Be + noun/adjective + in + doing
What is the meaning of the "in" in these sentences? "inside the action" (metaphorical) or "during the action" or something else?
1- There is no shame in wanting to be successful.
2- There is no advantage in working at that company
3- She realized there was no use in arguing with him.
4- Mary is wrong in saying, 'Jack is stupid'.
Can I omit the "in" or change with another preposition?
As:
1'- There is no shame wanting to be succesful
2'- There is no advantage working at that company.
3'- She realized there was no use arguing with him.
4'- Mary is wrong saying, 'Jack is stupid'.
Top answer
"In" doesn't have a meaning in your examples. It's one of several prepositions that have what is known as 'grammaticised' uses -- those which are not determined by their meanings. The basic meaning of "in" is 'interior location', as in "in the kitchen/car/road etc", but in your examples "in" has no such meaning.
- "In" doesn't have a meaning in your examples.
- It's one of several prepositions that have what is known as 'grammaticised' uses -- those which are not determined by their meanings.
- The basic meaning of "in" is 'interior location', as in "in the kitchen/car/road etc", but in your examples "in" has no such meaning.
- In fact it has no discernible meaning at all, but convention has it that certain nouns, adjectives and verbs select (more or less exclusively) preposition phrases with "in" as head.
- Examples like yours where a gerund-participial (- ing ) clause is complement to "in" are very common.
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"In" doesn't have a meaning in your examples. It's one of several prepositions that have what is known as 'grammaticised' uses -- those which are not determined by their meanings.
The basic meaning of "in" is 'interior location', as in "in the kitchen/car/road etc", but in your examples "in" has no such meaning. In fact it has no discernible meaning at all, but convention has it that cer
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