ENGLISH
REFERENCE

in the country

prep. phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

prep. phr.. Describes a place that is outside of cities and towns, where there are farms, fields, and nature. It is the opposite of being 'in the city'.

prep. phr.. A prepositional phrase indicating a location in a rural, non-urban area, as opposed to a town or city.


SIMPLE

My grandparents live in the country.

CONTEXTUAL

We're going for a long walk in the country this weekend to escape the city noise.

COMPLEX

After years of metropolitan living, he found that life in the country offered a tranquility he had long forgotten.

Usage

This phrase almost always uses the definite article 'the' and contrasts with 'in the city'.

Teaching tip

Distinguish this sense of 'country' (countryside) from its other main sense (a nation); the presence of 'the' is a key clue.

Pitfall

She has a house in country.She has a house in the country.The definite article 'the' is required when 'country' refers to the countryside.

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