[Grammar] At or In

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emilie

emilie

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What's the difference between "at the end"& "in the end"?
 
It depends on the context.

Tell us how you want to use them.
 
/A learner/

I wonder is this correct seeing of the matter?

December is in the end of the year.
December is at the end of the twelve months of a year.

I am going to go on my holiday in the end of December.
When exactly.
I don't know as yet.

Please use the full stop at the end of your sentences.
 
December is at the end of the year.

The theatre is at the end of the pier.

I couldn't decide whether to go to Margate or Marbella. In the end I chose Margate.

I struggled to save up for my holiday but in the end it was worth it.



Rover
 
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e2e4 said:
/

December is the last of the twelve months of a year.

I am going to go on my holiday at the (beginning)(end) of December.
I am going on my holiday in the middle of December.
Click to expand...
2006
 
Originally Posted by 2006
/

December is the last of the twelve months of a year.Dear 2006, this sentence has no any connection with "in the end" and "at the end".

I am going to go on my holiday at the (beginning)(end) of December.
I am going on my holiday in the middle of December.
I have no idea what do you want to say with this corrections.:roll:


 
e2e4 said:
Originally Posted by 2006
/

December is the last of the twelve months of a year.Dear 2006, this sentence has no any connection with "in the end" and "at the end".
It certainly has insofar as this is the correct way of expressing that thought.
I am going to go on my holiday at the (beginning)(end) of December.
I am going on my holiday in the middle of December.
I have no idea what [STRIKE]do[/STRIKE] you want to say with [STRIKE]this[/STRIKE] these corrections.:roll: . It should be clear to you that 2006 is correcting your incorrect comments.
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You could try to be less resistant to the helpful efforts of others. The "rolling eyes" icon in your post is particularly offensive, especially in view of the fact that the errors were made by you, not by 2006.
 
/A learner/

I am going on my holiday in the middle of December.

So this sentence is grammatically OK but

I am going on my holiday in the latter part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the second part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the first part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the end of December.

are not.

I don't understand. Please tell me why these four sentences are not correct.

Thanks


 
e2e4 said:
/A learner/

I am going on my holiday in the middle of December.

So this sentence is grammatically OK but

I am going on my holiday in the latter part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the second part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the first part of December.
I am going on my holiday in the end of December.

are not.

I don't understand. Please tell me why these four sentences are not correct.

Thanks
Click to expand...
The first three sentences are correct. Only the fourth needs to be modified, by changing the preposition in to at. You ask "why?" The answer is quite simply that prepositions in English are confusing and difficult to use correctly. They are frequently illogical and have no fixed rules. We often use different ones to convey the same sense in different situations, for example, in the morning, in the afternoon, at night.
 
/A learner/

Thanks but

Let me go on my holiday some day between 29th and 31th of December.

Is 29th at the end of December?

No it isn't, in my opinion.

Is 29th somewhere in the end of the December. Yes it is, in my poor opinion.

What is the end of December for you?
Last day, last evening, last hour, last minute, last second or what?

Thank you
 
/A learner/

Rover_KE said:
December is at the end of the year.

Rover
Click to expand...
OK, I can accept (understand) that December is at the end of the year.

Please tell me how to say for November.
How is November positioned regarding the year which part November is?

Can I say

November is in the end of the year.

Thanks
 
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No. November is near the end of the year.
 
e2e4 said:
/A learner/

Thanks but

Let me go on my holiday some day between 29th and 31th of December.

Is 29th at the end of December?

No it isn't, in my opinion.

Is 29th somewhere in the end of the December. Yes it is, in my poor opinion.

What is the end of December for you?
Last day, last evening, last hour, last minute, last second or what?

Thank you
Click to expand...


***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) You have asked a great question. It really makes us

native speakers think hard when learners ask such thoughtful

questions.

(2) As you know, all languages have their strengths -- and their

weaknesses. English is no exception!!!

(3) As the other posters have explained, it just happens that

"in the end" of something and "at the end" of something mean

something different. Maybe "in the end"is more figurative. More

abstract. For example: "What does it matter? In the end, we all

must die." Maybe "at the end" is more concrete. For example:

"They live at the end of the street" and "At the end of [the real,

actual month of] December, I am going on (my) holiday/vacation."

By the way, I do not know what other native speakers would say, but

maybe we could make everyone happy by using a different

preposition. What about:

I am going on vacation during the end of December.


***** NOT A TEACHER *****

P. S. Don't be discouraged. Here in the States, we say "on the

weekend," but -- I think -- our British friends prefer "at the

weekend." In other words, much of language is idiomatic (that

is, native speakers have decided to speak that way and there's

nothing we can do about it). Logic does not necessarily win.
 
TheParser said:
P. S. Don't be discouraged. Here in the States, we say "on the weekend," but -- I think -- our British friends prefer "at the

weekend." In other words, much of language is idiomatic (that

is, native speakers have decided to speak that way and there's

nothing we can do about it). Logic does not necessarily win.
Click to expand...

Americans say on the line.
Britons say in the line.
In my mother tongue we use both prepositions "on" and "in". It depends on the situation.
If there is a line on a road we say. Stay on the line. But ten people could stay in line at some field and not on line because there is no any line at the field except that one that is imagined only.

I really see no problem saying in the end of this week. The native speakers of English will get used to it with time.;-):-D
 
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You're thanking him for that useful post, Parser? It's complete rubbish.

Americans say on the line. Do they wait on the line at Starbucks for coffee? No - in it.
Britons say in the line. Do we hang our washing in the line? No - on it.
If there is a line on a road we say. Stay on the line. Two motorists approaching from opposite directions both stay on the same line, do they?

But ten people could stay in line at some field and not on line because there is no any line at the field except that one that is imagined only. What's that supposed to mean?

I really see no problem saying in the end of this week. The native speakers of English will get used to it with time. Eternity's too short for that to happen.
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I recommend that nobody takes this ignorant nonsense seriously.

Rover
 
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I am disappointed with some teachers here, I am.
 
NOT A TEACHER.

I would like to add that "in the end," unlike "at the end," can mean "ultimately," which is I think what Parser was getting at.
 
Rover_KE said:
You're thanking him for that useful post, Parser? It's complete rubbish.



I recommend that nobody takes this ignorant nonsense seriously.

Rover
Click to expand...

Is "takes" correct? I thought the subjunctive was used after "recommend."

Thanks.
 
e2e4 said:
I am disappointed with some teachers here, I am.
Click to expand...

I'm sure some of the teachers are disappointed in some of the students, too. Hahahaha...
 
Jasmin165 said:
Is "takes" correct? I thought the subjunctive was used after "recommend."

Thanks.
Click to expand...


***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Jasmin,

I believe that you are 100% correct when it comes to American English:

I recommend that your son attend Harvard. (subjunctive)

According to our esteemed Professor Quirk, however, the British people

have a a wider choice of "correct" choices. His book gives this

example:

The employees have demanded that the manager


resign
should resign
resigns

I have read that more British people are using the subjunctive, perhaps

because of the American influence on British English.

I was recently taken aback when a prominent American politician

said something like:

God forbid our political party forgets its principles.

*****

By the way, Professor Quirk and his colleagues remind us that

sometimes a "subjunctive verb" actually requires the indicative:



They insisted that we not eat meat.

They insisted that we do not eat meat.

(I guess the first sentence is a strong suggestion; the second one,

a refutation of our claim that we are meat eaters.)


***** NOT A TEACHER *****
 
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