Sonia
Can I use 'in' in these sentences instead of 'around'? ● I don't like to drive around the city. I prefer taking public transportation. ● I got lost on the way to work. I was wandering around the city. Can I use 'in' instead of 'around' in the sentences above? Is there any difference in the meaning?
Apr 19, 2015 4:25 AM
Answers · 6
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To drive 'around the city' has a couple of possible meanings. One is that you drive within the city, going here and there. The other is literally to go around the city, as in circumnavigate it - he drove around the city, in order to avoid the congestion in the city centre. To wander around is just to walk aimlessly going here and there. I wandered around the city, looking at the sights. In both of your example sentences you can substitute 'in' without loss of meaning.
April 19, 2015
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● I don't like to drive around the city. I prefer taking public transportation. -- here - yes, you can. In fact "in" will be more appropriate. You could say "I don't like driving around the city", but it might mean "aimlessly driving around" in the city, which is not what you want to say here. Therefore, "I don't like driving in the city" might be a bit more clear. ● I got lost on the way to work. I was wandering around the city. -- In this case "wandering around the city" also has this air of aimlessness. So in the context of getting completely lost and just walking around not knowing to turn, this might be a better place for "around the city". But, if there is "the city" as a specific portion title of a bigger area (like "the inner city" or the "old town" within the city), and you want to specify that you were wandering in that specific smaller area of the larger place, then you might actually say "I was wandering around in the city" - using both "around" and "in". In this case "wander around" is a verb-phrase with a slightly different meaning than just "to wander", so you can add a new proposition after it in reference to the specific place.
April 19, 2015
1
Yes. You can use in and around for both sentences! When you use IN, you're saying that you're inside something. It's perfectly alright to say that you're in the city, but it sounds more pleasing to use INSIDE aloud. When you use AROUND you 're saying that you're going here and there and the places surrounding the city rather than inside the city.
April 19, 2015
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