When it comes to preposition, I always feel uncomfortable.
By reading sentences with 'in or on or of', I intuitively guess the meaning of sentence.
(although, sometimes there are phrasal verbs which have totally different meanings...)
But the problem is when it comes to write.
e.g.
There has been an inflation in the price of fruit recently.
There is an increase in the Net Profit of the company.
There is a slight decrease in the price of Computer games..
...
Now, I see sentences which I think have very much the same meaning.
e.g.
It is mostly an increase of Net Income. It basically illustrates an increase in profits and can sometimes can illustrate a decrease on expenses or a combination in both
...
These must be very (x10) basic grammer stuff.
Or did you, I mean native speakers, did you also find diffculty in understanding the difference in prepositions when you were in primary school?
Because even with this basic stuff, I still couldn't figure out ... after living in Australasia for over 10 years now.
Particulary with prepositions... decrease in or decrease on ...
I look up the dictionary, but isn't clear...how does it affect the meaning, or are they interchangeable.
Unless I was born in Western Europe where the grammar structure likely to be very much similar, just like between Japanese and Korean, probably, the best way must be keep on studying and asking, I think. I mean that's I found out.
I wish I could ask such a question to my parents or sisters...I mean if there had English-Mother tongue or unless myself started from Primary school. I started from High school though..
Sorry...and thanks for reading all that.
e.g.
a decrease on expenses
If 'on' is used instead of 'in', does that simply mean the expense was decreased...? just like a decreas in expenses? I intuitively feel there is a slight difference, but I can't put it in words...also also
a decrease of expense = a decrease on expenses
a decrease of expense = a decrease in expense
thus
a decrease on expenses = a decrease in expense
Same meaning? seems very logic though...