During & In

Hello, teachers!!! I have just joined this forum.

I have long wanted to understand the difference between "in" and "during".

What are the differences between two sentrences below or which is proper English?

I went to Saipan in the last summer vacation.
I went to Saipan during the last summer vacation.

Thank you very much in advance.

Originally Posted by reiyumoa

Hello, teachers!!! I have just joined this forum.

I have long wanted to understand the difference between "in" and "during".

What are the differences between two sentrences below or which is proper English?

I went to Saipan in the last summer vacation.
I went to Saipan during the last summer vacation.

Thank you very much in advance.

The first sentence is incorrect. The second one is proper English.

Originally Posted by jimsandifer

The first sentence is incorrect. The second one is proper English.

Why is it incorrrect?

What did you do in your summer vacation?

Thank you for your answers.
I however want to know the reason.

Maybe, "during" is used for a part of a certain length of period.
The sample sentence I typed describes something that already
happened in a part of the summer vacation. Is this the reason
that we should use "during", not "in".

About "What did you do in your summer vacation?" ,
the person who asks this does not know what he or she did.

Am I right to guess therefore the sentence " Did you go
to Saipan in your summer vacation?" being incorrect?

I am sorry, but I have started to be confused while I was typing.
Please help me understand more!!!

Originally Posted by reiyumoa

Thank you for your answers.
I however want to know the reason.

Maybe, "during" is used for a part of a certain length of period.
The sample sentence I typed describes something that already
happened in a part of the summer vacation. Is this the reason
that we should use "during", not "in".

About "What did you do in your summer vacation?" ,
the person who asks this does not know what he or she did.

Am I right to guess therefore the sentence " Did you go
to Saipan in your summer vacation?" being incorrect?

I am sorry, but I have started to be confused while I was typing.
Please help me understand more!!!

It's very simple really. "During" has two meanings".

PREPOSITION: 1. Throughout the course or duration of: suffered food shortages during the war. 2. At some time in: was born during a blizzard.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/24/D0432400.html

So we can say:


"I went to Saipan during the last summer vacation.", to mean that I went throughout (the whole period of) my summer vacation.

And we can say:

I went to Saipan in the last summer vacation.
I went to Saipan during the last summer vacation.

Both mean "at some time in that period I was in Saipian".


'Hope that's clear.

I'm sure I have understood them properly.
Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by reiyumoa

I'm sure I have understood them properly.
Thank you very much.

You're welcome.