What's the difference between walk in and walk into in contexts like :
He walked into/in my room?
Are they interchangeable?
asked May 2, 2016 at 17:18
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ell.stackexchange.com/questions/84098/… this might answer your question.– Sam HarringtonCommented May 2, 2016 at 17:38
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3 Answers
Sometimes they are used to mean the same thing, sometimes they aren't. It depends on the context.
"Into" gives the idea of transitioning from outside to inside.
"In" can mean the same, but not necessarily. For example, "He walked in your room" could mean that he was already in the room and he walked (no transition from outside to inside).
But if someone is outside a room and says "I'm walking in your room", they would mean that they're walking into the room. Whether that's incorrect or not, I don't know.
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To me, "I'm walking in your room" isn't idiomatic in the sense of entering the room, though I'm sure it would be understood. Commented May 2, 2016 at 18:16
The main difference between walk in the garden and walk into the room is:
- to walk into means to enter [a place] or bang into. [walk into a wall] Walk into is not a phrasal verb. It implies a location or place.
- to walk in a place, like a garden or room means you are already inside the area and walking.
- but watch out for the noun: a walk-in clinic, you don't need a appointment.
- In AE, walks-in is also used for hair dressing salons (no appointment needed).
When used as noun, a walk-in customer is one without an appointment.
He walked into/in my room
Usually, when the verb walk like go and come expresses the movement of someone to the inside of a place, it takes the preposition into, not in. However, it's correct to use 'in' in the same sense as an adverb, without a following noun of place or space. For examples:
He walked in and sat down in a chair.
The door was open so I just walked in.
