Common English Collocations Using “In”

We can talk about time or periods of time, like in a month , uh, or in a particular month, like in December or in January, whatever it might be at the moment where in September just and we're coming into October or it can be about a specific thing like a , a space. So you can find it in a box, you can find it in a drawer or you can find it in a wardrobe, a cupboard, wherever that might be. Or you might just be in your mind, you're just thinking about it and it doesn't really exist.

Okay. So I've got lots of that, these options for you and I go through them as I usually do one by one and I'd give you some examples to help you. And these are really good because I've selected these specifically for those who are practicing your written skills. Okay. They can be used in writing. You know, we have to practice our oral skills cause that's important and it's about the communication.

But in today's world, you know, we're texting, we're sending SMSs where, what's up with emails, whatever it might be. So we need to really practice our English as well. Okay. So we're going to go through these, as I said one by one with hopefully some good examples for you. So the first one is in addition to, okay, usually this is followed by the I N G format of the verb. In addition to writing, I would also like you to concentrate on something else.

In addition to working for me, you're also going to have to report to my assistant. Okay. So you were using the I N G after that. So in addition to means extra additional work. Yeah. So in addition to the work that I have to do today, I also have to uh , keynote the cupboard or in addition to the housework at eight yesterday. I also have to go and buy the shopping for the week. All right.

So in addition to means extra things that you have to do in addition to was quite formally and also when we're talking to people and spo ken English, we might not always use it be cause t h ey're s ent to you. Very important in your written English because we tend to be a little bit more formal when we're writing in the next one. Again is a little bit formal and again very sp ecifically f or you practicing your, your written English in answer to .

Okay, so you often see this at the top of an email at the top of a letter when somebody introduced themselves as it . Well in answer to your query of such and such a date, an answer to the question that you raised in our last meeting in answer to the letter you sent me last week. Okay. So it was very, very formal. So in answer to follow them with a reference to whatever the particular question that was raised and the person in answer to is going hopefully to give you that particular answer.

Okay. And the next one is in any case, in any case, not necessarily specifically for writing. So somebody will use this in the , in the verbal communication with you , uh , in any case usually means, well, I've told you about that, but this is what I think. For example, I have a little bit of a cold and when I have a cold, I usually take some medicine or some of these hot drinks. But my wife will often say, in any case, you should really go to the doctor at your age and get yourself checked out.

And I say, I'm fine, I'm fine. You know ? So in any case, even though you're taking this medicine and even though you're maybe feeling a little better, I think in any case you should still go to the doctor. I'm having a little checkup. Okay. And the next one, short in brief in brief means, well, let me just summarize something. So at the end of a meeting, you have the people sitting around the table and you say, well, look in brief, this is what we need to do.

We need to get the minutes of this meeting set out. We need to send them to everybody. We need to follow up on the action plans. And the next meeting is going to be this day, next week. So that's in brief, keep something very short as opposed to the next one, which is in detail. So if you wanted to talk to somebody but in detail, then you go through it step by step, line by line. So they make sure that you make sure that they understand everything.

So at the board meeting I can say, okay, in brief this is what the followup is, but when we start the meeting we might go into detail about last month meeting or the sales figures that weren't so good or the business plan for the next year or the budget for the next year. So you want to go through those things in detail in a lot of detail. Okay. So in brief, short, compact in detail, a lot more.

Okay. And before I move on, just when you're using in detail, make sure that it is the single in detail. D E T a. I L never in details. Okay, let me know the details. That's perfect. Tell me everything about it. You know, what does it look like? I want to buy a car. Well tell me the details, the price, the mileage, et cetera . But when you're talking about them and meeting in detail means step by step.

Okay. So the next one I have for you is in effect, and that is spelled E, F, F, E, C T in effect. And in effect means really? Yeah. But in effect, what it means is that we're all going to have to work longer or an effect. What it means is you'll have to go back to that particular client and spell it out to him again. So really this is what I want you to do. Really. This is what it means. So in effect, and the next one is quite common.

I'm sure you've , you've all heard of it in fact, and when we talk about, in fact we mean actually, yeah. In fact, what I mean is this. So somebody tells you something and they speak for a couple of minutes and then they , they like to summarize it and say, well look , in fact, this is exactly what I mean. Okay. And then they, they'll give you a shortened version of it. Yeah. In fact, you were right, but you did it the incorrect way. So you're working on a mathematical problem.

You come up with the right answer. But in fact, you didn't work it out the way the teacher wanted and he gives you some negative marks. You've got the answer. But he wants to see the working . So actually this is what he means. Okay. So when he asks you to solve a problem, actually what he means is work it out step by step and then give me the answer, in fact. Okay. And the next one is in general. Okay. So in general, is it quite a common , uh, co-location that we use?

And then in general, again, when we're writing or when we're speaking more formally, we will use this in , in , so in general means overall. Yeah. So we're not talking about something specific. We're talking about something a little bit more general listic yes . So for example , uh, in general, the people in the UK , uh , heavier than the people in Italy because they eat the wrong food. It's not the same.

Everybody in the U K is heavier than everyone in Italy, but in general, they are making that , uh , assumption based on the facts that they have. Okay. Or in general, the weather in Ireland is wetter than the jet, the weather in Belgium. Okay. So Island is that Island. It's surrounded by water that subject to lots of winds and therefore it gets normally or generally a lot more rainfall. So we can say in general, the weather in Ireland is wetter than the weather in Belgium.

Certain days it might not be, but in general it is a fact. And the next one is a really good one to use in moderation. People love to use this. Everything in moderation. Work in moderation, get work life balance, drinking in moderation, eating food in moderation. Don't drink too much, don't eat too much, don't work too much. Ah , in fact, don't do anything too much. Always do things in moderation and you get a nice balance in your life.

Okay. The next one, we have two prepositions that we can use here in order of, or in order to. Okay. In order of, for example, in order of importance, so you rank things. What's the most important? For example, to do lists ? I love to do lists . I do on every day, every morning I write it down a bit of paper, what I'm going to do first, second, third.

And when I tick it off, I really feel good about myself, but I put the most important things at the top or the most difficult things at the top because I, when I do those, I can feel a lot better. So in order of importance, so we ranked them one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Okay. Or an order of events. Yeah. So when something's going to happen, you have a seminar, what's going to happen first? The opening address, coffee break, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. In order of the events.

Okay. In order to, we can use, when we say in order to speed up administration, you no longer have to complete the form in triplicate. You only have to complete it in duplicate. Okay. I wish, I wish. So in order to , uh, speed up the applications in the , um, passport office , if you bring the form already signed with the photograph, we'll give you an express application so you don't have to stand in a big queue.

So in order to achieve something, in order to cut down on the waking time, in order to make our service better, everything in order to, and then as I said before, in order of whatever it might be, okay, in order off and in order to, okay , so earlier on we spoke about in general, okay. In general, which you said something not so specific. Now we have another one in particular. So he is the exact opposite.

So when you want to be really specific, you refer to, in particular, the letter I want to refer to is your letter of the 10th of September. In particular, your second paragraph on the first page where you mentioned blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So you're identifying exactly what part of the letter that you want to refer to and where you perhaps want some clarification or some more enlightenment as to what the person wanted.

Okay. So when we want to be specific and we want somebody to focus on something specific, we can use this expression in particular. Okay. And the last one I have on this list is in theory or this is a wonderful expression because people love this because they know they don't have to be specific or they don't have to do it in practice. Say, well in theory, yeah you're right. But it never works that way. Oh, in theory this is what we meant. But in reality we do it another way.

So you often ask like why bother with the theory if you do it another way? Yeah . But in theory it means that's the way we had intended. That's the way you should do it. But in practicality, when we want to get something done quicker or faster or more efficiently, we sort of cut corners. Well, at least I do. So in theory, yeah. But in practice in another way. Okay. Okay. Well thanks for listening and that's it for today called locations .

Using the preposition in, as I said to you at the beginning. And if you want to join me, you can get me on www.englishlessonviaskype.com and when you get there, you'll find a link to our wonderful, easy peasy club, which is a great way for you to improve your written English, your spoken English, your pronunciation, and overall boost your confidence in using English in general . So join me again soon.