What is the difference between “in” and “into?”
In indicates location. For example,
- He was in the room.
- The killer was in the house.
Into indicates motion. For example,
- She walked into the room.
- The killer walked into the kitchen.
When to Use a Hyphen With “In”
-in
Precede “in” with a hyphen. For example,
- break-in
- cave-in
- walk-in
- write-in
- drive-in
- sit-in
in-
No hyphens are used when “in” means “not.” For example,
- inaccurate
- insufferable
Other uses without a hyphen
- inbound
- indoor
- infield
- infighting
- inpatient (n., adj.)
- inboard
There are a few combinations that do take a hyphen, however. For example,
- in-depth
- in-group
- in-house
- in-law
If you are ever in doubt on whether or not to use a hyphen, follow Webster’s New World College Dictionary.
When Something is “in”
When employed to indicate that something is in vogue, use quotations mark only if followed by a noun. For example,
- It was the “in” thing to do back then.
-but-
- Raccoon coats are in again.
Inasmuch as
AP Style holds that this is two words.
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