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HSS Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
On my Squad, in my Squad
Hi, would anyone please help me understand the difference, if any, between the two phrases?
[1] Tony was the first of the men on my squad to reup for an additional two years.
[2] Tony was the first of the men in my squad to reup for an additional two years.
I've always thought I should use 'on' before 'squad,' 'team,' or the like. But I saw sentence [2] in my recent reading.
Thanks for any and all your help.
Hiro/ Sendai, Japan
[1] Tony was the first of the men on my squad to reup for an additional two years.
[2] Tony was the first of the men in my squad to reup for an additional two years.
I've always thought I should use 'on' before 'squad,' 'team,' or the like. But I saw sentence [2] in my recent reading.
Thanks for any and all your help.
Hiro/ Sendai, Japan
Top answer
Hi Hiro I'd say both prepositions are possible, but I'd most likely use " in my squad". And I would definitely use "re-enlist" rather than "re-up".
- Hi Hiro I'd say both prepositions are possible, but I'd most likely use " in my squad".
- And I would definitely use "re-enlist" rather than "re-up".
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4 Answers
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Hi Hiro
I'd say both prepositions are possible, but I'd most likely use "in my squad". And I would definitely use "re-enlist" rather than "re-up".
I'd say both prepositions are possible, but I'd most likely use "in my squad". And I would definitely use "re-enlist" rather than "re-up".
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Thanks, Amy. In or on. Does this apply to any sentence where 'in/on the squad' is used as an adverbial phrase, or an adjectival phrase modifying such as 'three men' --- three men in/on the squad?
Hiro/ Sendai, Japan
Hiro/ Sendai, Japan
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Hi Hiro
I'd say it doesn't matter. Saying "in a/the/his/their squad" simply struck me as the more commonly used collocation.
However, there may be regional differences in the US. I've now checked the BNC and the American Corpus for both "in * squad" and "on * squad", and interestingly it appears that "in" is used almost exclusively with "squad" in British English, while
I'd say it doesn't matter. Saying "in a/the/his/their squad" simply struck me as the more commonly used collocation.
However, there may be regional differences in the US. I've now checked the BNC and the American Corpus for both "in * squad" and "on * squad", and interestingly it appears that "in" is used almost exclusively with "squad" in British English, while
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I'd say "reup" if I were talking to other military people and "reenlist" if I were talking to civilians.
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