Using preposition "in" with the word "how"...
Asking this for someone else as I don't know how to explain why the presence or absence of the preposition "in" is correct or incorrect in the following instances:
1) Students showed great differences in the way they worked. (correct)
2) Students showed great differences in how they worked. (correct)
3) Students showed great differences how they worked. (incorrect)
Her words: "According to what others have said, the third sentence, "Students showed differences how they worked," should be right, but actually is not. This sounds weird to me, but I couldn't find the explanation for this. As long as the lyrics [in the song] is right, the sentence above (without 'in') should be right."
Can anyone provide an explanation for the grammar in the above situation? Thanks!
Top answer
Standard English is to speak of a difference in something . something can be a noun or something that is like a noun, such as a noun clause. 'how they worked' is a noun clause.
- Standard English is to speak of a difference in something .
- something can be a noun or something that is like a noun, such as a noun clause.
- 'how they worked' is a noun clause.
- Consider a simpler example.
- We don't say 'The two men have a difference height'.
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Standard English is to speak of a difference in something.
something can be a noun or something that is like a noun, such as a noun clause.
'how they worked' is a noun clause.
Consider a simpler example.
We don't say 'The two men have a difference height'. We say . . . a difference in height.
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