in ink	Sign the contract in ink to ensure it’s legally binding.
in pencil	The students completed the math test in pencil.
in isolation	The patient was kept in isolation to prevent the spread of the infection.
in its infancy	The technology is still in its infancy and not widely available.
in jeopardy	The project was in jeopardy when the lead designer resigned.
in keeping with	The wedding theme was in keeping with the couple’s love of the beach.
in labor	She went to the hospital when she was in labor.
in league with	The villain was in league with the corrupt officials.
in length	The board discussed the proposal in length before making a decision.
in line with	The company’s policies are in line with industry standards.
in love with	He realized he was in love with his best friend.
in memory of	The monument was erected in memory of the fallen soldiers.
in mid-air	The basketball player caught the ball in mid-air and scored.
in mind	Keep in mind that the deadline is this Friday.
in moderation	It’s okay to indulge in sweets in moderation.
in mourning	The nation was in mourning after the death of the beloved leader.
in name	He was the leader in name, but others held the real power.
in office	The president accomplished several goals while in office.
in one’s absence	Decisions were made in her absence that she did not agree with.
in one’s spare time	He enjoys woodworking in his spare time.
in operation	The new factory has been in operation for six months.
in opposition to	Many residents are in opposition to the proposed highway.
in origin	The tradition is French in origin.
in other words	The situation is complicated, or in other words, we have a big problem.
in pain	After the fall, he was clearly in pain.
in Parliament	The bill is currently being debated in Parliament.
in particular	She has an interest in science, in particular, marine biology.
in person	You need to submit the application in person at the office.
in pieces	The vase fell and broke in pieces on the tile floor.
in place of	She will be acting in place of the manager while he’s on vacation.
in possession of	The suspect was found in possession of stolen goods.
in poverty	The charity works to help those living in poverty.
in practice	In practice, the new system is much more efficient than the old one.
in preference to	She chose the blue dress in preference to the red one.
in preparation for	The team was in preparation for the upcoming tournament.
in principle	In principle, I agree with the idea, but we need to look at the specifics.
in private	The conversation took place in private, away from the media.
in progress	Road repairs are in progress, so expect delays.
in proportion to	The ingredients should be used in proportion to the recipe.
in public	He rarely shows affection in public.
in pursuit of	The explorer was in pursuit of ancient artifacts.
in quantity	The product is now available in quantity for retailers.
in question	The method in question has been used successfully in other studies.
in reality	In reality, the situation was not as dire as it seemed.
in recognition of	She received an award in recognition of her charitable work.
in relation to	The company’s profits have increased in relation to last year’s figures.
in reply to	In reply to your request, we have shipped the items today.
in reserve	The team has a few players in reserve in case of injuries.
in residence	The artist will be in residence at the university for the semester.
in respect of	The company is facing charges in respect of environmental violations.
in response to	In response to customer feedback, we have updated our return policy.
in retrospect	In retrospect, I would have handled the situation differently.
in return	He offered his help in return for a share of the profits.
in revenge for	The attack was carried out in revenge for the earlier assault.
in reverse	To undo the spell, you must read the words in reverse.
in ruins	The ancient castle now stands in ruins, a reminder of the past.
in safety	The hikers reached the cabin in safety before the storm hit.
in sb’s interest	It’s in your interest to start saving money early for retirement.
in sb’s opinion	In her opinion, the movie was the best of the year.
in search of	They went in search of a new adventure.
in secret	The plans were developed in secret, without the knowledge of the public.
in self-defense	He claimed he was acting in self-defense when he struck the assailant.
in settlement of	The payment was made in settlement of the outstanding debt.
in short	In short, the meeting could have been an email.
in silence	They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
in small change	He paid for the candy in small change.
in store for	There are many surprises in store for guests at the event.
in succession	The team won three games in succession.
in support of	The concert was held in support of the charity.
in suspense	The audience was left in suspense at the end of the episode.
in sympathy with	The community was in sympathy with the victims’ families.
in tears	She was in tears after hearing the sad news.
in terms of	In terms of efficiency, the new software system is a big improvement.
in terror	The villagers fled in terror as the volcano erupted.
in the absence of	In the absence of clear instructions, we used our best judgment.
in the aftermath	In the aftermath of the storm, many people were left without power.
in the balance	With the jury still out, his fate hangs in the balance.
in the case of	In the case of an emergency, call this number.
in the course of	In the course of the investigation, new evidence came to light.
in the distance	She could see the lighthouse shining in the distance.
in the event of	In the event of a fire, use the stairs instead of the elevator.
in the extreme	His reaction was in the extreme, given the mild criticism he received.
in the eyes of	In the eyes of the law, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
in the flesh	It was exciting to see the celebrity in the flesh.
in the form of	Assistance came in the form of food and medical supplies.
in the habit of	He’s in the habit of taking a walk every morning.
in the interests of	In the interests of safety, please do not run in the corridors.
in the lead	She’s in the lead for the role in the upcoming play.
in the light of	In the light of new information, we will need to revise our plans.
in the long run	In the long run, exercising regularly will benefit your health.
in the making	The team’s victory was years in the making.
in the meantime	The movie starts at 9 PM; in the meantime, let’s grab dinner.
in the midst of	They were in the midst of celebrating when the power went out.
in the mood for	I’m in the mood for Italian food tonight.
in the name of	Many atrocities have been committed in the name of progress.
in the night	The stars shone brightly in the night sky.
in the open	The secret is now in the open for everyone to know.
in the process of	We are in the process of updating our computer systems.
in the right	You’re in the right, and you should stand your ground.
in the seclusion of	They enjoyed their honeymoon in the seclusion of the mountain cabin.
in the shade	It’s cooler to sit in the shade during the hot summer days.
in the space of	He finished the exam in the space of an hour.
in the wake of	In the wake of the scandal, the CEO resigned.
in the way of	There is little in the way of entertainment in this small town.
in the wrong	She apologized after realizing she was in the wrong.
in theory	In theory, the plan should work perfectly.
in time for	She arrived just in time for the beginning of the concert.
in times of	In times of crisis, it’s important to stay calm.
in town	There’s a new restaurant in town everyone’s talking about.
in trouble	If you don’t finish your homework, you’ll be in trouble.
in tune with	The new policies are in tune with the current economic climate.
in turmoil	The country was in turmoil during the political uprising.
in turn	Each speaker, in turn, shared their thoughts on the matter.
in two minds	I’m in two minds about selling the house—it has so many memories.
in twos	The children lined up in twos to enter the auditorium.
in uniform	The soldiers were dressed in uniform for the parade.
in unison	The choir sang in unison, their voices blending beautifully.
in vain	They waited in vain for a response to their request.
in view of	In view of the weather forecast, the event will be postponed.
in vogue	Vintage clothing is in vogue this season.
in words	She expressed her gratitude in words that touched everyone’s heart.

List of Prepositional Phrases with IN | Infographic

List of Prepositional Phrases with IN | Infographic 2

List of Prepositional Phrases with IN | Infographic 3

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common examples of prepositional phrases beginning with the word ‘in’?

Common examples include “in addition to,” “in person,” “in practice,” “in agreement with,” and “in the case of.” These phrases can specify a condition, location, or time.

How can prepositional phrases with ‘in’ be used to enhance sentences?

By using prepositional phrases with ‘in,’ we can provide more detail and context. For example, “in advance” sets a time frame, while “in response to” provides a reason or motivation for an action.

Can you list various types of prepositional phrases that include ‘in’?

Certainly! There are prepositional phrases indicating time like “in the morning,” location such as “in the garden,” and manner with phrases like “in a hurry.” They vary widely in their uses.

What’s the difference between adverbial and adjectival prepositional phrases with ‘in’?

Adverbial prepositional phrases, such as “in silence,” describe how, when, where, or why an action happens. Adjectival prepositional phrases, like “in good condition,” describe a noun or pronoun.