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Latest post Thu, Sep 20 2007 12:11 AM by Clive. 3 replies.
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meantolearn  +  420736 Tue, 18 Sep 07 08:33 PM
Hi,

"The item is on the shopping list."

"next (pronoun) - the person or thing in a list, series etc that comes after the person or thing you are dealing with now:"

1. What are the differences between 'on a list' and 'in a list'?

Thanks,
Joined on Thu, Feb 24 2005
Regular Member 808
I think; therefore I am.
Clive  +  420788 Tue, 18 Sep 07 10:48 PM

Hi,

"The item is on the shopping list."

"next (pronoun) - the person or thing in a list, series etc that comes after the person or thing you are dealing with now:"

1. What are the differences between 'on a list' and 'in a list'?

There's not really any big difference. These are often interchanged.

Here are a couple of comments on occasional small subtleties.

on a list - suggests a bit that you are thinking of the physical list, eg thinking of a piece of paper.

in a list - suggests a bit that you are not thinking of the list as a physical thing, but just as a sequence of names, eg 'your name is in a list in my mind'.

But, as I said, usually there is no difference.

Best wishes, Clive


 

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
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El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
meantolearn  +  421303 Wed, 19 Sep 07 11:23 PM
Hi, Clive.

"There's not really any big difference. These are often interchanged."

Is it Okay to rewrite the following and without change their meanings?
e.g. "The item is in the shopping list."
      
"next (pronoun) - the person or thing on a list, series etc that comes after the person or thing you are dealing with now:"

Thanks for your reply.
Clive  +  421318 Thu, 20 Sep 07 12:11 AM

Hi,

"There's not really any big difference. These are often interchanged."

Is it Okay to rewrite the following and without change their meanings?
e.g. "The item is in the shopping list."
It's OK, but I prefer 'on', and I think it's much more common in this example.

       "next (pronoun) - the person or thing on a list, series etc that comes after the person or thing you are dealing with now:" It's OK, but I prefer 'in', and I think it's much more common in this example.

Clive

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