• 3-minute read
• 27th January 2016

Preposition Usage: ‘In’, ‘Of’ and ‘To’

A preposition introduces additional detail in a sentence. This can be about things like times (e.g. ‘we met at eleven’), places (e.g. ‘we went to the café’), and general descriptions (e.g. ‘we spoke about the problem’).

These words are thus vital to descriptive writing, ensuring clarity in your academic work. Herein, we go over the prepositions ‘in’, ‘of’ and ‘to’, which all have multiple meanings, to explain how and when they should be used.

In (Space, Time and Inclusion)

As a preposition, ‘in’ is a versatile word used to indicate:

• A location (‘I lazed in bed’; ‘I live in Norwich’)
• A point in time or duration (‘I run in the morning’; ‘I’ll see you in ten minutes’)
• Involvement or inclusion (‘She works in medicine’; ‘I read it in a book’)
• A state or condition (‘They were in love’; ‘I was in despair’)
• A limitation or qualification (‘He’s going in circles’; ‘She spoke in a whisper’)
• How something is done (‘The rules are set out in writing’)

In addition, ‘in’ can also be a synonym for ‘into’ (e.g. ‘I put it in the box’).

Of (Belonging and Connection)

The preposition ‘of’ mostly concerns relationships of belonging or connection. We can use it to indicate the following:

• Derivation, origin or source (‘The plays of Arthur Miller’)
• Causation (‘I’m dying of hunger’)
• Distance or direction from (‘Within metres of the finish line’)
• Belonging to a group or type (‘London is one of the biggest cities in Europe’)
• Material, substance or contents (‘A good head of hair’)
• Character or identity (‘A man of conscience’)
• Possession or association (‘Property of the state’)
• Amount or number (‘Three pints of Bovril’)

To (Movement, Action and Relationships)

As with ‘in’ and ‘of’, the preposition ‘to’ has multiple meanings. Among other things, we can use this term to indicate:

• Movement towards (‘I am going to the moon!’)
• Proximity or location (‘It is next to the fridge’)
• Spatial or temporal spans (‘Water up to my ankles’; ‘Monday to Friday’)
• Something being acted upon (‘Apply the ointment to the wound’)
• Relationships of connection (‘The response to her question’)
• Something approaching a particular state (‘I was driven to distraction’)
• The relationship between individuals (‘Bill is married to Jacob’)
• Limitations (‘The allowance for pre-tax earnings was set to £10,000′)

As you can see, ‘in’, ‘of’ and ‘to’ can all be used in lots of situations, so the best way to master them is to practise! But if you need an expert editor to check the preposition use in your writing, we’re always here to help.