Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

Status
Not open for further replies.

rezaaa

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2020
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

"My dog wreaked havoc through the house". Why is "through" used here as a preposition and not "in" or "across"?
 
Last edited:

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

"Through" is the wrong preposition and "wreak" is incorrect. Where did you find the sentence? Remember that you always have to tell us the source and, where possible, author of every quotation.
 

teechar

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
Iraq
Current Location
Iraq
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

"My dog wreak havoc through the house".
That's ungrammatical; it's missing tense.

Why is "through" [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] used here as a preposition and not "in" or "across"?
We'll comment after you tell us the source. Please provide a link if possible.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

The two written examples on that page are:


  • Trump’s supporters wreaked havoc in the Capitol.
  • The children’s party wreaked havoc on the restaurant.

Was the sentence about the dog in the video (which I didn't watch)?
 

rezaaa

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2020
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

The two written examples on that page are:


  • Trump’s supporters wreaked havoc in the Capitol.
  • The children’s party wreaked havoc on the restaurant.

Was the sentence about the dog in the video (which I didn't watch)?
Yes
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

Listen to the video again. Does the speaker perhaps say throughout?
 

jutfrank

VIP Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Re: Can "through" be replaced with "in" or "across" as a preposition"?

To save members time, the exact sentence from the quiz is this:

Our new puppy has wreaked havoc through the house - it's a real mess!

The preposition through shows that the mess is in several different places in the house and not just one room.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top