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Englishfan25 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

in ... within ?

what is the difference between in and within ? Which of the following sentences is correct ?
i) I will be there in 10 mins.
or
ii) I will be there within 10 mins.
can they be used interchangeably?

Thanks in advance !
  

Top answer

" In your first sentence, I would think that it would take the full ten minutes for the person to arrive. In the second sentence, the person could arrive any time within the ten minutes. Both sentences are correct -- it is just a matter of what you are attempting to express.

— RedPenCJ

  • " In your first sentence, I would think that it would take the full ten minutes for the person to arrive.
  • In the second sentence, the person could arrive any time within the ten minutes.
  • Both sentences are correct -- it is just a matter of what you are attempting to express.
  • The first sentence is the more common form.
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1 Answers
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In this context, "in" means "after" or "during."

"Within" means "not beyond" or "within the limits of."

In your first sentence, I would think that it would take the full ten minutes for the person to arrive.

In the second sentence, the person could arrive any time within the ten minutes.

Both sentences are correct -- it is just a matter of what you are attemptin
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