0
Paultx Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

On between?

I found this in an article about Brazil's 2010 presidential election at The Economist site:

The last few polls have put Ms Rousseff on between 53% and 57%, a big difference in a two-horse race (she is facing José Serra of the centrist Party of Brazilian Social Democracy).

Is that right? Or should it be in between?

It's a typo, maybe?
  

Top answer

Paultx The last few polls have put Ms Rousseff on between 53% and 57%, I don't think the Economist makes typos! "In between" would be grammatical, but very low register in this sentence. I'm quite sure the choice was intentional.

— Avangi

  • Paultx The last few polls have put Ms Rousseff on between 53% and 57%, I don't think the Economist makes typos!
  • "In between" would be grammatical, but very low register in this sentence.
  • I'm quite sure the choice was intentional.
  • Would you accept "The poll puts her on 55%" ??
  • ") - A.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
PaultxThe last few polls have put Ms Rousseff on between 53% and 57%,
I don't think the Economist makes typos! "In between" would be grammatical, but very low register in this sentence.

I'm quite sure the choice was intentional.

Would you accept "The poll puts her on 55%" ?? (AmE would probably use "at.")

0
0
I wonder if it wouldn't be "The last few polls have put Ms Rousseff in between 53% and 57%", with an ellipsis for "somewhere" – "The last few polls have put Ms Rousseff somewhere in between 53% and 57%"...
0
0
It's certainly possible, but I continue to feel that such an observation would be childish vis a vis the Economist's usual fare.

I suspect "on" is the typical British usage here.

- A.
0

Related Questions