In the sentence ‘He pursued a career in medicine,’ the preposition ‘in’ is used to indicate the field or area of focus. This usage is common in English when talking about careers, professions, or areas of study. But why is ‘in’ preferred here over ‘of’ or ‘for’? Let’s break it down.
1. Understanding the Preposition ‘In’
‘In’ is used to describe a particular area, field, or subject that someone is involved in. When referring to a career, we typically use ‘in’ to specify the field in which a person works. For example, ‘She works in finance’ or ‘He is in healthcare.’ This conveys that the person is actively involved in that field or industry.
The use of ‘in’ indicates a professional or academic domain, and it’s used to describe what someone does professionally or what they study or focus on.
2. Why Not ‘Of’ or ‘For’?
While ‘of’ and ‘for’ can also be used in various contexts, they don’t convey the same meaning as ‘in’ when referring to a career or field of study.
‘Of’ typically shows ownership or relation, but it doesn’t make sense in this context. For example, ‘He pursued a career of medicine’ would sound odd, as it doesn’t clearly specify the field of work. Similarly, ‘For’ is used to show purpose or beneficiary, like ‘She works for a hospital,’ but it doesn’t describe the professional area of expertise, which is what ‘in’ does in this sentence.
3. Common Usage of ‘In’ for Fields of Work or Study
In English, we often say a person is ‘in’ a particular field or profession. Whether it’s ‘in law,’ ‘in engineering,’ or ‘in teaching,’ ‘in’ is the go-to preposition when discussing someone’s occupation or area of expertise.
Examples: ‘She is in marketing,’ ‘He works in technology,’ and ‘They are in healthcare’ all correctly use ‘in’ to specify the career or field of work.
4. Summary: ‘In’ is the Correct Choice
In summary, ‘in’ is used in ‘He pursued a career in medicine’ because it clearly indicates the field of medicine as the area of focus for the person’s career. ‘Of’ and ‘for’ would not provide the same clarity or meaning in this context. Understanding the proper usage of prepositions like ‘in’ helps in conveying the intended meaning accurately in professional and academic contexts.
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