Check out this cool video on In/Into that we made for you: In/Into Trailer
“In” and “Into" are prepositions often confused by English Language Learners.
But there is a simple way to consider the difference between the two: movement.
We generally use “into” when something is moving and “in” when there is no movement.
1) I am not IN the classroom. The person’s location is identified here. There is no movement indicated.
2) Class is about to start, so I need to go INTO the classroom. The person “moves” from the hallway into the classroom. There is movement.
3) I am not IN that ENG 101 section. That is the situation. There is no movement at this point.
4) I need to get INTO ENG 101. The speaker needs movement in this situation because they need to get into a class that they are not currently in.
5) I cannot see you on Zoom; you are not IN the view of your computer camera. The location of the person being spoken to is not in the view of the camera, so the speaker cannot see them.
6) One moment please. I need to adjust my chair, so that I can move myself INTO the view of the camera. The speaker moves their location so they can be seen on Zoom.
7) Right now, I am living IN my parents' house. The speaker indicates the location of their current living situation.
8) I will move INTO my dorm room next semester. The speaker will move–and live in a new location next term.
9) I am IN the nursing program. The speaker is indicating their current academic status in regard to programming.
10) I was accepted INTO the nursing program last year. The speaker went from outside of the program into the program. Their situation changed or “moved.”
Bonus: I feel that my time at UMA helped me move from adolescence INTO adulthood. The speaker “moved” from one period or stage of their life into another.
Practice: Fill in the blank with "In" or "Into" for the following examples:
1) My computer charger was _____ my bedroom. I needed it to be _______ my backpack because I was ________ the classroom and my computer was almost out of batteries.
2) Now that I am _______ the class, I can breathe easier. Before I was _________ the class, I was getting stressed out because I need that class to graduate.
3) I am going to call the UMS IT Support because I am having trouble getting ________ my UMS account.
4) I am glad the UMS IT team helped me get __________ my account because I saw an important email _________ my inbox.
5) I do not have my textbook with me. I must have forgotten to put it _______ my backpack. Can you please look _______ my desk drawer ______ my room and see if it is ________ there?
6) The reading for class is ______ the book.
7) The UMA basketball team won and moved _____ first place ______ the standings.
8) There is another big snowstorm coming to Maine, so I need to remember to move the car ____ the garage before it starts.
9) I am glad my car is ______ the garage because it is very windy and if it were outside, I fear a branch from a tree might fall on it.
10) As the sun went down, the day turned _____ night.
Bonus: I went to the writing center to get guidance on how to turn my ideas and research _______ a paper.
Answers to In/Into Practice Exercises:
in/in/in
in/in
into
into/in
into ("in" would also be acceptable here)/in/in/in
in
into/in
into
in
into
Bonus: into
While we did make the above In/Into resources for you, there are other great resources available as well. Here are some that we have reviewed and recommend for you:
Text:
--In vs. Into: How to Choose the Right Word (thoughtco.com)
--Difference Between In and Into (with Example and Comparison Chart) - Key Differences
Video: