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Preposition after adjective

Large in or large of?

Large in is used in a few specific expressions such as large in scale or large in number. Large of is rare and mostly literary in phrases like large of heart.

Quick answer

Which form is correct?

Use large in when referring to an area, amount, quality, or scope: large in size, large in number. Large of is not standard in ordinary modern English, although literary expressions such as large of heart still appear occasionally.

The project is large in scale.
The museum is large in size.
The crowd was large in number.
He was large of heart in the novel.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
large in + area/quality

Describing size, amount, or scope

Use large in with nouns that describe dimensions, scale, number, or importance.

The factory is large in area.
Their influence became large in scope.
2
large in + body part

Describing a physical feature

Large in can describe a person or animal with a noticeable feature.

The dog was large in the shoulders.
She is large in build.
3
large of + noun

Rare literary descriptions

Large of appears mainly in literary or old-fashioned phrases describing character or spirit.

The king was large of spirit.
The story describes a hero large of heart.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
large in
The building is large in size.
Standard expression for size, amount, scope, or another quality.
large of
She was large of heart.
Rare and literary; used for character traits rather than physical size.
large at
The jacket is large at the waist.
At introduces a specific part or point, not a fixed adjective pattern.
large enough for
The room is large enough for ten people.
Common way to express sufficient size.

Common mistakes

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

Using large of in everyday descriptions

Large of sounds literary or old-fashioned in modern English.

✕ The apartment is large of size. ✓ The apartment is large in size.

Confusing large in with location

In after large usually introduces a quality or dimension, not a place.

✕ The sofa is large in the room. ✓ The sofa looks large in the room.

Using large with an uncountable measurement noun incorrectly

Use a natural measurement phrase after large in.

✕ The company is large in many. ✓ The company is large in number.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The event was very ___ scale.
2. The phrase ___ heart is literary and uncommon.
3. The army was large ___ number.

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Frequently asked questions

Is large of common in modern English?

No. It is mostly literary or old-fashioned and usually appears in phrases about character, such as large of heart.

Can large in describe physical dimensions?

Yes. Common examples include large in size, large in area, and large in scale.

Can in after large refer to a place?

Usually no. In after large normally introduces a quality or dimension, although a separate place phrase can appear in a sentence, as in The sofa looks large in the room.

labour-in-for-with-on, to "late in" or "late for"? lawful for, to, in, unto or under? "lax in", "lax on" or "lax about"? lazy in, about, with, to or for? "leading to" or "leading of"? leery of, about or over? left in, for, over, with or to? leftover from, of, for, in or after? "legal in" or "legal for"? "legitimate for" or "legitimate in"? lesser of, in, for, on or to?

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