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Prepositions after adjectives

demographic with of and in

Demographic is more often a noun, but as an adjective it can appear with in for location or field. Demographic of is usually part of a noun phrase, not a fixed adjective pattern.

Quick answer

Which is correct: demographic of or demographic in?

Use demographic in when describing trends or groups within a place or sector. Demographic of usually belongs to a noun phrase such as the demographic of the city, where demographic is a noun rather than an adjective.

Researchers studied demographic changes in rural areas.
The article examined the demographic profile of the region.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
demographic in + place/sector

Describing trends within a location or field

Use in with demographic topics connected to an area, market, or population.

They analysed demographic shifts in coastal towns.
There are major demographic differences in the workforce.
2
demographic of + group/place

Using demographic as a noun

In phrases like demographic of the city, demographic functions as a noun meaning population profile.

The demographic of the district has changed.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
demographic in
Demographic trends in Europe are changing.
natural for location or field
demographic of
The demographic of the area is ageing.
natural when demographic is a noun
demographic about
They discussed demographic data about students.
about modifies data, not demographic itself
demographic for
The campaign created demographic reports for investors.
for introduces purpose or recipient, not a fixed pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Treating demographic as always an adjective

Demographic is often used as a noun meaning a population group or profile.

✕ The demographic in the city is young people. ✓ The demographic of the city includes many young people.

Using demographic of as an adjective pattern

Of usually follows the noun demographic, not the adjective.

✕ The region is demographic of change. ✓ The region shows major demographic change.

Omitting the noun after demographic adjective

As an adjective, demographic normally modifies another noun.

✕ The report focuses on demographic. ✓ The report focuses on demographic trends.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Researchers studied demographic changes ___ urban areas.
2. The demographic ___ the region has shifted.
3. They collected demographic data ___ customers.

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Frequently asked questions

Is demographic mainly a noun or an adjective?

It is used both ways, but noun use is very common in everyday English.

Can I say demographic in education?

Yes. This refers to demographic patterns within the education sector.

Is demographic of always correct?

Only when demographic is functioning as a noun, such as the demographic of the town.

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