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Prepositions after verbs

Accelerate by, accelerate to, or accelerate in?

Accelerate often appears with by for amount and to for a target speed or level. In is usually used with fields or situations, not as a fixed complement.

Quick answer

Common uses of accelerate

Use accelerate by to show the amount of increase and accelerate to for a target speed, level, or rate. Accelerate in can appear before a field or context, such as accelerate in growth.

Sales accelerated by 15% last year
The car accelerated to 100 km/h in seconds
Investment accelerated in emerging markets

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
accelerate by + amount

Showing the degree of increase

By introduces the amount of change.

Production accelerated by 10% this quarter
2
accelerate to + level

Showing a target speed or rate

Use to for the result reached after acceleration.

The train accelerated to full speed
3
accelerate in + field

Showing the area where change happens

In can introduce the context or field of faster activity.

Innovation accelerated in the sector

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
accelerate by
Inflation accelerated by two percentage points.
Shows the amount of increase.
accelerate to
The runner accelerated to top speed.
Shows the level or speed reached.
accelerate in
Growth accelerated in Asia.
In introduces the area or context of change.
accelerate with
The process accelerated with new funding.
With introduces a contributing factor, not a fixed pattern.

Common mistakes

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

Using to for the amount of change

Use by for the size of the increase.

✕ Prices accelerated to 5%. ✓ Prices accelerated by 5%.

Using in for a target speed

Use to when stating the speed or level reached.

✕ The plane accelerated in 900 km/h. ✓ The plane accelerated to 900 km/h.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The economy accelerated ___ 3% last quarter.
2. The bike accelerated ___ 60 km/h.
3. Demand accelerated ___ urban areas.

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Frequently asked questions

Can accelerate be used without a preposition?

Yes. For example: The car accelerated quickly.

What does accelerate to mean?

It means to reach a higher speed, rate, or level.

Is accelerate in common?

It is used when naming a field or context, such as accelerate in trade or growth.

abandon, by, abandon, in "abduct by", "abduct in" or "abduct from"? abide by, in, with, to or on? "abolish in" or "abolish by"? "abound in" or "abound with"? "absorb by", "absorb into" or "absorb in"? accentuate by, with, in or under? accept by, in, as, for or into? "accommodate in", "accommodate for" or "accommodate to"? "accomplish by" or "accomplish in"? "accord to" or "accord with"? accredit by, to, with, in or as?

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