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Prepositions after adjectives

illegal in vs. illegal for

Illegal in refers to a place or jurisdiction. Illegal for refers to a person or group that is not allowed to do something.

Quick answer

Key difference

Use illegal in with countries, states, or organisations: illegal in Canada. Use illegal for with a person or group: illegal for minors to buy alcohol.

The drug is illegal in several countries.
It is illegal for children to work there.
Online gambling remains illegal in that state.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
illegal in + place

Laws in a location

Shows where something is against the law.

The practice is illegal in Germany.
2
illegal for + person + to infinitive

Restrictions on people

Shows who is not legally allowed to act.

It is illegal for drivers to text while driving.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
illegal in
The app is illegal in that country.
Not permitted by law in a place.
illegal for
It is illegal for tourists to camp here.
A person or group is prohibited from doing something.
illegal to + verb
It is illegal to copy the software.
Common alternative focused on the action.

Common mistakes

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

Using illegal in with people

In normally introduces a place, not the affected person.

✕ illegal in teenagers to vape ✓ illegal for teenagers to vape

Using illegal for with countries

For does not normally mark jurisdiction.

✕ illegal for Canada ✓ illegal in Canada

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The substance is illegal ___ France.
2. It is illegal ___ employees to share passwords.
3. Which sentence is correct?

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say illegal under the law?

Yes. Under the law adds legal context but is not the main complement of illegal.

Is illegal to also common?

Yes. It is illegal to do something is very common.

Does illegal in always refer to a country?

No. It can refer to any jurisdiction, such as a city, state, or organisation.

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