ENGLISH
REFERENCE

in the street

prep. phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

prep. phr.. Outdoors on the road where cars drive, usually in a town or city.

prep. phr.. A prepositional phrase indicating a location within the physical boundaries of a street, typically on the roadway itself rather than the pavement.


SIMPLE

Children were playing ball in the street.

CONTEXTUAL

He dropped his keys in the street and had to stop traffic to find them.

COMPLEX

The parade marched directly in the street, with crowds cheering from the sidewalks on either side.

Usage

Used to describe something located or happening on the paved surface of a road.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'on the street', which can mean 'homeless' (living on the street) or refer to a building's address (the cafe is on this street).

Pitfall

The shop is in the main street.The shop is on the main street.Use 'on the street' for a building's location and 'in the street' for activities happening on the road itself.

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